The Future of Women’s Health: What We’re Getting Wrong & Where the Science Is Going | Mel Strong

Mel Strong, founding partner of Next Ventures and ex-Nike Women VP, joins Gabby Reece, Amber Taylor, and Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan on why women’s health is the smartest bet in tech and the research and tools finally putting women first.WHAT WE EXPLOREWomen-led companies deliver stronger returnsDecision frameworks for major career changesEvidence-backed women’s health claimsWhy AI trained on old data misleads womenHormone monitoring technology for womenGLP-1 dosing and female metabolismThe women’s health gapTimestamps00:00 Intro05:52 Women’s Broken Relationship With Money09:54 Why Women-Led Companies Return More15:08 The Autonomy Access Investing Framework19:45 Spotting Gaps in Women’s Health22:57 Why Startups Skip Funding the Science27:21 How VCs Evaluate Health Startups33:00 Why Women’s Health Data Is Broken38:03 GLP-1 Dosing and Wearables for Women42:28 Why Simple Health Advice Sells47:30 The Growth Trap Killing Startups50:16 The Women’s Health Funding Fight53:08 How to Start Angel InvestingAbout Mel Strong:Mel Strong is co-founder of Next Ventures, the health and wellness fund she launched after 17 years at Nike. She invests in evidence-backed women’s health companies and has advocated for women’s health equity on Capitol Hill.Connect with Mel Strong:Website: https://www.nextventures.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/melaniestrongLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-strong–ABOUT THE PROOF OF PRACTICEThe Proof of Practice: Where Science Meets PracticeWomen have been understudied, undertreated, and given advice built for men. This show exists to change that.Hosted by five of the most respected names in women’s health — Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan, Amber Taylor, Gabby Reece, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, and Dr. Stacy Sims — every episode brings evidence-based, experience-backed conversations on strength, metabolism, hormones, longevity, and performance. No trends. No shortcuts. Just the proof that practice works.YOUR HOSTSGabby ReeceOne of the most iconic athletes in American sports history, Gabby Reece is a former professional beach volleyball player, Nike’s first female spokesperson, New York Times bestselling author, and lifelong advocate for how women should train, eat, and live. She co-founded the Hamilton House Experience wellness program with her husband Laird Hamilton and hosts The Reecet women’s wellness retreat. Gabby brings decades of real-world performance experience to every conversation.📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/🌐 http://gabbyreece.comDr. Abbie Smith-Ryan, PhD, CSCS*D, FACSM, FNSCAProfessor of Exercise Physiology at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Director of the Applied Physiology Laboratory, Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan has published over 190 peer-reviewed manuscripts and is one of the leading researchers in female physiology, metabolism, and sports nutrition. A three-time NSCA award winner — including Outstanding Sports Scientist of the Year (2022) — she translates cutting-edge lab science into practical strategies that actually work for women across every life stage.📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asmithryan/🌐 http://asmithryan.comAmber TaylorAmber Taylor is a New Zealand–based digital health and product leader who builds evidence‑based fitness platforms designed to better support women’s physiology, safety, and long‑term wellbeing. Drawing on two decades in technology and digital roles at Amazon, Nike, and Les Mills, she uses AI, behavioral insights, and omnichannel delivery to create inclusive training experiences that help women move consistently, recover smarter, and integrate exercise into real life.Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, DOBoard-certified in family medicine and fellowship-trained in nutritional science and geriatrics, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is the founder of muscle-centric medicine — a framework that positions skeletal muscle as the cornerstone of metabolic health, longevity, and disease prevention. She is the author of the bestselling book Forever Strong and one of the most sought-after voices in functional medicine and women’s performance.📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgabriellelyon/🌐 http://drgabriellelyon.comDr. Stacy Sims, PhDExercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Stacy Sims