Thesis* is incubating Embody - an encrypted, local-first, open-source period tracker.
Today we are announcing Embody, a privacy-forward period tracker that uses end-to-end encryption to safeguard the most personal information women and people with cycles possess.
My name is Anna Hall, Founder of Embody. I created Embody because I believe that all menstruators should be able to understand their bodies without fear of their personal health data being sold, stolen, or misused.
In this post, we will discuss:
#What problems Embody solves, and how
One-third of women in the U.S. and 50 million people worldwide use apps to track their menstrual cycles to plan for pregnancy, monitor medical conditions, prepare for menopause, and more.
However, since the U.S. Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion in 2022, women are increasingly worried about the security of the data collected by period-tracking tools and how this data may be used against them.
At Embody, we believe that better tools for understanding how our bodies work are the keys to improving the lives of people who menstruate. And we believe that women should have access to these tools without the fear that their personal health data will be used against them.
So we’ve assembled a passionate, global team to create the most privacy-forward and comprehensive period tracking app ever built.
Embody is the first period tracker to ensure that your personal data is secure and can’t be misused. We take a three-pronged approach to security:
- Local storage: Your personal data is saved locally on your phone’s storage, not uploaded to the cloud or a centralized server. Embody can’t and won’t share any user data with third parties because it is impossible for us to access it.
- End-to-end encryption: Our team of expert cryptographers are building technology that ensures your data is encrypted from the moment it is entered into the app. This means that you, and only you, can access this personal data.
- Open-source code: The source code of the Embody app will be publicly available, so anyone can validate that we are keeping our promises of securing your data.
No other menstrual health app offers this level of data security and protection.
The app will also offer whole cycle tracking so users can fully understand symptoms and patterns across the four phases of the menstrual cycle: the Menstrual, Follicular, Ovulatory, and Luteal phases.
There will also be educational features and many more resources to help you deepen the knowledge of your body. To learn more about additional features of the app, read this post on the Embody blog.
The waitlist for the Embody mobile app is open now! Click here to join the waitlist and stay updated on our progress as we build toward the app launch later this year.
#How does Embody fit with Thesis*?
Thesis* incubates products that empower individuals and helps them maintain their freedoms, privacy, and self sovereignty. These core tenets are the reasons why Thesis* developed Fold app, Threshold / tBTC, Taho, and Saddle Finance.
Embody’s goal of empowering women and people with cycles to better understand their bodies while maintaining their privacy fits perfectly with the philosophy of Thesis*.
Thesis* employees have expertise in many important functions and will support Embody in building, launching, and growing in its early days:
- The Applied Cryptography group includes engineers who have extensive knowledge of cryptography and will support the development of Embody’s data privacy features.
- The Design team will help create a beautiful, easy-to-use mobile application and has already supported the design of the logo and website.
- The Marketing team will help Embody reach as many people as possible.
- And many other Thesis* team members will support Embody with product feedback, social media help, and more.
It takes a village, and Thesis* will work alongside the Embody team to bring the most secure and privacy-forward period tracking app to menstruators all over the world.
#How to get involved
We have a big vision of what Embody will be, but we can’t get there without you!
Here’s how you can help us achieve our mission:
- Read the announcement article on the Embody blog for more detail about the app.
- Sign up for the Embody waitlist.
- Follow us on Twitter for updates
- Join our Discord server to chat with like-minded supporters.
- Follow us on Instagram.
Thanks for reading, and we’re so excited to share this journey with you! Illustration by Neka King.
