Nivritti Ashok of Amazon Payments Europe: exploring femtech and finding a co-founder

Nivritti Ashok has not settled on the business she wants to build next. That makes her story a useful look at the decisions that come before a launch: which problem matters enough to pursue, whether to work alone, and who might be the right person to build with.

A Principal Program Manager at Amazon Payments Europe, she is exploring interests in fintech and femtech alongside her professional role. Speaking at a startup gathering in Hyde Park on 17 October 2026, she describes a period of conversations and discovery rather than a finished venture.

Choosing a co-founder means looking beyond skills

For Nivritti, the first question is whether to become a solopreneur at all. If she does partner with someone, complementary skills and networks matter, but so do values and the way each person approaches life.

She calls the process “founder dating”. The comparison reflects the length and closeness of the commitment: someone can bring valuable expertise without necessarily being the person you want to make difficult decisions with over several years.

Meeting people across different industries helps her explore both sides of that decision. Conversations can reveal an idea worth considering, a different way to approach a problem, or a potential collaborator. She is allowing those possibilities to develop before committing to one direction.

A personal experience raises a femtech question

One area she is exploring comes from her own experience of egg freezing. Having recently gone through a second round, she describes the process as lonely and says she struggled to find people with whom she could openly discuss what she was experiencing.

The questions she recalls are personal and immediate: does this feel normal, and is anyone else going through something similar? Her interest is in a space where women feel psychologically safe to share those experiences, with access to useful resources and support.

That is an idea she is investigating, rather than an app or community she has already launched. She is still weighing which problems excite her, where her skills fit, and what could become a viable venture.

Support is a wider part of the fertility experience

There is relevant context beyond her account. In the HFEA’s 2024 National Patient Survey, which included 1,500 UK fertility patients, 69% reported satisfaction with the support provided, including access to counselling. Support had the lowest satisfaction rating among the aspects of treatment surveyed. Published in March 2025, the research covers fertility treatment more broadly, rather than egg freezing alone.

The finding makes support a worthwhile question to investigate; it does not establish demand for a particular product. A future peer community would also need clear boundaries between sharing experiences and clinical guidance. The HFEA’s egg-freezing information provides an existing starting point for understanding the treatment itself.

Start conversations before you have every answer

Asked what she would say to someone with ideas but little access to a startup community, Nivritti suggests starting online. She mentions Y Combinator’s co-founder matching platform, alongside founder walks, coffee chats and networking events where those are accessible.

Her advice is to build a profile and talk to people, even before the destination is clear. In her own search, those conversations are part of working out what to build and who to build it with.