Henley start‑up Welvow aims to fix women’s wellness search

Hailing from Henley-on-Thames, Welvow is designed to help women find trusted and personalised health and wellbeing services without the frustration of endless internet searches and unverified recommendations.

Founded by acupuncturist and yoga teacher Tiff Kertesz, alongside Kate Kirrane and Nick Kertesz, the platform uses intelligent matching technology to connect users with a curated network of vetted practitioners and classes, offering ongoing support through personalised content and events.

Tiff Kertesz, co-founder of Welvow, said: “Every woman I treat has spent months self-diagnosing, misdirecting herself and feeling unheard before she walks into my clinic.

“Welvow exists so that searching for the right support stops being a second job.”

The platform launched in June 2026 with its Founding Practitioner Programme, aiming to build a high-quality network of providers before a wider consumer rollout later in the year.

Welvow enters the market at a time of mounting pressure on healthcare services.

In May 2026, NHS England reported more than 7.1 million treatments remained on waiting lists in England.

The Fawcett Society also found that nearly two-thirds of women feel their health concerns are not taken seriously.

The platform’s core feature is a one-minute wellness quiz designed to understand not just symptoms, but how users hope to feel differently over time.

Users are then matched with recommended local practitioners, classes and tailored resources to support their wellbeing journey.

Welvow is not a booking platform or directory but describes itself as an ongoing ‘wellness companion’.

Ms Kertesz said: “The NHS is under historic strain, with eight-minute GP appointments and long waiting lists.

“So much of everyday wellbeing, the sleep, the stress, the aches, the energy, the long, slow recoveries, now sits in a gap the system simply cannot reach.

“More than four in ten of us already turn to some form of complementary or natural support at some point, yet finding the right person for it is still left almost entirely to chance.”

The platform also aims to support the UK’s growing network of independent wellness practitioners.

Co-founder Kate Kirrane, who also founded the practitioner network SEED, said: “There are thousands of exceptional practitioners doing life-changing work across the UK.

“But the industry remains incredibly fragmented.

“Welvow is about creating a trusted, thoughtful ecosystem that works for both practitioners and the people searching for support.”

Welvow was built and is based in the UK with privacy and UK GDPR compliance at its core.

It will launch in selected UK regions before expanding nationally.