Amazon has ended a confidential four-year initiative to develop an at-home fertility monitoring device and companion app, according to a CNBC report.
The project, codenamed “Encore,” emerged from Amazon’s 2020 acquisition of bluDiagnostics, a Wisconsin-based startup. The technology aimed to analyze saliva samples to measure fertility hormones estradiol and progesterone, with results viewable through a smartphone app.
The project was housed within Amazon’s Grand Challenge division, the company’s moonshot incubator established under former CEO Jeff Bezos. This shutdown marks another closure within Grand Challenge, which has previously terminated projects including connected Alexa glasses and a medical records analysis tool.
While Amazon had initially planned to launch the product this year, technical challenges delayed the timeline. The team reportedly had significant operating costs, with weekly overhead reaching approximately $1.5 million.
This closure aligns with CEO Andy Jassy’s broader cost-cutting measures implemented since late 2022. Under his leadership, Amazon has discontinued various experimental projects.
Amazon has confirmed that affected employees will remain on payroll until December 27 and will have the opportunity to find other roles within the company.
