London-based startup Béa Fertility has raised £2.5M funding to launch its at-home fertility treatment in the UK. The round was led by Octopus Ventures with participation from JamJar and Forward Partners as well as existing investors Calm/Storm and Q Ventures.
Béa Fertility’s at-home fertility treatment offers an alternative to traditional IVF and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) procedures, providing a more accessible option for individuals and couples aspiring to start their families. The heart of this unique approach lies in the Béa Applicator, which enables users to perform Intracervical Insemination (ICI). By placing a cervical cap of semen at the cervix, users can undergo a gentle and hormone-injection-free treatment experience. The cap is left in place for an hour before removal, and the kit also includes ovulation and pregnancy tests, allowing users to conduct follow-up assessments two weeks after the treatment.
Béa Fertility Co-founder Tess Cosad tells Tech.eu: “Fertility impacts one in six couples, yet access to fertility care is severely lacking globally. Fertility clinics have been selling the same expensive treatments for decades, yet there are a number of groups which remain underserved, including the LGBTQIA+ community, single people and parents experiencing secondary infertility. At Béa, our aim is to fill this gap by creating inclusive, clinical-grade fertility treatments that can be used at home.”
The start-up will be launching a study of the at-home fertility treatment with early adopters, seeking insights to optimize their services. Looking to the future, Béa Fertility envisions offering a three-month treatment plan at £700, significantly more affordable compared to traditional IVF treatments. Early data indicates that the at-home fertility treatment has demonstrated 50% efficacy over six cycles of usage.
Béa Fertility has also secured a pilot program with the NHS. Through this pilot, the at-home treatment kit will be made available through the South Fulham Primary Care Network, ensuring broader accessibility to fertility care for individuals seeking support from the public health system.
