Lushi, a new startup aimed at transforming the fertility care experience, recently launched with $5 million in funding. The company, founded by former PR executive Jessica Schaefer, introduces its platform with a suite of services designed to make fertility preservation more accessible and less intimidating for women.
Schaefer’s personal experience with egg freezing inspired the creation of Lushi. “The process was incredibly challenging,” she recounts. “You’re sent home with a brown paper bag and instructed to watch outdated educational videos. Then you’re expected to mix fertility drugs and self-administer injections with little guidance.” This experience, coupled with a medication error that significantly reduced her egg retrieval outcome, highlighted the need for a more supportive and user-friendly approach to fertility care.
Launching today, Lushi addresses these pain points with several key features. The platform offers telehealth fertility consultations, providing women with expert guidance from the comfort of their homes. For those struggling with self-administration of injections, Lushi provides on-demand injection specialists available in five major cities: New York, LA, Boston, Austin, and Chicago. This service aims to reduce medication errors and alleviate the stress associated with self-injection.
Additionally, the company offers personalized fertility plans covering diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes. These plans, which users can start weeks before beginning fertility medications, are designed to optimize egg quality and support women throughout their fertility journey, from pre-treatment preparation through post-retrieval recovery. The plans adapt as users progress through their fertility journey, offering tailored advice at each stage.
Lushi is also focusing on financial literacy within fertility care. The company plans to educate users about HSA (Health Savings Account) options for covering fertility services, addressing a common knowledge gap among potential patients.
The company’s approach is notably consumer-centric, a perspective Schaefer brings from her background in PR and marketing. “We’re the first consumer-first brand in this space focused on solving the real pain points women experience,” she explains.
The $5 million funding round includes participation from several notable investors, including Ariel Kaye, founder and CEO of Parachute, who has also joined Lushi’s board. Justin Dib, a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits, serves as an advisor. Many of the investors are also IVF couples, bringing personal experience and passion to their investment.
Looking ahead, Lushi plans to expand its services to include IVF support and is exploring partnerships to address male fertility issues as well. The company is also working on developing a 24/7 medical AI support system for fertility, aiming to provide round-the-clock assistance for patients undergoing treatment. This AI system is designed to answer basic questions and streamline communication, addressing the current limitations in after-hours support for fertility patients.
