Fecundis, a medical technology start-up specialising in reproductive health, based at the Barcelona Science Park, announced today the successful closing of its seed funding round, securing $2.4 million from a group of forward-thinking investors. The round was led by Chicago-based private equity firm DuneGlass Capital, with the participation of Latin American investment funds Zentynel Frontier Investments and GRIDX.

The company will use this new capital to accelerate the clinical testing and market launch of its first product, HyperSperm, a revolutionary sperm-focused assisted reproduction technique. This seed round also strengthens the start-up’s financial base by enabling it to increase its R&D efforts and scale-up its operations to expand its product line, with the goal of responding to the growing global demand for affordable and effective reproductive solutions.

Fecundis, led by Dr Rita Vassena – a world-renowned scientist in the field of human fertility – was established based on a technology developed by researchers and co-founders Mariano Buffone and Dario Krapf – international leaders in sperm biology – with the mission of offering an effective, evidence-based approach to increase the efficiency of assisted reproduction treatments while reducing the associated economic and psychological impact.

“We are thrilled to have the support of such a prestigious group of investors, collectively specialized in healthcare and biotech, who share our vision of improving access to reproductive care through a deep understanding of reproductive biology. This funding will allow us to accelerate the development of HyperSperm, expand our clinical evidence base, and hit critical milestones on our path to market, fulfilling our mission to helping more people achieve their dreams of starting or growing their families, says Dr Vassena, the start-up’s CEO.

“Fecundis has the potential to revolutionize reproductive health with its advanced technology in sperm biology and innovative approach,” states Ryan Graham, DuneGlass Capital managing partner and Fecundis board member. “We are particularly excited about the company’s pipeline of cutting-edge products and the broad applications of its technology across sectors.”

According to Precedence Research, the global fertility market is projected to reach $70 billion by 2033, driven by increasing awareness and demand for advanced fertility treatments. However, infertility treatments remain inefficient and prohibitively expensive for most patients.

“Currently, 180 million people are experiencing infertility, and over 90% of them do not have access to effective care; the small minority of patients who can  get treatment face lengthy, costly, and inefficient procedures. We believe that a world where infertility is diagnosed quickly –, and where treatments are effective and accessible – is not only possible, but also urgent and necessary”, explains Dr. Vassena.

Fecundis wants to respond to this global clinical need by radically changing infertility treatments  by offering efficient and effective sperm-based fertility solutions. HyperSperm, its most advanced development, is an assisted reproduction technique whose strategy is 100% disruptive because it focuses on achieving unprecedented improvements in sperm performance, reproducing in them the same biochemical changes that occur naturally in the female tract during spontaneous fertilisation.

The first clinical study conducted to validate it concluded with the birth of a baby in April 2023 whose patients had a long history of infertility. Fecundis is currently carrying out a definitive evaluation of the technique with more extensive trials.

» Related news [+]