When it comes to discussions on the topic of infertility, there are two issues that are often left untouched.

First, data estimates that 180 million couples try to conceive per year, with infertility affecting approximately 50 million couples globally. Yet most of the fertility products on the market today are expensive, invasive, and primarily focused on female infertility despite the fact that men contribute to 50 per cent of cases overall, according to Singapore-based health tech startup Hannah Life.

There is also the fact that popular infertility treatments such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) are not always suitable for everyone. In fact, studies pointed out that only a “small percentage” of couples need IVF as a suitable treatment for their conditions. The vast majority of fertility challenges can actually be remedied at home.

Second, there is also the psychological impact of infertility struggles which remains a taboo subject in many societies.

These issues are the reasons why Hannah Life builds its home-based fertility solutions to enable couples to improve their success rate in a safer space.

“Our vision is to become the go-to platform for any couple trying to conceive. The fertility health market is underserved with only three per cent of the industry needing IVF. The rest of the market – the 97 per cent and the TTC (i.e. trying to conceive) market – are faced with expensive and invasive solutions. We are focused on building an ecosystem with our proprietary fertility solutions that are less invasive, trusted, and affordable,” said Co-Founder and CEO Prusothman Sina Raja in a press statement.

Also Read: How ZaZaZu aims to empower women by starting conversation about sexual wellness

Helping couples beat infertility

Since its debut in August 2021, Hannah Life has launched three products under their twoplus brand.

One of them is the patented Sperm Guide medical-grade silicone device that is designed to create a high concentration of sperm cells near the cervical opening to increase chances of fertilisation and can be used multiple times during an ovulation cycle. According to the company, the significantly lower price point and ease of use also mean that any couple can use the twoplus products to increase their odds of natural conception.

Currently available in Singapore and the UK, Hannah Life says that the products have seen strong quarter-on-quarter revenue growth of over 300 per cent and served over 1,000 customers. To help ease the emotional strain that may come with infertility struggle, the company implements a D2C distribution model that allows users to access their products from the comfort and secrecy of home.

To find out whether the products are the right fit for them, the Hannah Life platform is completed with a comprehensive blog and quiz feature.

In an email to e27, co-founder Dr Benjamin Tee explains the product development process that they go through: “We focus on real problems that couples face to develop our products. That’s our starting point before inventing any new technologies or solutions. Next, we consulted with top fertility doctors and specialists to further validate the unmet need and the solutions we are developing.”

The team took over 1,000 design iterations and prototypes before launching their Sperm Guide product; they begin this process of product development in 2019.

Also Read: Why sexual wellness is the next frontier for entrepreneurs

Like many startups that aim to solve a problem, the founding of Hannah Life was inspired by the co-founder’s personal struggles. Meeting through the Stanford Biodesign Fellowship programme in 2014, Dr Tee and Raja intend to find a solution that can help users conceive in a more affordable way –which had not exist in the market.

Dr Tee is an award-winning innovator in biomaterial sciences and medical engineering technologies who received his PhD from Stanford University in 2014 and was selected as an MIT TR35 innovator in 2016. Raja received his degree in biomedical engineering from NUS and was named as Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia for Healthcare and Science in 2017.

Previously, the co-founders had started Privi Medical which was acquired by HeMo Bioengineering.

What is next for Hannah Life

This week, the company announced a US$5.15 million Pre-Series A funding round led by Monk’s Hill Ventures. Previously, they have also raised funding from the likes of Golden Gate Ventures, Y Combinator, Sam Altman’s Scout fund, Anthro Ventures, Enterprise Singapore, Medtech Alliance 2, and angel investors such as Loh Yu-Chie.

It aims to use the funding to hire and scale marketing and sales operations to prepare for its expansion in the US and Europe.

“These are large markets and we have strong networks there through our experience and investors,” says Dr Tee. “We aim to launch in multiple countries and help as many couples as possible in their family building journey.”

—

Ready to meet new startups to invest in? We have more than hundreds of startups ready to connect with potential investors on our platform. Create or claim your Investor profile today and turn on e27 Connect to receive requests and fundraising information from them.

Image Credit: Hannah Life

The post How Hannah Life aims to help couples solve the unspeakable problem of infertility appeared first on e27.