Conceive

Conceive is a New York City-based digital health company focused on fertility and reproductive health. Its integrated program combines three elements: cohort-based peer community (small groups of about 10 members hand-picked according to where a member is in their journey), evidence-based education delivered in short formats and drawing on both Eastern and Western medicine approaches, and 1:1 coaching from peer and clinical coaches. New members complete an onboarding questionnaire used to match them to a peer group and curriculum, with matching factors including geography, how long they have been trying to conceive, and diversity. Members meet weekly for 60-minute sessions and have access to their group, coach and educational resources throughout the eight-week program.

The company frames its objective as changing outcomes rather than providing a single point solution: helping members get pregnant faster, uncover diagnoses and reduce costs, positioned as a complement to in-clinic care. It addresses male fertility as well as female fertility, and at launch stated plans to add offerings for men, LGBTQ+ partners and patients pursuing egg freezing, with further stated interest in donation and surrogacy and conceiving after loss. As of its company website, Conceive markets fertility testing and personalized guidance and describes itself as a "fertility concierge" that helps members get answers, access doctors and find community.

The team includes technology executives with backgrounds at WW (formerly Weight Watchers), Omada Health, MasterClass and a16z, and clinicians associated with Cornell and CCRM. Its published roster lists a Head of Clinical Ops, a Head of Education, fertility nurses, coaches, reproductive endocrinologist and mental health medical advisors (affiliated with RMA of New York, Weill Cornell Medical College, Boston IVF and CCRM), and strategic advisors including the founders/CEOs of Inception Fertility, Natalist and Boston IVF.

Founding story

Conceive was founded in 2021 by Lauren Berson, its sole founder and CEO. Berson had been a Senior Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and then VP of Strategic Growth and M&A at WW (formerly Weight Watchers), where she worked on expanding the company beyond weight loss and observed how peer support in user forums drove accountability and results. During the same period she experienced a multi-year struggle to conceive involving IUIs, Clomid, multiple reproductive endocrinologists, missed diagnoses, IVF cycles and a miscarriage before the birth of her daughter; she was diagnosed with unexplained infertility and later learned her partner had varicocele. Concluding after conversations with patients and providers that existing offerings were either narrow point solutions or one-size-fits-all, and that patient needs paralleled those she had seen in weight loss (navigation support and not feeling alone), she started Conceive as the integrated, personalized product she says she wanted as a patient.

Business model

Direct-to-consumer paid program: members pay $549 for the eight-week trying-to-conceive program, with scholarships available for those who cannot afford it. The company said it planned to roll out subscription services and, over time, to monetize through affiliate relationships with consumer product and diagnostic companies, clinic relationships and employer plans. The founder described starting deliberately direct-to-consumer rather than via employer benefits so access would not depend on a member's employer.

Consumer program fees ($549 per eight-week program) at launch, with stated plans for subscriptions and future affiliate, clinic and employer channels.

Traction

An initial closed beta with an 11-member cohort reported 54% of members becoming pregnant, 36% uncovering new diagnoses, and 90% feeling very supported. Applications for a nationwide public beta opened in April 2022. Investor base included 40+ founders and angels, with a majority-female and 42% BIPOC cap table.

Latest developments

In April 2022 Conceive announced a $3.7M seed round led by Kindred Ventures and opened its nationwide public beta, with planned expansions to offerings for men, LGBTQ+ partners and egg-freezing patients. Its company website later advertised fertility testing with personalized guidance, a "fertility concierge" positioning, an expanded roster of nurses, coaches and medical advisors, and open hiring roles.