Though egg freezing has become somewhat commonplace, it’s still an expensive endeavor; one cycle can cost as much as $10,000. Even those with workplace benefits have to shoulder elements such as medications and long-term storage, which can run thousands of additional dollars. After years of struggling with their own fertility issues, digital health veterans Lauren Makler, Halle Tecco, and Arielle Spiegel realized that they could make egg freezing more affordable by connecting it to egg donation. In 2022—after securing a $5 million seed round led by Initialized Capital and Offline Ventures—they launched Cofertility. The company lets qualifying people freeze their eggs free of charge if they agree to donate half of them. Cofertility then matches these donors with intended parents who are seeking a donor. Since Cofertility’s debut last fall, tens of thousands of people have applied to be a part of its egg-freezing programs, and the company has activated hundreds of donors.
Their model also innovates on the traditional cash compensation structure of egg donation, a fraught exchange that can deter potential donors. The approach also allows donors and intended parents to connect with one another, either mediated by Cofertility’s platform (which shields their identities) or directly, offering transparency that many prefer to the total anonymity of traditional egg donation—which, as Cofertility’s founders point out, is no longer a guarantee, with DNA testing. “Both sides really feel like they are going into this process together, as opposed to a transaction where [intended parents] are just getting some eggs,” says Makler, who leads Cofertility as CEO alongside Spiegel, the chief marketing officer, and Tecco, who serves as the chair.
By making egg donation more accessible, the cofounders hope to diversify the pool of donors available to intended parents. The results so far are promising: Of Cofertility’s active donors, nearly half identify as people of color. “A number of folks who come to us [tell] us they have been looking for their egg donor for years and haven’t found someone that they feel either reflects their heritage or that they were excited to move forward with,” says Makler. “It’s the best feeling when we get to facilitate that relationship.”
This story is part of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business for 2023. Discover the full list of groundbreakers who’ve achieved something meaningful in the past year.
Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s Brands That Matter Awards before the early-rate deadline, May 3.
