Apricity

Apricity operates as a virtual fertility clinic, engineering a patient-centric model that blends digital health tools with personalized care. Launched in 2018 by Caroline Noublanche and Andrew Berkley, the company was established to address the stress and logistical burdens associated with traditional fertility treatments. Noublanche, a serial entrepreneur, previously founded and sold a mobile app development company, Prylos, and later served as an entrepreneur-in-residence at AXA-backed incubator Kamet Ventures, where she identified the lack of digital transformation in the IVF sector as a key opportunity. This background in mobile technology and venture building shaped Apricity's strategy.

The company functions as a high-touch concierge service, coordinating the fertility journey for individuals and couples through a proprietary mobile app. This platform provides patients with access to fertility advisors seven days a week, manages customized treatment journeys, and minimizes the need for frequent clinic visits by facilitating at-home diagnostics and virtual consultations. The business model is diversified, generating revenue through direct-to-consumer packages for services like IVF and egg freezing, and also through a robust B2B channel. Corporate clients, including major banks and tech companies, offer Apricity's services as an employee benefit through providers like AXA and Reward Gateway, a segment that accounts for over a third of the company's revenue.

Apricity's service portfolio includes IVF support, fertility preservation, and a significant egg donation program. The company developed AI algorithms to help identify suitable fertility treatments and to assist in embryo selection using 3D reconstruction technology. This technological layer aims to improve outcomes, with the company reporting a 46% success rate per cycle, compared to the UK's national average of 31%. Key strategic moves included the acquisition of the Madrid-based period-tracking app Woom in 2022 to bolster its data and European footprint, and the purchase of egg donation service Altrui in 2019. However, after raising a €17 million Series B in September 2022 for European expansion, the company faced unexpected financial difficulties and announced it would cease operations as of January 1, 2025. Its business model as a virtual service, rather than a licensed treatment provider, placed it outside the direct regulatory framework of the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).

Keywords: virtual fertility clinic, fertility benefits, FemTech, digital health, IVF support, egg donation, fertility concierge, reproductive health, at-home diagnostics, employee benefits, fertility treatment, patient-centric care, AI in healthcare, Caroline Noublanche, fertility preservation, telehealth, Woom acquisition, Altrui, corporate fertility benefits, HealthTech, assisted reproduction technology