Apricity Fertility team "heartbroken" as the start-up confirms closure
The virtual IVF clinic shuttered on 1 January.
UK-based virtual IVF specialist Apricity Fertility has confirmed it has closed its doors, effective 1 January 2025.
All services including appointments, consultations, tests and treatments have now been cancelled. In a statement, Apricity shared that impact that the closure has had on its own team and how it has been working to ensure minimal impact to patients:
“The team is heartbroken, and along with our partner IVF clinics, is doing everything it can to support treatment continuity plans for patients who have started treatment.
“Patients will either be able to continue the treatment they have paid for at a partner clinic, or if they cannot they will receive a refund. We can assure all patients that ongoing safe storage of frozen eggs, sperm and embryos will be provided by our partner IVF clinics.”
Apricity once celebrated ‘rapid growth’
Apricity Fertility was founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Caroline Noublanche and fertility expert Andrew Berkley as the UK’s first virtual fertility clinic.
It used technology and AI to maximise chances of success while helping to reduce anxiety and confusion for patients thanks in part to a well-regarded and user-friendly app. It raised an estimated $23.7m during its operations. Most recently in 2022 it announced a Series B funding round of €17 million to expand across Europe, led by Swiss healthtech investor MTIP. At the time Apricity said that it had seen ‘rapid growth’ in the past year thanks to the interest in telehealth and digital health post-pandemic.
However, the start-up has now confirmed that more recent financial challenges contributed to its closure:
“Apricity Fertility was founded to transform how fertility treatment is accessed, using technology to improve outcomes. Our success rates indicate our vision was being realised.
“However, sadly, we can confirm that due to financial challenges, we are no longer able to continue services from 1 January 2025. Staff and patients were notified as soon as this was known.”