IVFmicro, a spinout company from the University of Leeds developing technology to improve the success rate of IVF treatments, has raised £3.5m.
Founded in 2024, IVFmicro aims to make the medical practice more reliable by enhancing the quality and number of embryos included in an IVF cycle.
Currently IVF treatment only results in a successful pregnancy roughly 30% of the time in women under the age of 35. It is also a costly process, with patient expenses typically around £5,000 in the UK for a single cycle of treatment.
IVFmicro has developed a microfluidic device that it claims improves both the number of viable embryos available for transfer and the likelihood that an embryo will implant.
“My career has focused on understanding the reproductive biology of eggs and embryos, how they develop and, crucially, why things sometimes go wrong,” said IVFmicro co-founder and scientific director Helen Picton.
“At IVFmicro, we are harnessing years of research into reproductive biology to create a practical, accessible solution that can improve outcomes for patients undergoing fertility treatment. Our goal is to make IVF more effective, more predictable, and ultimately more hopeful for those striving to start a family.”
The investment was led by regional financier Northern Gritstone along with support from Innovate UK’s Investment Partnership Programme.
“IVFMicro is a brilliant example of the world-class innovation emerging from the Northern Arc’s universities, combining scientific excellence with a clear commercial vision to tackle the societal challenge of infertility,” said Northern Gritstone chief executive Duncan Johnson.
“Millions worldwide require fertility treatment, but new solutions are needed to overcome the high costs involved and low success rates. We are especially proud that IVFMicro’s journey has been supported through our NG Studios programme and our Innovation Services, which exist to help founders like Virginia and Helen turn pioneering research into real-world impact.”
