Taking the Stress Out of Conception

Tess Cosad, a marketer turned entrepreneur, is the co-founder and CEO of Béa Fertility. Her venture into femtech didn’t stem from a background in science or clinical work, but from a drive to democratize fertility treatments.

"Thinking of all the babies we're going to make — I can't wait," Tess shares. Founded in 2020 in London, Béa brings clinic-level fertility treatment to homes. 

Before Béa Fertility, Tess's career spanned various innovative roles. In 2014, she launched Emberson Ventures, a marketing agency focused on technology sectors. This was followed by Hers By Design in 2018, a female-led femtech brand. Her achievements also include leading a digital marketing-focused accelerator program in Saudi Arabia.

Witnessing friends endure strenuous fertility treatments ignited a desire to provide more fair and available options to everyone. "It's horrendous, and we've got to do better," she decided. "If you look at people going on a fertility journey, it’s really unfair what they have to go through to build their families." 

Béa's device is a pivot to a tried-and-true clinical method, intracervical insemination (ICI). It’s a simple yet effective technique of artificial insemination: placing semen onto the cervix using a specially designed applicator. "It was wild to me that no one had revived this treatment, which could significantly ease the journey for families," Tess says. 

A few fertility devices designed for home use have been developed in the past. Interestingly, one of them is no longer available on the market, while all the others revolve around intercourse. Meanwhile, Béa's philosophy was grounded in two principles: the elimination of the need for intercourse and user-friendly application at home. 

The purpose of removing intercourse from the picture is to alleviate stress associated with conception for couples, and accommodate various paths to family building, such as those using donor sperm or facing physical limitations. The thoughtfully designed applicator facilitates the process, enabling the user to locate the cervix on their own — a step that’s not always straightforward. Béa's device ensures that the sperm bypasses the acidic vaginal canal and directly reaches the cervix.

Moreover, Béa is dedicated to deepening the understanding of fertility. The company has developed a comprehensive online fertility assessment, creating one of the UK's largest databases in this domain. This rich dataset is instrumental in understanding individual fertility stories, highlighting the access gap in fertility care and the efficacy of treatments, proving the viability of ICI, assessing the eligibility of Béa applicants, and enhancing user experience with each iteration of the Béa Applicator and Cap.

After its successful launch in the UK, Béa Fertility is now setting its sights on the US market. Classified as a Class II device under the 510(k) category, the team is working to meet FDA requirements, aiming for clearance by late 2024. 

Key Learnings From Tess’s Experience

• Prioritize design, especially if you are targeting the consumer market. Be as simple as possible. Don't leave room for your audience to infer or make assumptions about your product. Position and frame it strategically to your target audience.

• Keeping your initial team lean and agile is a great advantage. However, it's crucial not to overlook instrumental roles. Missing key players in pivotal functions can lead to various delays across the entire business.

• Fundraising is a numbers game, and it doesn’t get easier as you progress to larger rounds. But repeating and refining your pitch countless times allows you to clarify your company’s mission and clearly communicate the opportunities ahead.