Transform your fertility journey while helping others create families—there is an innovative egg sharing program that benefits everyone involved.
The assisted fertility market is changing dramatically as women navigate career aspirations alongside family planning. A company called Cofertility has come forward with an innovative solution: freeze your eggs at no cost by sharing half with those who need donor eggs to conceive.
This unique startup, now in its third year, recently secured $7.25 million in Series A funding, bringing its total investment to $16 million. The round was spearheaded by Next Ventures and Offline Ventures, with additional backing from Initialized, Gaingels, and other investors.
Behind Cofertility stands Lauren Makler, a former Uber executive, who partnered with health tech angel investor Halle Tecco. Makler's personal journey shaped the company's vision after a 2018 diagnosis of a rare abdominal condition threatened her ovaries through multiple surgeries. While doctors often recommend egg freezing in such situations, Makler couldn't pursue this option.
During her research into egg donation, Makler discovered troubling pricing practices. “It felt sort of like surge pricing for egg donors,” she noted, particularly disturbed by premium charges for eggs from donors with specific backgrounds or education levels.
Though Makler eventually conceived naturally, her experience inspired Cofertility's “Split” program, which connects fertility-conscious women with those seeking donor eggs. While egg sharing concepts exist elsewhere, Cofertility claims to operate at unprecedented scale.
“At any given time, we have hundreds of donors that are available for intended parents,” Makler explains, contrasting with typical clinic offerings of just a handful of potential matches. The company's donor pool represents diverse backgrounds, with approximately 55% holding graduate degrees.
The financial structure benefits both sides: intended parents cover retrieval costs and coordination fees—similar to standard egg donation programs—but without additional donor compensation, resulting in lower overall expenses.
Makler envisions Cofertility's broader impact: “The big vision and the goal is removing the taboo of egg donation. There is zero shame in however you become a parent.” This approach creates a mutually beneficial arrangement where women can preserve their fertility during their most fertile years (20s and early 30s) without facing the typical $10,000-$15,000 procedure cost, while helping others build families.
Written by Alius Noreika