WoW Woman in FemTech | Tess Cosad, CEO and co-founder of Béa Fertility
Tess Cosad is the CEO and Co-Founder of Béa Fertility, a venture-backed fertility startup working to democratise access to better fertility. Béa Fertility is working to develop a pioneering at-home fertility treatment. This treatment, based on a clinical treatment called Intracervical Insemination, is the beginning of a wider movement to democratise access to fertility care.
Tess, tell us a bit about your background and your projects so far.
I'm the CEO and Co-Founder of Béa Fertility, a venture-backed fertility startup working to democratise access to better fertility. In 2014, I founded Emberson Ventures, a B2B marketing agency specialising in launching new products and producing creative campaigns in technology-led sectors. In 2018, I created Hers By Design, a female-led, female focussed FemTech brand, and later that year was the first woman to lead a digital startup accelerator program in Saudi Arabia, on behalf of the Growth Velocity Academy.
Tess Cosad and David O’Rourke, Béa Fertility cofounders
How did you get into FemTech? Has it been an easy industry to get into or have you had many challenges?
Building a medical device is not without its challenges. The great thing about the fertility sector is the collaborative mentality among the professionals in the industry. It’s a small – but growing – sector in healthcare, and everyone recognises the access issue. We’re working on something that solves this, and with my co-founder David’s background as a clinical embryologist, we’ve largely been welcomed in the sector.
How long did it take you to be where you are now? What was the biggest obstacle? What are the challenges of being in the industry you are in?
It took nearly two years of prototyping and ideating before we were ready to launch the company and begin fundraising. We went through nearly 90 iterations of the early prototype to get to the device we have today.
One of the biggest obstacles in working in hardware is the length of development cycles and the cost of each one of these cycles. Particularly in fertility, there is a huge responsibility to build safe, clinically validated, effective treatments, and the regulatory hurdles that come with this are presenting significant challenges.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
Raising nearly $1M to take our idea from a prototype to something that will land in the hands of users across the UK.
What are the projects you are currently working on?
Regulatory approval is top of mind; working through CE approval and FDA clearance are two key priority projects right now.
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
It’s critical. Women need a seat at the table in tech-led sectors, so that the technologies being brought to market include women’s perspectives. When women are not in the room, half the world’s population is not represented. The impact of this ranges from the subtle to the absurd. When we are involved in tech from the very beginning, we can set an example, lead from the front, build products that work for everyone.
What will be the key trends in FemTech in the next five years and where do you see it heading?
It’s all about access. Fertility is a heartbreaking trend that is only going to go one way. We need to keep driving affordability, access, and democratisation of treatment options.
What is the most important piece of advice you could give to anyone who wants to start a career in this industry?
Persevere. You will be told ‘no’ many times, but there will be people in the world whose lives will be changed by the tech you envisage. You have to persevere to find those people and bring your idea to life.
Who are the inspirational women in your respective industry you admire?
Dr Ying Cheong – a globally respected expert who is uniquely driven to advance her field.
Afton Vechery – co-founder and CEO of Modern Fertility.
Find out more about Béa Fertility on their website
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This interview was conducted by Marija Butkovic, Digital Marketing and PR strategist, founder and CEO of Women of Wearables. She regularly writes and speaks on topics of wearable tech, fashion tech, IoT, entrepreneurship and diversity. Follow Marija on Twitter @MarijaButkovic and read her stories for Forbes here.