Entrepreneur
Juniper Genomics has announced its public launch alongside a $4.6 million seed round led by Company Ventures.
Founded by experts in genomics, reproductive medicine, and bioethics, Juniper is on a mission to help patients shorten their IVF journey by offering more clarity and confidence on the first transfer.
Juniper’s proprietary platform combines whole genome and transcriptome sequencing with trio analysis, including both biological parents, to provide the most complete, clinically-relevant, and ethically responsible insights into each embryo’s health.
Juniper’s single test replaces almost all existing forms of preimplantation genetic testing, and adds analyzing thousands of clinically relevant genetic variants linked to IVF failure, miscarriage, and medical conditions after birth. The result is the clearest, most detailed, and actionable view of embryo health and viability available today.
Unlike most current testing, Juniper does not rely on polygenic or genetic risk scores. Instead, Juniper screens for specific genetic changes known to cause adverse pregnancy outcomes and serious health conditions. Polygenic risk scores assess fewer than 1,000 data points across the genome to identify statistical associations with disease risk in populations, but they do not predict or determine outcomes for individual embryos.
“The IVF journey can be emotionally exhausting and financially overwhelming—and the current standard of care for embryo testing has a low success rate that often leaves patients with more questions than answers,” said Jeremy Grushcow, PhD, JD, Founder and CEO of Juniper Genomics. “It’s important for people to know that failed transfers aren’t anyone’s fault—most embryos simply aren’t viable. We can do better by improving the chances of success on the very first try. We work in partnership with IVF clinicians to pair cutting-edge science with rigorous ethical standards, ensuring families receive clear, responsible, and compassionate care every step of the way.”
Juniper is currently rolling out in early adopter clinics across North America, and their testing process integrates seamlessly into the existing IVF workflow. Around day 5 or 6 of embryo development, a standard biopsy is taken from each embryo and paired with a blood draw from each parent. Juniper then analyzes millions of genetic markers, far beyond what traditional platforms capture, to assess embryo viability with unprecedented depth and accuracy.
“Juniper is addressing one of the most emotionally and financially challenging aspects of healthcare with a solution that is both scientifically advanced and deeply compassionate,” said Margaret Davidson, Principal at Company Ventures. “Their approach has the potential to establish a new benchmark in IVF, combining world-class science with a strong commitment to ethics, equity, and an exceptional team driving it forward.”
With its seed funding, Juniper Genomics plans to expand its commercial reach, grow its bioinformatics and clinical teams, and continue growing its platform through ongoing research partnerships.
By Women’s Health Week
With four weeks to go until Women’s Health Week USA, the excitement is ramping up!
The final early bird pricing closes this Friday, the full speaker lineup is confirmed, and a record number of pitch applications signals the depth of innovation now moving through the sector as we enter the Era of Scale.
Women’s Health Week USA takes place May 13-14 at the New York Academy of Medicine in New York City, bringing together 600+ senior decision makers spanning investors, founders, multinationals, payers, providers and policymakers around one shared agenda: taking women’s health from growth to scale.
Early bird tickets are available until midnight on Friday, April 17.
Book by then to save up to $600 on your place
The Full Speaker Lineup is Confirmed
The full speaker lineup has finally been confirmed, with 80+ voices spanning investment, innovation, policy, medtech and pharma.
The programme reflects the event’s 2026 theme, The Era of Scale, moving beyond early validation into the harder work of institutionalising women’s health as a category.
Confirmed speakers include Kate Ryder (Maven Clinic), Mallika Mundkur (FDA), Melanie Newman (Planned Parenthood), Nichole Young-Lin (Google), Jill Angelo (OURA), David Stern (Kindbody) and Tammy Sun (Carrot Fertility), alongside representation from the NYSE, ARPA-H, the World Health Organization, Samsung Next, Novo Holdings and more.
170 Pitch Applications and Counting
The Women’s Health Week USA Innovation Showcase received a record 170 applications ahead of its April 10 close, the highest number in the event’s history.
The volume reflects the growing depth of innovation in the sector, but it was the quality of submissions that stood out, with companies across Medical Devices & Therapeutics and Consumer & Tech bringing genuinely differentiated solutions to conditions that have been underserved for decades.
The selected companies will get the chance to pitch on the mainstage at the New York Academy of Medicine in front of the full audience of 600+ investors, corporates, innovators and strategic partners.
Results will be announced next week.
Register your interest to find out who makes the WHW USA Innovator Class of 2026
NYSE Partnership: A Quick Recap
For those who missed our announcement on Femtech World last week, the New York Stock Exchange is the Official Exchange Partner of Women’s Health Week USA 2026.
On the morning of May 13, WHW will feature in the NYSE Market Update, reaching approximately 200 million viewers.
Women’s Health Week will also light up the North Star Billboard in Times Square for a full week around the event, with live and taped interviews distributed across NYSE Live and Taking Stock.
It remains one of the most significant institutional endorsements the women’s health sector has seen.
Early Bird Pricing Closes This Friday
Tickets increase by up to $600 after midnight on Friday, April 17. For anyone with May 13-14 in their calendar, this week is the window to move.
Flora Fertility has raised US$5m in seed funding to roll out fertility insurance across the US, with plans to expand into Canada.
The round was led by ManchesterStory, with participation from Slauson & Co., TruStage Ventures, BDC Capital, Marathon Fund, Adara Venture Capital and strategic angel investors. Existing investors include Highline Beta, Everywhere Ventures and Cartography Capital.
Laura McDonald, co-founder of Flora Fertility, said: “Fertility is one of the largest uninsured financial risks people face, yet the system today only offers support once you’re already in crisis and often only if your employer provides it.
“We’re creating a new category where fertility becomes something you can proactively plan for, not just pay for when it’s too late.”
Flora says it is introducing a new InsurTech category with individually owned, portable fertility insurance designed to address a gap in healthcare cover.
The company says it wants to shift fertility from a reactive expense to a proactive, data-driven financial planning tool, using AI, personalised underwriting and risk modelling.
The platform lets people buy coverage without relying on an employer, helping it continue through job changes and different stages of life.
Flora’s policies cover a full range of fertility treatments, including diagnostics, medications, intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilisation, with entry-level pricing starting at about US$20 a month.
The company estimates that infertility affects one in six people globally, while treatment costs can range from US$30,000 to US$50,000, leaving the vast majority of patients without access to care.
Flora says its platform currently reaches more than 10 million prospective policyholders across North America.
The funding will be used to expand Flora’s underwriting capabilities, scale distribution and further develop its platform as it seeks to establish a new market within women’s health and insurance.
Nicole Gunderson, partner at ManchesterStory, said: “Flora is building something that has never existed before, affordable, portable fertility insurance that meets the next generation of women exactly where they are.
“The InsurTech opportunity here is enormous, and the Flora team has the expertise, technology, and vision to define this category.”
Dr Christy Lane, co-founder of Flora Fertility, added: “Fertility has always been treated as unpredictable and uninsurable, but the data tells a different story.
“The earlier someone can access that coverage, the better their outcomes and the lower their costs, which is what makes this model so powerful.
“We’re turning fertility from a reactive medical expense into a proactive, data-driven financial decision.”
By Women’s Health Week
When the New York Stock Exchange signs on as the Official Exchange Partner of a women’s health event, it’s worth paying attention to.
Women’s Health Week USA, taking place May 13-14 at the New York Academy of Medicine in New York City, has confirmed the NYSE as its Official Exchange Partner for 2026.
It is one of the most significant institutional endorsements the women’s health sector has seen, and it says something meaningful about where global capital markets are directing their attention.
Find out more about WHW USA 2026 here.
What the Partnership Involves
This is not simply a logo on a lanyard.
The NYSE partnership comes with a set of activations that put women’s health in front of audiences well beyond the event itself.
On the morning of May 13, Women’s Health Week will be featured in the NYSE Market Update, reaching an audience of approximately 200 million viewers across outlets including Yahoo Finance and the Financial Times.
For a sector that has historically struggled for mainstream financial visibility, that kind of reach is significant.
Women’s Health Week will also light up the North Star Billboard in Times Square for a full week around the event, placing the brand at the centre of one of the most commercially visible locations in the world.
NYSE will produce live and taped interviews with WHW leadership and keynote speakers, distributed across NYSE Live, Taking Stock, and partner platforms reaching tens of millions of viewers monthly.
A dedicated NYSE content team will be on the ground at the New York Academy of Medicine capturing the conversations and connections taking place across both days.
The NYSE’s Healthcare & Life Sciences team will also take to the stage at Women’s Health Week USA, sharing their perspective on trends shaping the sector from a capital markets standpoint.
Why It Matters
The partnership is a signal as much as it is a sponsorship.
Women’s health has spent years making the case that it is a commercially serious category.
The NYSE’s involvement makes that case in a language the broader financial world understands.
Women’s Health Week USA 2026 is themed around The Era of Scale, a deliberate framing around the idea that the sector has moved beyond early validation into the harder work of institutionalisation.
Capital is moving. M&A activity is increasing. Generalist investors are entering a space that was once left to specialists. The NYSE partnership fits neatly into that narrative.
With 600+ senior decision makers confirmed across investors, founders, multinationals, payers and policymakers, the event is already one of the most commercially concentrated gatherings in the women’s health calendar.
The NYSE’s reach extends that concentration well beyond the walls of the New York Academy of Medicine.
Find out for yourself why this partnership is so perfect and join Women’s Health Week USA. Secure your ticket here.
The Pitch Sessions
For founders and early-stage companies, Women’s Health Week USA also hosts a mainstage Pitch Session across two categories: Medical Devices & Therapeutics and Consumer & Tech. Fifteen companies will be selected to pitch in front of the full audience.
Applications close April 10.
They are free to submit, and any company working on a condition that affects women exclusively, differently, or disproportionately is eligible.
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