London-based biotech startup Ovo Labs has secured £4 million in seed funding to advance a promising solution for age-related infertility. With its focus on improving egg quality before fertilisation, the startup aims to reshape the success rates of IVF—especially for women in their late 30s and beyond.
The Fertility Problem No One Talks About Enough
By age 40, more than 70% of a woman’s eggs typically develop chromosomal defects. These genetic abnormalities drastically reduce the chances of a successful pregnancy, even when using IVF. In fact, around 8 out of 10 IVF cycles fail for women nearing 40. Ovo Labs is working to change that narrative by targeting the root cause: poor egg quality.
Rather than relying on repeated IVF cycles with low odds, the startup is developing therapies that aim to enhance egg quality before fertilisation, improving the likelihood of conception from the first attempt.
£4M in Seed Funding to Push from Lab to Clinic
Backed by a £4 million seed round, Ovo Labs plans to transition its technology from preclinical stages into clinical settings. The funding was co-led by Creator Fund and LocalGlobe, with additional support from Blue Wire Capital, Ahren Innovation Capital, and Antonio Pellicer, the founder of the world’s largest network of IVF clinics.
This investment gives Ovo Labs the momentum to scale its lead egg-quality therapeutic and begin the path toward human trials.
Founded by Leading Experts in Fertility Science
The founding team brings together elite scientific and strategic minds. Professor Melina Schuh, a global leader in reproductive biology from the Max Planck Institute, has spent two decades researching why egg quality declines with age. Her discoveries underpin the biotech’s approach.
She’s joined by Dr. Agata Zielinska, a clinician-scientist with experience at the NHS and Francis Crick Institute, and Dr. Oleksandr Yagensky, a biologist-turned-strategy consultant who was formerly with Bain & Company. This trio combines deep research, medical insight, and business acumen to lead Ovo Labs into the next era of fertility innovation.
Breakthrough Science with Real-World Promise
Ovo Labs’ science is built on advanced imaging and molecular biology techniques used to pinpoint how aging impacts egg cells. The team has validated three therapeutic approaches in aged mice and isolated human eggs—each showing strong potential to reduce genetic abnormalities.
Their current operations are based at the Life Science Factory in Munich, where the company is preparing its lead product for clinical development.
Improving IVF Outcomes by Enhancing Egg Quality
The startup’s technology is designed to address aneuploidy—the most common cause of chromosomal abnormalities in eggs. Unlike most IVF enhancements that focus on embryos or external factors, Ovo Labs works at the egg level. Their approach integrates into standard IVF processes without additional cost or burden to patients.
By improving egg quality before fertilisation, Ovo Labs could give women undergoing IVF a significantly higher chance of conception—especially those facing age-related fertility decline.
A Global Vision for Fertility Innovation
Fertility tech has long been underserved by the biotech world, but Ovo Labs is helping shift that. With a solid foundation in scientific research and support from world-class investors, the company is positioned to redefine what’s possible in reproductive health.
As it gears up for clinical trials, Ovo Labs isn’t just targeting improved pregnancy rates—it’s also offering a new way to think about family planning timelines. For many, this could mean extending the biological window to have children later in life without compromising success.
Reimagining Parenthood for the Future
Professor Schuh highlighted the broader impact, stating the startup’s mission is to make parenthood more accessible by improving the number of viable eggs. This technology could also serve as a response to declining birth rates observed in several countries.
Creator Fund’s Jamie Macfarlane called the company the result of “decades of pioneering scientific work,” while Emma Phillips of LocalGlobe noted that “women and couples deserve better odds of IVF success,” and Ovo Labs is delivering just that.
