Sperm selection is one of the biggest challenges in fertility treatments today. Nearly one in six people globally face infertility, yet current technologies struggle to match the natural process of selecting the healthiest sperm. This gap often leads to lower success rates in treatments like IVF, leaving couples with limited options and uncertain outcomes.
A startup called Beez Biotech tackles this problem with a specialized device that enhances the sperm selection process. By mimicking natural fertilization processes, the device can identify and select sperm cells with the best chances of leading to a successful pregnancy. This startup aims to achieve a 50% success rate for assisted reproduction practices by 2030- nearly double the current success rate.
GreyB connected with Dr. Shiva K Shukla, the company’s founder, to analyze the feasibility and scalability of this solution. In this exclusive discussion, Dr. Shukla explains how their technology replicates the natural reproductive environment to improve sperm selection for IVF treatments.
This interview is part of GreyB’s Scouted series. In this series, we spotlight innovative startups and speak to their founders about how their solutions can be implemented to solve critical challenges and comply with industry and sustainability regulations. You can find all those interviews here.
“We’ve developed a device that replicates the natural reproductive environment – creating the same temperature and chemical conditions that favor fertilization in nature.”
– Dr. Shiva K Shukla
Dr. Shiva K Shukla is the CEO of Beez Biotech. He has a strong background in microfluidics, wave physics, and image/signal processing and received a Wadhwani Postdoctoral fellowship from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. His work led to the creation of Beez Biotech, which specializes in microfluidic devices and biological protocols for quality sperm selection and semen analysis.
Overview: How Beez Biotech Boosts Reproduction Success by Selecting the Healthiest Sperm Cells
Beez Biotech is a biotechnology company that addresses the growing challenge of infertility by improving the success rates of assisted reproductive technologies. The company has developed an innovative approach that mimics natural reproductive processes to enhance sperm selection for IVF treatments. With global fertility rates declining and current IVF success rates averaging only around 20-22%, Beez Biotech’s solution aims to improve outcomes for couples seeking fertility treatments significantly.
Watch the full interview here.
Here are the highlights of the conversation.
How does Beez Biotech’s technology work to improve fertility treatment outcomes?
Shiva: Our technology replicates the natural reproductive environment found in the female reproductive tract. We’ve developed a specialized box with a disposable microfluidic chip that creates specific temperature and chemical conditions similar to natural fertilization. The system allows sperm cells to move against a flow, similar to how they naturally travel through the reproductive tract. This process helps select the highest quality sperm cells while filtering out bacteria and other unwanted elements. It’s a significant improvement over current centrifugation-based methods that can potentially damage sperm cells.
What stage is Beez Biotech at regarding product development and market readiness?
Shiva: We have successfully developed our minimum viable product and tested it in three laboratories in France. The feedback has been very positive. Currently, we’re at Technology Readiness Level 5-6, which means we’re approaching commercialization. Our next steps involve securing funding for regulatory approvals. This includes CE marking for European markets and FDA approval for US commercialization.
How are you protecting your intellectual property?
Shiva: We’ve already filed patent and PCT applications for our technology. Furthermore, we plan to extend these patent applications to the EU, the US, and China. We operated under the radar until our patent applications became public. Now that they’re in the public domain, we’ll publish our data in scientific journals, providing more details about our technology.
What are your main challenges in bringing this technology to market?
Shiva: The biggest challenge is securing adequate funding, particularly for regulatory approvals and production. Commercialization in the European market alone can cost between one and two million euros for a medical device in our category. Attracting this level of private investment is challenging for a small team with limited resources. However, we’ve secured about 520,000 euros through various public and private funding sources, including European Commission grants.
How easy is it for laboratories to adopt your technology?
Shiva: Our technology is designed to integrate seamlessly into existing laboratory workflows. We’re simply replacing the current sperm selection process while keeping all other procedures unchanged. The protocol is straightforward – technicians only need to input the sample on one side and collect it from the other. This simplicity was intentional, as we didn’t want to increase protocol complexity or processing time compared to current methods.
Meet our Interviewer – Shabaz Khan, Marketing Manager at GreyB
Shabaz Khan is an experienced market researcher who is leading GreyB’s Scouted campaign. With nearly a decade of experience working with innovation managers and leaders, Shabaz stays current with the ever-evolving tech landscape. His leadership and problem-solving skills make him a valuable resource in R&D and IP research environments.
To learn more about this startup and validate the effectiveness of its technologies, contact our scouting expert using the form below or explore GreyB’s startup scouting services.
