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Mint
6 days ago
- Business
- Mint
India has seen an explosion of fertility startups. Next up: deal spree
Bengaluru/Mumbai: India's growing incomes and falling fertility rate have birthed a new breed of startups looking to fill gaps and provide convenience in assisted reproduction services, drawing interest from investors and large healthcare chains. Upstarts such as Luma Fertility and Arva Health offer services ranging from at-home hormone monitoring and assessment to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) at their centres, while Initomakes portable fertility tracking least 37 fertility ventures were founded between 2021 and 2025 in India, raising $86.4 million combined in equity investments, according to Tracxn data. 'What is interesting is that these startups are highly focused on offering services such as fertility testing and egg freezing, apart from conventional fertility offerings…," said Shobhit Agarwal, chief executive officer at Nova IVF Fertility. 'They are well exposed to European markets, understand the changing landscape of the fertility market in India and are helping to bring new allied services to India and create these markets in larger cities." IVF and other fertility solutions have been available in India for decades. Yet demand has grown in recent years as more women decide to have children later and infertility increases. Rising incomes mean a higher number of Indians can access treatment. EY estimates the nation's IVF market to rise from $793 million in 2020 to $1.45 billion by 2027, expanding 15-20% annually. Mumbai-based Luma offers embryo grading, advanced egg quality assessment, egg freezing, IVF, male and female fertility testing and care and a smartphone application to track hormones and record symptoms. Arva provides everything from hormone testing and fertility consultation to IVF and IUI (intra-uterine insemination). Inito sells at-home single-use kits for monitoring hormone levels during fertility cycles–crucial information for couples struggling to conceive. 'Their (new startups') presence has helped expand awareness and convenience, especially for individuals taking early steps toward understanding their reproductive health," said Kshitiz Murdia, chief executive officer and whole-time director of Indira IVF, the country's largest infertility treatment chain. Private investors are taking notice. Last week, Luma, which recently opened a fertility clinic in Mumbai, announced its $4 million fundraise from Peak XV's Surge, Metropolis Healthcare's promoter Ameera Shah and Vijay Taparia of B2V Ventures. In May, Bengaluru-based Arva secured $1 million in pre-seed funding led by early-stage investment firm All In Capital. Expansion plans Inito plans to enter 20 countries, including Australia and Canada, by next year, founder and chief executive officer Aayush Rai told Mint. 'We're a deeptech company, and the idea is to build a global company. The consumption patterns are different in India and outside, with Western countries more open to adopting newer technologies." Inito lastraised $6 million in Series A funding led by Fireside Ventures in November 2023. Luma Fertility, which recently established its first clinic in Mumbai's Bandra area, is looking to launch two more centres in the financial capital, followed by expansion into Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Gurugram. 'While a majority of it will be organic expansion, we are open to acquisitions to widen the scope of fertility services like in vitro-fertilization (IVF) and egg freezing,"said Neha Motwani, founder of Luma. There are other startups proving support services . BabyReady provides teleconsultation and financial services for couples seeking fertility treatments and Elawoman offers counselling and access to fertility clinics. India IVF, a chain of tech-enabled fertility care centres across India, received pre-Series A funding last year. Veera Health provides treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS, which is known to cause infertility–the venture is backed by Y Combinator and Peak XV's Surge. "My sense is that less than a third of the market is truly organized, chained and branded. The remaining is mostly single-doctor or single-clinic practices," saidArjun Anand, managing director and head of Asia at global investment company Verlinvest. 'Startups that bring a positive differentiation to existing services of IVF & IUI will have an edge." Acquisition targets Verlinvest acquired a controlling stake in AP/Telangana-focused Ferty9 Fertility Centre in 2023. Large chains, too, are watching these startups as potential acquisition targets. Startups play a crucial role in bringing about innovative services that large players cannot possibly introduce at scale, making consolidation a favourable outcome. '...we are not only seeing much intense competition from large chains, but also seeing many new startups in this space," said Agarwal of Nova IVF, which was acquired by Asia Healthcare Holdings in 2019. The chain has 100 centres across the country, with over half of those in tier 2 and 3 cities, including Bareilly, Guwahati, and Vellore. Nova IVF is assessing acquisition opportunities in markets with low presence, said Agarwal. Last month, Economic Times reported, citing unnamed people, that US-based IVI RMA Global is set to acquire ART Fertility Clinics for $400-450 million. Indira IVF inked deals with Gujarat-based Banker Healthcare and Puducherry's Creation Science IVF in June as well. Birla Fertility & IVF acquired BabyScience IVF Clinics to expand its presence in southern and western India last year. Funding in the segment will continue to be driven by private equity investments, according to Verlinvest's Anand. 'Private equity brings scale, while venture capital fosters innovation. IVF is more suited to a private equity play as it's a centre-by-centre model and will take a linear curve to scale." Looking ahead On their part, the startups also continue to evolve to stay relevant. Luma Fertility is offering a more open and detailed analysis of diagnostic reports to its patients, besides investing in establishing a dedicated care team to guide them along the journey. 'For instance, our analysis of an AMH report states X-axis age, Y-axis AMH, where you are compared to the India average, and what this means for you, and what is your predictive decline," said CEO Motwani. 'The first place where the system is broken is how fertility assessment and testing are done. It needs to be more accessible, open, and with less judgment." Inito intends to be a pure-play product company, according to founder Rai. 'There is definite value in building hardware because at-home testing is largely under-penetrated. This segment can grow significantly, potentially outperforming top players in the product side." The startup also plans to foray into men's fertility with specialized products, which Rai termed an underrated topic. Nova IVF's Agarwal sees more opportunities including AI-driven embryo evaluation, genetic testing, newer therapies such as ovarian rejuvenation. "Any addition like a digital-first approach, more efficient tracking capabilities, and new technology will be valuable," saidVerlinvest's Anand. 'Better customer experience, the ability to cater to a premium audience, or a concierge service will help set a startup apart from traditional players." According to Bhanu Prakash Kalmath S J, partner and healthcare industry leader at Grant Thornton Bharat, 'what also matters is how you bring credibility through a better brand". This is what works for larger chains, which offer consistency and uniform services across centres, and that could work for new players as well, he said. Luma and Inito plan to carefully invest in expansion to maintain differentiation and sustainable economics. But Kalmath S.J. suggested that investing in technology to ensure compliance with regulations and complete data confidentiality is paramount too. More so, when big fertility treatment chains also look to protect their turf and stay ahead of the curve. As Sriram Iyer, CEO of Apollo Health and Lifestyle, which runs Apollo Fertility, explained: 'To stay competitive, investment in technology, prioritizing ethical practices, and addressing accessibility challenges are utmost."
Economic Times
16-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Indira IVF IPO: EQT-backed fertility clinic chain refiles draft papers with Sebi via confidential route
Fertility chain Indira IVF has refiled its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) through the confidential filing route, reviving its public listing plans, according to sources. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Fertility chain Indira IVF has refiled its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) through the confidential filing route, reviving its public listing plans, according to move comes amidst growing investor interest in the Indian assisted reproductive technology (ART) sector, buoyed by increasing awareness, expanding market size, and favorable people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg on Tuesday had reported that Indira IVF Hospital will soon submit preliminary documents for a listing that may fetch Rs 3,500 crore ($408 million).The company is backed by private equity firm EQT AB. The deal won't involve the issue of new stock as existing shareholders will be selling their holdings, the report said, quoting the will probably offload 29 billion rupees of shares in the offering, and three members of the founding family — Ajay Murdia, Kshitiz Murdia and Nitiz Murdia — will each sell shares worth 2 billion rupees, the people company had initially submitted a draft prospectus in February but withdrew it in March. The withdrawal came as the IPO plans coincided with the release of a Bollywood biopic based on the company's founder, which drew concerns from the Securities and Exchange Board of developments signal renewed IPO momentum in India's fertility and women's health segment, with investors closely watching how these companies position themselves in a competitive and rapidly evolving healthcare Mahindra Capital Co., IIFL Capital Services Ltd. , JPMorgan Chase & Co. and UBS Group AG are advising on the as per sources, Gaudium IVF and Women Health, another prominent player in the fertility care space, is also preparing to refile its DRHP in the immediate future, as part of its continued efforts to tap into capital markets and fuel its next phase of growth.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Indira IVF IPO: EQT-backed fertility clinic chain refiles draft papers with Sebi via confidential route
Fertility chain Indira IVF has refiled its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) through the confidential filing route, reviving its public listing plans, according to sources. The move comes amidst growing investor interest in the Indian assisted reproductive technology (ART) sector, buoyed by increasing awareness, expanding market size, and favorable demographics. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like SRM Online MBA | India's top ranked institute SRM Online Learn More Undo Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg on Tuesday had reported that Indira IVF Hospital will soon submit preliminary documents for a listing that may fetch Rs 3,500 crore ($408 million). The company is backed by private equity firm EQT AB. The deal won't involve the issue of new stock as existing shareholders will be selling their holdings, the report said, quoting the sources. EQT will probably offload 29 billion rupees of shares in the offering, and three members of the founding family — Ajay Murdia, Kshitiz Murdia and Nitiz Murdia — will each sell shares worth 2 billion rupees, the people said. Live Events The company had initially submitted a draft prospectus in February but withdrew it in March. The withdrawal came as the IPO plans coincided with the release of a Bollywood biopic based on the company's founder, which drew concerns from the Securities and Exchange Board of India. Both developments signal renewed IPO momentum in India's fertility and women's health segment, with investors closely watching how these companies position themselves in a competitive and rapidly evolving healthcare vertical. Kotak Mahindra Capital Co., IIFL Capital Services Ltd. , JPMorgan Chase & Co. and UBS Group AG are advising on the IPO. Meanwhile, as per sources, Gaudium IVF and Women Health, another prominent player in the fertility care space, is also preparing to refile its DRHP in the immediate future, as part of its continued efforts to tap into capital markets and fuel its next phase of growth.
Mint
16-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Upcoming IPO: Indira IVF Hospital files for public offer via confidential route
Upcoming IPO: Indian fertility services provider Indira IVF Hospital joined several other companies that have filed their draft red papers with the stock market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) for an initial public offering (IPO) via the confidential route, a newspaper advertisement showed on Wednesday. This public announcement is being made to inform the public that the company has filed the pre-filed DRHP with SEBI in relation to the proposed initial public offering of its equity shares on the mainboard of the Stock Exchanges, Indira IVF said, according to the advertisement. The confidential route allows companies to submit draft IPO papers to Sebi for feedback without making the details public, giving them greater flexibility on timing and disclosure. According to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday, Indira IVF's IPO size could be around ₹ 3500 crore. The deal won't involve the issue of new stock as existing shareholders will be selling their holdings, the Bloomberg report added. The report further added that EQT will likely offload ₹ 2,900 crore of shares via the public offer, and three members of the founding family — Ajay Murdia, Kshitiz Murdia and Nitiz Murdia — will each sell shares worth ₹ 200 crore. Indira IVF withdrew its IPO draft filed in February after concerns arose from SEBI about the timing, as it coincided with the release of a Bollywood biopic on its founder. Founded in 2011, the company runs over 155 fertility centres and collaborates with 315 IVF specialists across India, based on its earlier prospectus submitted in September 2024. Meanwhile, according to media sources Gaudium IVF and Women Health, another prominent player in the fertility care space, is also preparing to refile its DRHP in the immediate future, as part of its continued efforts to tap into capital markets and fuel its next phase of growth. Several companies like INOX Clean Energy, Shadowfax Technologies, Shiprocket, Tata Capital and PhysicsWallah and boAt among others have chosen to file IPO papers via confidential route. Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
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Business Standard
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Indira IVF's $408 million India IPO may see EQT, founders exit stake
Indira IVF Hospital is reviving its initial public offering plans in India and will soon submit preliminary documents for a listing that may fetch Rs 35 billion ($408 million), according to people familiar with the matter. The company, backed by private equity firm EQT AB, plans to submit the so-called draft red herring prospectus later this month, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing a private matter. The deal won't involve the issue of new stock as existing shareholders will be selling their holdings, the people said. EQT will probably offload 29 billion rupees of shares in the offering, and three members of the founding family — Ajay Murdia, Kshitiz Murdia and Nitiz Murdia — will each sell shares worth Rs 2 billion, the people said. A spokesperson of the company didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The company had initially submitted a draft prospectus in February but withdrew it in March. The withdrawal came as the IPO plans coincided with the release of a Bollywood biopic based on the company's founder, which drew concerns from the Securities and Exchange Board of India, according to the Economic Times. Founded in 2011, Indira IVF operates more than 155 fertility centers and works with 315 IVF specialists across India as of September 2024, according to a previously filed preliminary prospectus. Kotak Mahindra Capital Co., IIFL Capital Services Ltd., JPMorgan Chase & Co. and UBS Group AG are advising on the IPO.
