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From Lab to Launch: Jane Chen's Journey Building a Fertility Tech Startup in China

· 2 min read
Zhu Yihan
Zhu Yihan
Founder @FemTech Weekend

An exclusive interview with Jane Chen, founder of FertilityAI, on her journey from biomedical research to building one of China's most promising fertility technology startups.

The Beginning​

Jane Chen's journey into FemTech began in an unexpected place—a research lab at Peking University, where she was studying reproductive biology. "I spent years understanding the science of fertility, but I kept seeing the same problem: women had access to data but not to actionable insights," she recalls.

In 2021, at the height of the pandemic, Jane made the bold decision to leave academia and start FertilityAI, a company that uses machine learning to help women optimize their fertility journey.

The Challenges​

"The biggest challenge wasn't the technology—it was convincing investors that women's health was a real market in China."

Jane faced numerous obstacles in her early days. Traditional VCs were skeptical about the FemTech market in China. "I heard 'the market is too small' more times than I can count," she laughs. "But I knew the numbers told a different story."

Key Milestones​

  • 2021: Founded FertilityAI with seed funding from angel investors
  • 2022: Launched beta product with 10,000 early adopters
  • 2023: Raised Series A from leading healthcare VC
  • 2024: Expanded to 500,000 users across China

Advice for Aspiring Founders​

When asked what advice she'd give to other women looking to enter the FemTech space, Jane is thoughtful:

  1. Know your science: "Don't just follow trends. Understand the biology deeply."
  2. Build community first: "Your early users are your best advocates."
  3. Stay patient: "Women's health is a marathon, not a sprint."

Looking Forward​

Jane is optimistic about the future of FemTech in China. "We're seeing a generational shift. Young women are taking control of their health data, and they expect technology to help them make better decisions."

FertilityAI is now working on expanding into Southeast Asia and exploring partnerships with hospitals and clinics across the region.

This interview was conducted by Zhu Yihan in December 2024. Jane Chen will be speaking at FemTech Weekend's upcoming summit in Shanghai.