Carrot Fertility: A health tech company improving access to fertility and family-building health benefits

In the US, a single round of IVF (in vitro fertilisation) can cost more than $20,000 per cycle, and often a good deal more once medication and extra procedures are added. Most people need more than one round to stand a realistic chance of success, so the true cost climbs even higher. For couples and individuals hoping to start a family, it can be one of the most expensive and emotionally draining routes they ever take.  

Every so often, though, a company comes along and starts to change that. This month, we're spotlighting one of them: Carrot Fertility. 

Coverage is no guarantee, either. Fertility benefits vary widely from one state and one employer to the next, and most people end up paying out of pocket. Even where state laws require insurers to help, self-insured employers are often exempt, so whether treatment is affordable can come down to who you happen to work for. That leaves people covering the cost themselves at exactly the moment they can least afford the added stress.  

The barrier falls the hardest on the people who typically need the most support. Couples facing fertility challenges, single parents by choice and LGBTQ+ folk building families frequently require more treatment, and the bills can quickly reach tens of thousands of dollars. Too often, the hope of starting a family ends up gated behind a price tag. That is precisely the gap Carrot set out to close, and why its work matters so much to the people counting on it. 

Carrot Fertility and their mission 

Carrot is a global fertility and family-building platform headquartered in Menlo Park, California. Founded in 2016, the company works with employers and health plans to offer fertility and family care as a workplace benefit, rather than a cost employees have to shoulder alone. 

The story behind Carrot is a deeply personal one. Founder and chief executive Tammy Sun paid for three rounds of egg freezing out of her own pocket while working in tech, none of it covered by her employer. She left to build the company she wished had existed, alongside co-founder and chief medical officer Dr Asima Ahmad. That first-hand experience still shapes how the company thinks about access today. 

Their mission follows directly from it: to make fertility care and family-building support available to everyone, everywhere. Carrot now works with more than 1,000 organisations around the world, from smaller businesses to companies employing tens of thousands of people. 

Their platform: support for the whole journey 

Carrot is designed to support people across the whole arc of a family-building journey, not just one stage of it. Members can get help with fertility treatment such as IVF and egg freezing, as well as gestational surrogacy, adoption, pregnancy and postpartum care, parenting, menopause and men's health. 

Two things make the platform stand out. The first is guidance. Every member is paired with a dedicated care team and given a personalised plan, so instead of navigating a confusing and emotional process alone, they have experts helping them weigh their options and find high-quality providers. The second is reach. Carrot connects members to a vetted network of clinics and specialists in more than 170 countries, and the Carrot Card lets people pay for eligible care directly and securely. 

Just as importantly, the support is built to be inclusive. Carrot offers help regardless of someone's age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, faith, marital status or where they live. A single person, a same-sex couple and someone going through menopause can all find a path that fits their circumstances, which is not something traditional health cover has always managed. 

This is also where the technology earns its place. Much of the support happens remotely, through the app and virtual consultations, so members can speak to qualified specialists without long waits or travel. It brings thorough, expert care within reach of people who might otherwise struggle to find it. 

Potential impact 

The impact reaches well beyond any single course of treatment. By turning fertility and family-building care into a workplace benefit, Carrot removes one of the biggest barriers standing between people and the families they hope to build. It does so for a far wider range of people than private treatment alone tends to reach. There is a clear business case for employers, too. Reproductive and hormonal health touches a large part of any workforce, and companies that support it tend to see it repaid in loyalty and retention, with Carrot reporting that 92% of its members are satisfied with the care they receive. 

At its heart, Carrot's founding belief is a straightforward one: building a family shouldn't depend on your income, your postcode, your relationship status or who you are. By making expert care both accessible and affordable through the workplace, the company is helping move reproductive health away from a private financial burden and a niche perk. It is moving towards something far closer to a standard, and far more equal, part of working life. 

If you're working in the digital health space and looking for your next role, or to expand an important team, feel free to contact us today. Our industry experts will be able to get the process started for you.