Jack Fertility, an Oxford-based men’s healthtech startup, has raised more than £500,000 in pre-seed funding to launch Snip Check, the UK’s first home-to-lab postal vasectomy test kit, and accelerate development of its broader range of male reproductive health solutions.
The round was led by Fuel Ventures, with participation from Microsoft angels, Alma Angels, The Beam Network, Moonstone Venture Capital, FemTech Lab, Founders Factory’s Reckitt Benckiser Accelerator, and the Oxford Seed Fund.
Co-founded by Nick Shipley and Lily Elsner, Jack Fertility aims to normalise sperm testing and make male reproductive health accessible, private, and stigma-free.
The company’s first product, Snip Check, tackles a long-overlooked issue in post-vasectomy care. Research suggests that over 40% of men skip vital follow-up appointments due to embarrassment or the inconvenience of returning to a clinic.
Jack Fertility’s at-home postal kit enables men to discreetly confirm the success of their vasectomy using a Royal Mail postbox and receive clinic-grade results from the company’s Oxford laboratory.
“By using the Royal Mail postbox network and our proprietary tech, it’s like putting a male fertility clinic on every street across the UK,” said Lily Elsner, Co-founder of Jack Fertility. “We’re empowering men to take control of their reproductive health and get actionable insights about their fertility, all without ever setting foot in a clinic.”
The funding will also accelerate work on Jack Fertility’s flagship home-to-lab semen analysis kit, powered by a proprietary sperm preservation solution that ensures accurate, lab-quality results from postal samples.
Male factors account for around half of all infertility cases and are the leading reason couples undergo IVF treatment, yet testing remains underused and under-discussed.
Jack Fertility’s founders say their mission is to make sperm testing as routine as blood pressure checks.
“The stigma around male fertility has meant too many men avoid getting checked,” said Nick Shipley, Co-founder. “Our postal vasectomy kit removes the traditional barriers and awkwardness of a clinic visit, giving men a simple and accessible way to engage with their reproductive health. We’re not just offering a test; we’re empowering men to take control of their sperm health.”
Mark Pearson, Founder of Fuel Ventures, said the firm’s investment reflects confidence in Jack Fertility’s potential to lead a new category in men’s health.
“At Fuel, we back ambitious founders solving real, everyday problems with innovative, scalable solutions – and Jack Fertility is a prime example,” he said.
“Male reproductive health has long been hidden behind stigma and awkwardness, and Jack Fertility is changing that by making testing accessible, private and normalised. We’re proud to support Nick and Lily as they bring their first product to market and build a category-defining healthtech business.”
With its pre-seed investment secured, Jack Fertility will focus on the commercial launch of Snip Check and the development of its semen analysis platform, which aims to become the benchmark for at-home male fertility testing in the UK and beyond.
By combining cutting-edge laboratory science with discreet home testing, the company hopes to redefine how men engage with reproductive healthcare — making it convenient, data-driven, and stigma-free.
