Overture Life Signs Agreement With Memorial Hospital Istanbul for World’s First Commercial Automated IVF Technology

• Overture’s ICSI.A technology enabled first babies born from automated fertilization in 2023
• Platform will now support one of the highest volume IVF clinics in the world at Memorial Hospital Istanbul, expected to assist in over 6,000 IVF cycles per year – and growing

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Overture Life, the innovator modernizing IVF to optimize reproductive freedom, announced the first commercial sale of an automated in vitro fertilization (IVF) platform to Memorial Hospital Istanbul, home to one of Europe’s leading fertility centers. Overture’s ICSI.A platform automates a complex fertilization process known as piezo-assisted intracytoplasmic sperm injection (piezo-ICSI), which uses electric pulses to fertilize eggs more gently than manual injection methods. Overture’s ICSI.A enabled the first live births resulting from an automated fertilization¹, in 2023. Memorial Hospital Istanbul will use the devices to simplify thousands of IVF cycles per year, with the additional efficiency expected to grow its capacity even further.

The growth of automated IVF technologies is critical for patients dealing with infertility, who often struggle to access IVF, whether due to cost, capacity or the toll that multiple IVF cycles can take, emotionally and physically. Overture is dedicated to making IVF easier to perform and less expensive, enabling every embryologist and IVF center to provide premium quality regardless of location, size, or clientele. The company is now poised for rapid commercial growth, backed by peer-reviewed science and rigorous regulatory oversight. Published data suggests piezo-ICSI leads to better quality eggs and blastocytes², resulting in higher fertility rates. In particular, ICSI.A has demonstrated high proficiency even when operated by inexperienced personnel³ – an important factor given the years of training and practice typically needed to optimize this skillset among embryologists.

“Memorial Hospitals have some of the best embryologists in the world, making us a magnet in the region for those struggling with infertility. Despite our proficiency, demand continues to rise, and we are committed to maintaining the best quality as we expand capacity,” said Prof Dr Semra Kahraman of the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Andrology and Genetics Center at Memorial Hospital Istanbul. “Automated platforms like Overture Life’s ICSI.A are game-changing technologies, and will be key for helping us scale effectively.”

“This exciting commercial commitment from Memorial Hospital, known worldwide for its impressive IVF clinic, is the latest milestone to cement Overture’s leadership in the IVF automation space,” said Hans Gangeskar, CEO of Overture Life. “This year has already seen a sizable strategic fundraise, regulatory clearance and commercialization for our DaVitri platform for fertility preservation, and CLIA licensure for our AI-powered, non-invasive metabolomic test for embryo selection, m|z. We look forward to rolling out ICSI.A in Turkey and changing the lives of more families eager to take control of their own destiny.”

Memorial Hospital Istanbul is expected to install Overture Life’s ICSI.A robots by the end of this year.

About Overture Life

Overture Life integrates engineering, reproductive medicine, and regulatory-grade validation to modernize embryology lab procedures, particularly fertility preservation and embryo handling, in ways that lower repeated cycles, increase throughput, and reduce the overall cost of IVF. With R&D in Spain and active U.S. operations, including a CLIA-licensed laboratory for non-invasive embryo selection, Overture unites robotics, analytics, and clinical rigor to deliver tools that clinics and patients can trust. The company’s DaVitri platform aims to boost reliability and consistency in IVF, giving women and families worldwide more control over their fertility timelines. Overture’s backers include Overwater Ventures, GV (formerly Google Ventures), Khosla Ventures, Octopus Ventures and others committed to advancing the future of fertility.

¹ The first babies conceived with a sperm-injecting robot have been born [Internet]. MIT Technology Review. Available from: https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/04/25/1071933/first-babies-conceived-sperm-injecting-robot-ivf-automation-icsi-overture/
² Furuhashi K, Saeki Y, Enatsu N, Iwasaki T, Ito K, Mizusawa Y, Matsumoto Y, Kokeguchi S, Shiotani M. Piezo-assisted ICSI improves fertilization and blastocyst development rates compared with conventional ICSI in women aged more than 35 years. Reprod Med Biol. 2019 Aug 24;18(4):357-361. doi: 10.1002/rmb2.12290. PMID: 31607795; PMCID: PMC6780025.
³ Costa-Borges N, Munné S, Albó E, Mas S, Castelló C, Giralt G, Lu Z, Chau C, Acacio M, Mestres E, Matia Q, Marquès L, Rius M, Márquez C, Vanrell I, Pujol A, Mataró D, Seth-Smith M, Mollinedo L, Calderón G, Zhang J. First babies conceived with Automated Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection. Reprod Biomed Online. 2023 Sep;47(3):103237. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2023.05.009. Epub 2023 May 25. PMID: 37400320.