Maven expands fertility footprint in U.K. with Naytal buy

Deepening its global footprint in virtual women's and family care, Maven Clinic has acquired London-based reproductive telehealth startup Naytal.

Why it matters: Maven's meteoric rise from nascent startup to unicorn and beyond reflects the surge of interest in fertility services, as reproductive rights in the U.S. remain under attack.

Deal details: Although neither company disclosed deal terms, CEO Kate Ryder says Maven will continue to be acquisitive "when it comes to new or adjacent markets."

• This is a situation "where we're benefiting from a local team on the ground in the U.K.," Ryder says, and "that’s exactly why we would acquire — accelerating market entry."
• Naytal CEO Leila Thabet will join Maven as regional vice president of global growth and partnerships, and Naytal’s providers will join Maven’s caregiver network.

Be smart: This isn't Maven's first international rodeo. The company since 2014 has provided care to users in more than 175 countries, Ryder tells Axios.

• 60% of Maven's global clients offer its services to their international employees, Ryder says.
• Outside of the U.S., the U.K. is the company's largest market, with more than 70 employer clients in the region.
• The Naytal buy is Maven's second acquisition to date following its 2020 purchase of parent-child relationship app Bright Parenting.

Flashback: Maven last fall scored $90 million in Series E capital, bringing total funding to $300 million.

How it works: Based in New York, employer-facing Maven connects people virtually to caregivers trained in adoption, fertility, pregnancy, pediatrics and menopause.

• Similarly, London-based Naytal provides virtual access to women’s and family health experts across fertility, pregnancy, psychology, postpartum care and menopause.

How it happened: Ryder says Naytal CEO Thabet was flagged to her several months ago "as the perfect person to take what we had going on in the U.K. and grow it. I jumped on a call with her, immediately liked her and was really thrilled."

State of play: Venture interest in women's virtual care has ballooned on the heels of last summer's Dobbs decision. Startups focused on women's mental health, fertility and telemedicine abortion have recently secured significant funding, including:

• Fertility clinic operator and employer benefits provider Kindbody this month scored $100 million at a $1.8 billion valuation.
• Future Family, a startup combining fertility financing and virtual care, last spring raised $25 million in Series B capital at an $80 million valuation.
• Iron Health this month collected $4.5 million in seed funding to bolster OB-GYN care with a digitally accessible medical team.

🇬🇧 One fun thing: Ryder graduated from the London School of Economics and had been living in London for several years when she started Maven — so in a way, the company is returning to its roots with the deal.

• London "always felt like home," she says.