illumicell AI, which was founded by Harvard-trained physician Michel Bielecki, former McKinsey consultant Jeyla Sadikova, and rocket engineer Loup Cordey, announced it has raised $2 million in pre-seed funding to accelerate development of the first portable lab scanner and real-time AI platform for fluid-based diagnostics, capable of analyzing cells and biomarkers within minutes. Investors include several top-tier healthcare operators, clinicians, and early-stage funds like KOFA Healthcare, Harvard Phoenix Venture Fund, and MedTechSyndicates.
illumicell AI looks to redefine male fertility care and unlock a broader infrastructure for cellular health data. As 1 in 6 couples face infertility, under 25% of men receive proper evaluation.
With 400,000+ datapoints collected, illumicell AI has built the first real-time dataset in male reproductive health. And each scan generates structured, labeled cell data, unlocking personalized insights like lifestyle-linked fertility changes, supplement responses, and early fertility decline warnings.
Currently focused on semen, the platform has broader applications across fluids such as urine and cerebrospinal fluid. And as early clinical trials already outperform legacy systems, FDA submission is planned for 2026.
KEY QUOTES:
“Up to half of all cases of infertility involve male factors, but the fertility burden remains almost entirely on women: a bias that’s both culturally driven and scientifically flawed. That’s why we’re making fast, accurate, scalable male fertility diagnostics accessible anywhere, so diagnosis starts where it should: with both partners, equally.”
- Co-founder & CSO Jeyla Sadikova
“Semen diagnostics are a massive inefficiency within the medical system. Our real-time, lab-grade fluid diagnostics reduce wait times and cost, radically improving the quality of healthcare across the board.”
- Co-founder & CEO Dr. Michel Bielecki
“As a clinician, this is a game changer. illumicell AI brings sperm testing into the era of AI: real-time, clinical-grade results, without outsourcing or delays.”
- Urologist and investor Dr. Jeremy Teoh
