Gaia

We are proud to introduce our latest campaign, #itsnotjustyou At Gaia, we know that going through fertility treatment can feel like the loneliest place in the world. But we also know that 1 in 6 people experiences infertility: Your neighbor three doors down. Your boss’ sister. Your dog walker. Your hairdresser, and your OB/GYN. The guy at the coffee shop who had to remortgage his house to afford IVF. Your college friend who posted glowy maternity photos on Instagram - without showing the reality of her miscarriages. It’s not just you. It’s millions of us, with stories that have the power to break stigma and inspire change. So what would happen if we ended the silence? This is our chance to be brave and find out. Check out our campaign landing page and share your own story using the hashtag #itsnotjustyou and tagging @gaiafamilyofficial: https://lnkd.in/eJf8QhJa

“I think this is super unprofessional, you shouldn’t be doing this.” That’s what Alease Daniel Barnes, also known as Alease the Embryologist, heard from a potential employer about her use of social media, where she shares the world of embryology. But instead of being discouraged, Alease used it as motivation to continue to build her platform, supporting community knowledge and patient advocacy. Today, she’s a trusted voice in the fertility community, using her platform to explain the IVF process, break down medical jargon, and empower patients to advocate for themselves on their own journeys. We were thrilled to talk with Alease in the upcoming season of our podcast, Misconception. The new season, launching on Tuesday, September 3rd, spotlights 10 members of the fertility community, sharing their own unique experiences and perspectives. While you wait, catch up on Season 1 now wherever you get your podcasts, or listen on Spotify here: https://lnkd.in/dJE2WDQY

👉🏼19% of people going through fertility treatment have considered quitting their jobs.  👉🏼24% of women who confided in their employer about going through fertility treatment felt unsupported, or experienced unfair treatment as a result.  👉🏼36% of people feel their career has been damaged as a result of fertility treatment. 👉🏼58% were concerned about how it would impact their career prospects. (CIPD, 2023 & Fertility Network, 2022) These statistics stress the reality: fertility treatment is far from just a personal journey; it’s a professional one too, fusing itself with a person’s experience of the workplace. When nearly 1 in 5 people are considering quitting their jobs, and over a third believe their careers have suffered, it’s clear that the impact of fertility treatment reaches far beyond the doctor’s office. 1 in 4 women who sought support from their employer felt unsupported or unfairly treated by their employer, highlighting a crucial gap in workplace culture. These are statistics that should raise serious concern and reflection within organizations about employee wellbeing. Fertility issues are not confined to any one group - they impact everyone, from heterosexual couples, to same-sex couples and single people who want to build their families. Family building isn’t just a benefit, but a core aspect of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The journey to family starts long before the positive pregnancy test; it begins with a plan to try. A plan that doesn’t always work out the way they hoped. It’s a process that’s fraught with challenges for 1 in 6 couples. Recognizing this, and supporting employees who are on this journey is about more than just policy - it’s about creating an environment where employees feel valued and supported on their path to parenthood, whatever that path may look like.

We learn more about the science behind fertility every day, but even with the huge advancements in science, IVF still doesn’t guarantee a child. That’s why Gaia exists: to offer a path to parenthood, and a backup plan if it doesn’t pan out. If our Members don’t have a child after 3 cycles of treatment, they don’t repay their treatment costs. Recently, one of our Gaia Members made a claim after completing their covered cycles without having the child they dreamed of. Following our Members’ journeys is deeply personal for us, as we’ve been with them every step of the way for years. And while we share their disappointment, we’re also feeling grateful that we met and that they trusted us to take care of them through such a monumental period of their lives. Because of Gaia, they don’t have to carry the weight of the financial burden that is IVF for years to come. Their membership means that we’ve covered all of their costs, allowing them to move onto the next phase of their life without needing to recoup the thousands of dollars they spent on treatment, without the outcome they wanted. We can’t promise success, but we can promise a backup plan. And most importantly, we can promise a team that genuinely cares about and supports our Members, no matter what that outcome.

Introducing our very first US Member Growth hire! We’re super excited to welcome Stephanie Scott to Gaia, based in Chicago. Steph has nearly a decade of experience assisting with IVF patients and specializing in egg donor and surrogacy paths to parenthood, first as a patient coordinator and more recently in sales and business development. Our Members are at the forefront of everything we do, so having someone like Steph as the face of Gaia for our US Members is everything we’ve been looking for and more. We can’t wait to see her shine.

At Gaia, August is a month to ‘work from anywhere’. We have a mixture of employees who are predominantly office based, or who are partially or fully remote. And whilst we love to see our team in-person, we understand the value of flexibility and a strong work/life balance. This month, Gaia’s global. Our Ops Lead, Adrien Ruche and Data Scientist, Victor Louette have headed to Paris, with Victor even catching some of the Olympics! Lucy Slack is Product Market Manager by day, drinking Sangria in San Sebastien by night. Our intern, Jesse Cheng, is working from Portugal, and on our People team, Georgia Higgs is in the Cotswolds! Over in marketing, our CMO, Olivia Borsje is enjoying time in Japan and Mongolia, whilst our Growth Lead, Lorna Preece, is apartment hunting in NYC ahead of a big relocation across the pond…

Katie and Georgia found Gaia after they had already been through numerous rounds of IUI, and the trauma of a miscarriage. Gaia gave them a chance to start their IVF journey for a fraction of the cost, while knowing exactly what they’d owe when their treatment was successful. “Gaia gave us the opportunity to try…It made the possibility of having a child an actual possibility” It became more than a possibility. And in September, Eddie, the world’s first Gaia baby, will turn two. We’re so proud to have been part of their journey. To hear more about Katie and Georgia’s path to parenthood, listen to their episode on our podcast, Misconception. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. 

In the last couple of months, we’ve welcomed a handful of new people to Gaia. Popping a spotlight on the two, long awaited and final additions (for now!) to our tech team! -- Tom Stuart Vaidik Kapoor

Our founder Nader AlSalim is heading to Slush in Finland this November to speak about the ruthless journey of founding a startup. Nader's story and the road to Gaia isn't just inspiring: it's personal. We hope to see you there.

This week, the New York Times published an article highlighting that an increasing share of Americans are choosing not to have children. One of the leading causes? Cost. The cost of raising a child is now estimated to be $21,681 per year - a whopping 19.6% increase in less than a decade. That figure’s not for the faint of heart.  Meanwhile, fertility rates are also on the decline. People who need IVF to start their family spend $50k on average. For many, that’s all the savings they have – and more. What happens, then, when the time comes to raise that family? That’s why we so firmly believe in giving people better financial access to treatment — so their savings get to stay put for a rainy day, parental leave, or for the nursery they’ve longed for. And if they don’t bring home a baby? Those savings should be there to help them move forward, too.