Episode Summary:
In this episode of The New Script, Makenzie Thomas and Frances Goh sit down with Ash Ramachandran, founder and CEO of Sapyen, an at-home male fertility testing company that’s helping men take charge of their reproductive health.
Ash shares how his background in research, venture capital, and global health led him to build Sapyen, and what he’s learned about the hidden factors affecting male fertility. He explains how sperm health reflects overall wellbeing, why lifestyle and early testing matter, and what needs to change in how we talk about fertility and family planning.
The conversation also explores the realities of building a medtech startup from Australia, the challenges of fundraising in healthcare, and the importance of supporting founders’ mental health along the way.
Chapters:
02:27 – From asteroid mining and venture capital to founding Sapyen
03:32 – The idea behind Sapyen and rethinking male fertility testing
05:20 – How fertility clinics are changing and where gaps remain
05:54 – Breaking the stigma around male fertility
08:39 – What sperm quality tells us about health and fertility
10:37 – Why including men improves outcomes for couples
12:36 – The emerging research on sperm health and pregnancy
14:17 – How the Sapyen test works and what users can expect
15:41 – Building a global health company from Australia
17:11 – From investor to founder: lessons in healthcare fundraising
22:30 – Learning from early challenges and “favorite failures”
26:54 – Managing wellbeing and founder mental health
29:39 – Why men’s health matters for the future of fertility
31:34 – What’s next for Sapyen
35:00 – If Ash could rewrite the script on men’s health
Resources:
🌐 Sapyen – http://www.sapyen.co/
👨🔬 Ash Ramachandran (LinkedIn) – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashwinramachandran1/
