(Bloomberg) — Choix Inc., a startup that provides women with pills that induce an abortion, has raised $1 million in seed funding from venture capitalists, weeks after a report that indicated the Supreme Court was on the verge of overturning Roe v. Wade.
“Because of what is going on in this country, we wanted to be able to grow quickly,” said Cindy Adam, co-founder and chief executive officer of Choix. “We’re on a lot more people’s radar now, just because of what’s going on.” The funding came from Oregon-based Elevate Capital. Adam declined to give the startup’s valuation.
For many women, abortion pills are a simple and safe way to terminate a pregnancy in the first 10 weeks. Such pills have become increasingly common, even as some states move to restrict access. Choix, which is French for “choice,” connects customers with a medical provider within 24 hours after they fill out a questionnaire. Then, for $289, it sends patients seeking an abortion mifepristone pills. The patients need to be 16 or older, and reside in California, Colorado or Illinois. Adam said Choix has worked with about 3,500 patients since it launched in October 2020, and grew quickly during the pandemic as telehealth became more popular.
Adam, a nurse practitioner, said the new funding will help the company grow its team, currently fewer than a dozen staffers, and expand into additional states where it is able to legally operate. Choix also offers other reproductive and sexual health care services, including morning-after pills, and treatment for urinary tract infections and genital herpes.
In the coming months, Choix plans to raise an additional $500,000 or $1 million, Adam said, adding that the company has received more interest from investors since a leak of a draft opinion signaled that the Supreme Court may end the constitutional right to an abortion.
The company joins a range of services and nonprofits attempting to offer increased access to abortion medication via the mail. Aid Access, launched by a Dutch physician, sends pills to a patient’s home from overseas. Meanwhile, Hey Jane, another venture capital-backed telehealth company that mails abortion medication, has raised $3.6 million in seed funding.
Adam said Choix considered whether it should operate as a nonprofit, but decided to seek venture capital funding so it could ramp up its operations faster. “There’s already a lot of limited funding that independent clinics and a lot of nonprofits are going for,” she said. “We have seen an uptick in interested partners since the leak, so we are really excited about the potential for other investors.”
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