How new technology will allow studying sperm health without leaving home? Interview with Tak Lo

A group of doctors, scientists and IT specialists have developed a new AI-based technology that can analyze sperm and find out if there are any fertility problems. You don’t have to go to a lab to do this — you can do the analysis at home — and all you need is a smartphone with a camera, a small device developed by experts, and a special app. Tak Lo, chief technical development officer at Kedoom Technologies Co., Ltd., spoke about this technology in an interview with NEWS.am Tech.

According to Lo, the company's flagship product is a miniature version (smaller than a matchbox) of the devices used in labs and hospitals to analyze sperm. And by applying a number of interdisciplinary technologies such as artificial intelligence, reverse optics, and microfluidic chip technology, the device can provide diagnostic-grade preliminary screening results that include information on sperm health, their motility, morphology, and more. All of this information can help understand the current state of a man's reproductive health and whether he can father a child if he wants to.

The device, Lo says, is cheaper to test than a lab test, at least in countries like China, where it's already available, and the U.S., where it's coming soon. What's more, the team is working hard to make sure the technology works with any smartphone camera.

In addition, many people may not feel comfortable doing such a test in a lab or hospital. At home, they will feel calmer. If the test shows that they have nothing to worry about, there will be no need to go to the hospital. If it turns out that there are problems, the app will advise what to do next.

"In fact, in about 50% of cases, it is men who are "responsible" for infertility in a couple. But in reality, it is customary to "blame" women. We want men to understand their role and responsibility on the path to conceiving a child with the help of our product," Lo noted.

He added that Kedoom Technologies does not plan to stop there and plans to introduce other products to help couples who want to have children. In the future, the company, in cooperation with medical organizations, also wants to begin offering customers the opportunity to freeze sperm for the future.

Tak Lo also specializes in working with early-stage founders, having invested in and advised over 300 startups. He co-founded one of the first Asian funds to invest in blockchain and artificial intelligence technologies. He also built the first international office for Techstars, the world's largest accelerator program.

This is Tak Lo’s fourth time at the Sevan Startup Summit. According to him, he has several goals at the summit: he wants to deepen cooperation with Armenia and Armenian companies, especially startups in the healthcare sector; he is also working on a booster program within the event, teaching participants the specifics of creating startups and sharing with them the secrets of success.

Among the startups presented at the event, he hopes to find promising projects like SuperAnnotate. Six years ago, Lo, together with the co-founder and partner of the first Armenian venture fund Granatus Ventures, Yervand Sarkisyan, coached this startup here, as part of the Sevan Startup Summit. Today, this project has already raised $21 million.

Sevan Startup Summit 2024 is one of the most important IT events of the year. Every year, this informal business forum attracts hundreds and thousands of startups from Armenia and a number of other countries, giving them the opportunity to present their ideas to potential investors and mentors, listen to speeches of famous guests, participate in panel discussions, seminars, campfire talks, entertainment events and much more.

NEWS.am Tech is the media partner of the event.