Conceivable Life Sciences, a startup specialized in reproductive technology, developed the world’s first automated laboratory capable of carrying out all stages of in vitro fertilization using artificial intelligence and robotics. The company confirmed that its AURA system has already helped bring at least 19 babies into the world in Mexico, marking a milestone in the automation of assisted reproduction processes.
The laboratory operates within the Hope IVF clinic in Mexico, where a clinical trial is currently underway with approximately 150 patients. Conceivable’s founders chose Mexico as their initial testing ground due to its more flexible regulatory framework, although the primary target market remains the United States.
Conceivable says its robotic prototypes create embryos that reach the implanted blastocyst stage in 51% of cycles, compared to about 37.5% in 2022 U.S. IVF data. The technology promises to standardize processes, reduce costs and decrease the number of hormonal cycles needed for patients.
How the AURA robotic system works
The AURA robotic system consists of six stations equipped with robotic manipulators that execute all critical stages of in vitro fertilization. The technology selects sperm, evaluates high-quality eggs, performs cell fusion, monitors zygote development, and supervises the formation of blastocysts ready for transfer to the uterus.
According to the developers, the automated process is more standardized and less traumatic for the cells than traditional manual IVF. Artificial intelligence analyzes cellular parameters in real time, allowing more precise decisions about embryo viability and optimal moments for each stage of the procedure.
This automation eliminates the variability inherent in human manipulation, where different embryologists may have different levels of experience and technique. AURA executes each movement with millimeter precision, reducing the risk of cellular damage during the manipulation of gametes and embryos.
Why they chose Mexico for the initial tests
Conceivable Life Sciences selected Mexico as the location for its initial clinical trials due to the country’s more permissive regulatory environment. Infertility treatment is part of standard medical care in Mexico, facilitating the approval of innovative technologies that in other markets would face more extensive regulatory processes.
This strategy allows the startup to validate its technology, collect clinical data, and refine robotic systems before expanding into more regulated markets like the United States. Mexico also offers access to patients willing to participate in clinical trials of emerging technologies at more affordable costs than in other countries.
Although Mexico serves as a testing ground, Conceivable’s founders remain clear about their ultimate target market: the United States, where the assisted reproduction industry moves billions of dollars annually and costs per IVF cycle can exceed US$15,000.
The stories behind the first 19 births
The company has not yet published all data on births resulting from procedures with AURA, but confirms that at least 19 children have already been born after interventions where the robotic system played a fundamental role. One of the documented stories involves Aike Ho, an investor in the startup, and her partner, whose embryo was created entirely by the robots and successfully implanted.
These first cases represent more than technical validation: they demonstrate that automation can compete with decades of experience accumulated by human embryologists. Each successful birth strengthens Conceivable’s argument about the commercial viability of its technology and its potential to democratize access to fertility treatments.
The founders believe that automation will dramatically reduce the need for highly specialized staff, lower procedural costs, and minimize the number of hormonal cycles patients must go through. This value proposition could transform the economics of assisted reproduction globally. Cases like Conceivable will define the limits of what is acceptable.
