Introducing TIES™: A Foundational Men's Fertility and Performance Brand, Backed by $1.5M Seed Round Led by HumanCo and Jason H. Karp

A Conversation Nobody is Having
According to a landmark review published in Human Reproduction Update, global sperm concentration has declined by approximately 50% from 1973 to 2018. Total sperm count has declined even more steeply by over 60% over the same period. The rate of decline in sperm concentration has also accelerated in recent decades, more than doubling from 1.16% per year to 2.64% per year post-2000 [1].

Men contribute to 50% of all infertility cases. TIES is built around that reality, giving men a brand that's proactive, science-backed, and approachable.

A Newlywed Couple's Founding Story Built Around the Gap
Co-Founders Luke and Camryn Novak, both former Division I athletes who have spent their lives approaching health with intention, built TIES out of a question Luke asked during their own family planning journey.

"When Camryn and I started talking about having a family, she began doing some baseline tests, checking in with her doctor, taking prenatals, and reading everything she could to best prepare," said Luke Novak, Co-Founder of TIES. "I watched all of that and just asked a simple question: is there anything I should be doing? When we started researching, we couldn't find anything that actually spoke to men in an approachable way, with ingredients and dosing built for how men's bodies actually work. That question is what TIES is built around. TIES is built for the man who shows up with intention in every area of his life. He deserves a brand that actually speaks to him, with a formulation built to match that standard."

"This was personal for us from day one," said Camryn Novak, Co-Founder of TIES. "We realized early on how much the fertility burden has been placed on women, even though men are half the equation. Luke and I went through this journey as a couple and made a commitment to build it the right way. That meant partnering with the best investors, the most credentialed doctors, and the highest quality manufacturers we could find. This is a product that we will use personally, along with our family and closest friends, and that responsibility shaped every single decision we made."

The Foundations Formula
Foundations was developed in collaboration with five leading physicians and specialists in reproductive medicine, integrative health, and preconception nutrition, and built by an experienced team of formulation scientists. Every ingredient is research-backed, third-party tested, and manufactured in an FDA-registered, cGMP-compliant facility.

The formula is built to support the core biological systems required for male fertility, including antioxidant defense, sperm and reproductive health, healthy hormone function, and men's overall health*.

Key research-backed ingredients include:

• Vitamin C: Supports healthy sperm morphology, DNA integrity, and antioxidant protection^2,3
• CoQ10: Supports sperm motility through mitochondrial energy production, provides protection from oxidative stress, and helps support healthy sperm concentration^2,4,5
• Vitamin B12: Supports healthy sperm count, concentration, motility, and helps protect sperm DNA from oxidative stress⁶
• L-Carnitine + Acetyl-L-Carnitine: Supports sperm motility, morphology, and mitochondrial function^2,7,8
• Zinc: Supports healthy sperm production, motility, and morphology^9,10
• Selenium: Supports healthy sperm development, motility and provides protection from oxidative stress^2,11
• Folate (L-5-Methyl-THF-Calcium): Supports sperm development, DNA health, integrity, and healthy homocysteine levels^12,13

Foundations is available now at www.allourties.com

TIES Science Team
Foundations is formulated with input from a science team of five leading physicians and specialists in reproductive medicine, integrative health, and preconception nutrition.

"I have provided care to men with infertility for over 25 years. These men desire simple interventions that could support them in their fertility journey. The scientifically backed ingredients in TIES are designed to support an optimized genital tract environment, help protect sperm from oxidative stress, and promote overall sperm health.*" 

• Peter Kolettis, MD, Male Infertility Specialist, Fellowship-Trained at the Cleveland Clinic

"Foundations is a really fantastic blend. The antioxidants are like little superheroes, protecting sperm from damage and supporting count, motility, and morphology. Fertility is an extremely energy-intensive process, and the carnitines and CoQ10 play a critical role in mitochondrial health. The methylated form of folate is ideal for how the body uses it in the DNA programming and building of sperm."

• Brooke Boskovich, Functional Medicine Dietitian; Founder, The Fertility Dietitian; Specializing in Fertility Nutrition & Reproductive Health

Backed by the Best in Health and Wellness
HumanCo, the mission-driven health and wellness holding company founded by Jason H. Karp, has attracted some of the most respected names in health, wellness, and culture as investors, including Scarlett Johansson, Indra Nooyi (former CEO of PepsiCo), Walter Robb (former CEO of Whole Foods), Shawn Mendes, and Nick Jonas, among others.

"There hasn't really been a gold standard approach to proactively supporting men's fertility. Sperm health is a key biomarker, and men's fertility is a benchmark of overall health. TIES is taking an approach that is a new standard of bioavailability, rigorous third-party lab testing, and clinically-backed ingredients. Men's fertility is an area that has long been ignored, and TIES brings a sense of care and fanaticism that is in a class of its own."

• Jason H. Karp, Founder & CEO, HumanCo

About TIES™
TIES is a foundational men's fertility and performance supplement brand, built around the belief that showing up for fatherhood starts before day one. Co-founded by husband-and-wife team Luke and Camryn Novak, TIES is a doctor-formulated brand developed alongside leading physicians, scientists, and researchers specializing in reproductive medicine, integrative health, and preconception nutrition. Formulated with clinically studied ingredients and held to rigorous third-party testing standards, TIES is setting a new bar for transparency and quality in men's wellness. TIES is headquartered in Austin, TX. Learn more at www.allourties.com and follow along at @allourties.

References

1. Levine H, et al. Human Reproduction Update. 2023.
2. Effect of Antioxidants on Sperm Quality Parameters in Subfertile Men: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. 2022 — China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
3. The Effect of Vitamin C on the Gene Expression Profile of Sperm Protamines in the Male Partners of Couples with Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: A Randomized Clinical Trial. 2020 — Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
4. Antioxidant Supplements and Semen Parameters: An Evidence-Based Review. 2017 — Iran University of Medical Sciences
5. Coenzyme Q10 Treatment in Infertile Men with Idiopathic Asthenozoospermia: A Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Randomized Trial. 2009 — Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy
6. Vitamin B12 and Semen Quality. 2017 — Jordan University of Science and Technology
7. A Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Randomized Trial of the Use of Combined L-Carnitine and L-Acetyl-Carnitine Treatment in Men with Asthenozoospermia. 2004 — Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
8. The Effect of Antioxidants on Sperm Quality Parameters and Pregnancy Rates for Idiopathic Male Infertility: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. 2022 — Frontiers in Endocrinology
9. Zinc is an Essential Element for Male Fertility: A Review of Zn Roles in Men's Health, Germination, Sperm Quality, and Fertilization. 2018 — Journal of Reproduction and Infertility
10. Zinc levels in seminal plasma and their correlation with male infertility: A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2016 — Scientific Reports: Nature
11. The Effects of Oral Antioxidants on the Semen of Men with Idiopathic Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. 2018 — Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
12. MTHFR Isoform Carriers: 5-MTHF vs Folic Acid — A Key to Pregnancy Outcome. 2018 — Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics
13. Hyperhomocysteinemia in Hypofertile Male Patients Can Be Alleviated by Supplementation with 5-MTHF Associated with One Carbon Cycle Support. 2023 — Frontiers in Reproductive Health
14. Link to Ingredient Overview Here

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

SOURCE HumanCo Investments