Former Tech Stars Have Created An App That Helps Women Have Babies More Efficiently

As co-founder of PayPal, thus a member of the infamous PayPal mafia (the group of individuals who drove the company to success and then went on to fund other entrepreneurial projects), Max Levchin has made a living out of building startups.

Now, the businessman has gotten behind a new endeavor with the creation of Glow, a new app exclusive to iOS app stores that aims to change the way couples plan the births of their children.

“There is nothing more exciting than starting a family," the app's official website says. "But, the first step of getting pregnant can seem surprisingly difficult at times. Don't lose hope. Pregnancy is a special experience, and our mission is to bring that experience to you as early as possible."

The company, which is being led by Levchin and former Google exec Michael Huang, has generated $6 million in funding from a group of investors, including Andreessen Horowitz. The app helps track the significant range of variables, such as body temperature, that affect a woman's fertility from day to day, allowing couples to identify the best time to try and conceive.

Not only will those who sign up for the app's services be able to, essentially, time their conceptions, they'll also be able to sign up for Glow First. Glow First will pool $50 per month from users, which will go towards a fund set aside for those who have failed to induce pregnancy at the end of a ten month time frame.

The fund, for which Levchin has already contributed $1 million out of his own pocket, will go to helping those couples pay for pricey alternatives, such as in vitro fertilization.

It's hard to make any projections regarding just how much of a success Glow will be, but the app is already promising considering it does what the best of businesses do: fulfills an absolute need.

“Insurance doesn’t cover this, because it’s optional,” Huang told Pando Daily. “But look at the pictures of your kids on your phone, and you tell me if having them in your life is optional.”

Photo courtesy All Things D