Cervu is building a first of its kind pelvic trainer system to improve quality of life and sexual health for women, evaluated among female cancer survivors with chronic pelvic pain and painful sex.
Cervu is developing an innovative at-home pelvic health trainer system that combines a hardware device that features multiple functionalities with a mobile app to deliver personalized care for women seeking to improve their pelvic health.
Core Solution
- Multi-Functional Device
Enables four key activities: vaginal stretch training, internal massage, muscle release, and intravaginal vibration—with a focus on ergonomics and comfort. - Mobile App Integration
Provides progress tracking, data curation and transmission, individualized planning, and enhanced patient engagement for better adherence.
Market Need
10% of women (43 million) in the U.S. and E.U. suffer from pelvic health issues that negatively affect relationships, body image, self-esteem, and participation in healthcare screenings.
Some populations are disproportionately afflicted, such as female cancer survivors, in which 50% (8 million women) are affected.
Research has shown that regular pelvic training would benefit these women, improving quality of life and sexual health.
Current Limitations & Cervu Advantage
Existing solutions require multiple single-function devices at high cost. Most patients (>95%) pay out-of-pocket for non-regulated products to avoid insurance delays. These tools often feature poor ergonomics, leading to inadequate adherence and reduced outcomes.
Cervu's all-in-one system addresses these gaps with superior design, comfort, and digital support - delivering better results at a lower cost.
Leadership Team
| Role | Name & Credentials | Key Expertise |
|---|---|---|
| CEO & Co-Founder | Dr. Alan Rosenbaum MD, MS (Clinical Research), MS (Biomedical Engineering) |
Bridges clinical, engineering, business, and manufacturing domains to drive aligned strategy. |
| Chief Clinical Officer | Dr. Caitlyn Tivy DPT (Advanced training in female pelvic health) |
Specializes in integrating medical innovation with clinical practice. |
| CTO | Steve Yauch | 25+ years as electrical engineer and electronics assembly facility owner; multiple successful exits with early-stage startups. |
Cervu's go-to-market strategy is built around direct-to-consumer e-commerce, leveraging expert recommendations and support network communities.
Customer Journey & Sales Drivers
- Women discuss options with their pelvic floor physical therapist, who will typically recommend 2–3 devices
- User will research and purchase product online, often influenced by support networks.
- Key goal: Ensure Cervu is on the recommended list and converts online.
Launch Strategy
- Provider Outreach & Sampling Program
Key partner clinics to receive units of product to:- allow for device demonstration to patients
- permit low-resource patients to access our premium product
- increase clinician experience with the system
- Discount Incentives
Codes for patients purchasing through participating offices to drive conversion. - National Presence
Vendor tables at major conferences (APTA, Pelvicon) to generate sales leads beyond the mid-Atlantic region.
Cervu operates a direct-to-consumer model with two complementary revenue streams:
- Device Sales
Target price of $225—competitive with higher-end products while offering multiple functionalities, superior ergonomics, and app integration. - App Data
Training data collected via app has monetary research and product development value
This pricing positions Cervu to capture the premium segment while remaining accessible and financially sustainable.
Current Raise
Cervu is raising a $700,000 pre-seed round (unpriced, 80% discount) to provide a 12-month runway.
Use of Proceeds
| Allocation | Percentage | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Device Manufacturing | 80% | Support production orders and operating runway through the cash conversion cycle. |
| Provider Sampling & Charity Care | 10% | Free-of-charge product to founding participating clinics for patient demonstration and access for low-resource patients — driving familiarity, recommendations, and goodwill. |
| Marketing & Conference Presence | 10% | National marketing program and vendor tables at national PT conferences to expand provider network and sales leads. |
Strategic Value of Showcase
- Direct funding supports manufacturing and sampling critical for provider adoption.
- Participation signals momentum and traction, enhancing attractiveness to other investors.
- Increases visibility and competitive positioning for subsequent scaling.
Cervu’s patent-pending intravaginal device is uniquely designed to enable multiple functionalities with superior ergonomics, customizable vibration, and on-device progress indicators.
Validation & Traction
- Recent prototype tested with 22 patients and therapists under NIH Phase I SBIR grant.
- 100% of evaluators scored Cervu ≥3/5 across metrics.
- Superior performance vs. leading competitors in ergonomics (4.14 vs. 2.57), size range (4.50 vs. 3.95), and training capability (4.38 vs. 1.94).
Development Status & Timeline
- Final design phase: Waterproofing testing
- Paired mobile app: Wireframe complete; coding underway with partner developer (features include training tracking, data transmission, education, reminders, and community integration).
- Target market launch: Q3 2026
| Source | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Non-dilutive grants (NIH Phase I SBIR, NC One Small Business Program, NC State, UNC, NC Biotech Center, NC IDEA) | $539,000 | Grants |
| Founders' contributions | $87,000 | Equity |
| Friends & Family round | $110,000 | Equity |
Total capital raised to date: $736,000.
