Quyun Allocates RMB 10 Million from Series A Funding to Empower Infertility Patients Through Data-Driven Solutions

“QuYun” (formerly known as “Ask a Doctor”) is a one-stop preconception care service platform designed and developed by Jiahao Technology for individuals facing difficulties in conceiving and childbearing. On February 18, 2016, the “QuYun” app announced that it had completed its Series A financing round, securing RMB 60 million from BlueRun Ventures China.

Shortly after securing the funding, Yu Pan, COO of QuYun, told VCBeat, “We will allocate 20% of the financing amount (approximately RMB 10 million) to give back to our users.”

What is QuYun trying to do?

Two Objectives

First, promote “QuYun Big Data Precision Diagnosis.” QuYun aims to raise awareness that seeking medical care should not solely rely on consulting specialists; instead, patients can use QuYun’s tools to determine the most appropriate treatment plan for their individual needs. The primary pain point for QuYun’s target population is the difficulty in identifying suitable hospitals and treatment regimens. QuYun provides patient-specific solutions derived from big data algorithms, functioning essentially as an intelligent self-diagnosis system. By entering their detailed medical information into the QuYun platform, patients can receive a personalized treatment plan.

Second, inform all users that infertility should be treated as early as possible. “QuYun” aims to work with all entrepreneurs to help users recognize that assisted reproductive technology for treating infertility is a scientific medical practice and nothing to be ashamed of. Individuals experiencing infertility or difficulty conceiving should adopt a more scientific approach and seek medical intervention earlier. Yu Pan stated, “Some individuals fail to conceive within a year but insist they have no problems. Under such misconceptions, time slips away unnoticed, and advancing age makes conception even more difficult.”

China's infertility rate stands at 12%–15%, with a cumulative total of 60 million women of childbearing age currently affected by infertility.

Yu Pan stated that QuYun’s efforts are aimed at improving the entire industry, helping individuals with infertility truly recognize their physical health issues without avoidance, and actively pursue treatment and recovery.

Let Data Speak: QuYun Gains Recognition from Multiple Hospitals

When discussing the most memorable experience during the startup journey, Yu Pan stated that negotiating collaborations with hospitals was a milestone in the development of QuYun.

At the inception of QuYun, the team visited a Grade 3A hospital in Shanghai, seeking collaboration to address the challenges of high patient volume and physician workload. However, faced with the QuYun team’s lack of medical background, the department director expressed skepticism, stating that the team lacked surgical and professional expertise and could not be trusted to deliver quality results.

“In fact, 95% of the questions patients ask on the app are very simple and not professional in nature. Most inquiries are about which hospital is better or which doctor is more skilled in a particular field; professional medical questions rarely appear in online consultations. For us, the most important thing is to understand our patients and their needs,” said Yu Pan.

After encountering resistance from hospital directors, the QuYun team engaged directly with patients in hospitals, conducting interviews to understand their needs and identify the challenges they face during the medical consultation process.

For hospitals, the biggest challenge is the high volume of patients and the heavy workload of physicians. Therefore, the QuYun team recommended that hospital department heads launch WeChat Official Accounts featuring appointment scheduling and online consultation functionalities. QuYun is well-positioned to assist hospitals in implementing these solutions.

Since the introduction of appointment booking and consultation services, hospital efficiency has significantly improved, and patients’ distress over waiting in line for registration has been reduced.

The Department Director of the Hospital Has Decided to Continue Cooperation with QuYun.

Starting from this event, QuYun has gradually gained acceptance among hospitals and initiated collaborations.

“This is one of the most memorable moments in QuYun’s development,” Yu Pan told VCBeat.

Adopting a data-driven approach has earned QuYun collaborative recognition from numerous renowned hospitals.

In 2015, QuYun achieved milestone progress in hospital collaborations, partnering with the largest obstetrics and gynecology departments in Northeast, North, and East China, respectively. Its patient share and data share reached approximately 40%.

Collaborative Efforts Among Peers Are Needed in the Field of Reproductive Medicine

QuYun told VCBeat that during pre-launch research, the QuYun team discovered that the level of internet integration in healthcare was significantly lower than in markets such as finance, automotive, and education. This was a key reason for their decision to delve deeply into this sector. “We are helping users achieve pregnancy—a mission oriented toward life itself, with implications for generations to come,” said Yu Pan.

With the introduction of the “two-child policy,” many couples are considering having a second child. According to data from the National Health Commission, there are 90 million couples in China who meet the criteria for having a second child, of whom 60 million women are aged 35 or older. A significant proportion of these advanced maternal age women seeking pregnancy require assisted reproductive technology.

Meanwhile, China has an estimated 40 to 60 million homosexual individuals in their sexually active years. Many of those wishing to have children will opt for assisted reproductive technologies, indicating substantial growth potential for this industry.

“We do not consider companies with similar or comparable business models to be our competitors; rather, we should be partners. This industry is still in its infancy, and we hope more people will join us in doing the same thing, working together to grow this venture,” said Yu Pan.

Every company has its own unique strengths. On this point, Yu Pan stated that QuYun’s only “irreplaceable” asset is its team.

The QuYun team represents an organic integration of the internet, healthcare, and big data. Over the past year since its inception, QuYun’s greatest achievement and takeaway has not been fundraising, product development, or market share, but rather the formation and stability of its core team. The QuYun team includes a COO who formerly served as Operations Director at Qihoo 360, highly executive-talented professionals from renowned pharmaceutical companies, and academically distinguished PhD holders. This perfect synergy has made QuYun an irreplaceable player in the internet healthcare industry. For QuYun, talent is its most valuable asset.

Yu Pan himself previously served as Senior Product Manager at Yahoo China, Product Director of UC Browser, and Director of Product Operations at Qihoo 360, bringing extensive experience in product operations.

Finally, a quick note: the founding team of QuYun was among the earliest startup community members of VCBeat. Congratulations to them! We also welcome startup teams seeking media coverage to contact us at:tg@vcbeat.top。

Text | Deng Xueyuan