TIES Aims to Redefine Male Fertility with $1.5M Celebrity-Backed Launch

AUSTIN, Texas – April 28, 2026 – As conversations around family planning evolve, a new company is turning the focus to a long-overlooked part of the equation: men's preconception health. TIES™, a foundational men's fertility and performance brand, officially launched today, introducing its flagship supplement, Foundations. The launch is powered by a significant $1.5 million seed round led by HumanCo, the health and wellness holding company founded by Jason H. Karp, who will also join the TIES board of directors.

The Austin-based startup enters the market with a clear mission: to change how men approach their role in fertility, shifting the paradigm from a reactive stance to a proactive one, built on the belief that "showing up for fatherhood starts before day one."

A Market Awakens to a Silent Crisis

The launch of TIES arrives at a critical juncture for male reproductive health. A landmark 2023 review in Human Reproduction Update revealed a staggering global decline in sperm concentration by approximately 50% between 1973 and 2018. The rate of this decline has more than doubled since the year 2000, sounding alarms in the medical community. With men contributing to half of all infertility cases, the wellness industry is finally beginning to cater to this significant, underserved demographic.

This growing awareness has ignited a burgeoning market. Analysts project the global male fertility supplement market, valued at over $500 million in 2022, to more than double to $1.1 billion by 2032. TIES is positioning itself to lead this new wave, moving beyond the historical stigma and providing an approachable, science-forward solution for the modern man.

The Personal Quest Behind the Brand

The inspiration for TIES is not rooted in market data, but in a personal journey. Co-founders Luke and Camryn Novak, a newlywed couple and former Division I athletes, conceived of the brand while navigating their own family planning. They observed a stark disparity in the resources and responsibilities for preconception care.

"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?"

That simple question revealed a significant gap. "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," Luke continued. "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."

Camryn Novak emphasized the shared responsibility that shaped their mission. "We realized early on how much the fertility burden has been placed on women, even though men are half the equation," she stated. "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."

The Science of 'Showing Up'

In a supplement market often criticized for unsubstantiated claims, TIES is banking on scientific rigor and transparency to build trust. The brand's debut product, Foundations, was formulated in collaboration with a science team of five physicians and specialists in reproductive medicine and nutrition.

The formula targets key biological systems for male fertility, including antioxidant defense, sperm health, and hormone function. Its key ingredients are mainstays in fertility research, including Coenzyme Q10 to support sperm motility, Zinc for sperm production, and L-Carnitine for mitochondrial function. The formula also includes antioxidants like Vitamin C and Selenium to protect against oxidative stress, a known factor in male infertility, as well as methylated folate for DNA health.

"I have provided care to men with infertility for over 25 years," commented Peter Kolettis, MD, a male infertility specialist who consulted on the product. "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.*"

Brooke Boskovich, a functional medicine dietitian specializing in fertility, also praised the formulation. "The antioxidants are like little superheroes, protecting sperm from damage and supporting count, motility, and morphology," she noted. "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."

By manufacturing in an FDA-registered, cGMP-compliant facility and committing to third-party testing, TIES aims to set a higher standard in an industry where quality and efficacy can vary widely.

The HumanCo Effect: Star Power Meets Wellness

The $1.5 million seed investment from HumanCo provides TIES with more than just capital; it offers a powerful strategic partnership. Founded by Jason H. Karp, the visionary behind the clean-label snack brand Hu, HumanCo has a track record of backing mission-driven companies that aim to improve human health. Karp's decision to join the TIES board signals a deep commitment to the brand's vision.

"There hasn't really been a gold standard approach to proactively supporting men's fertility," said Karp, Founder and CEO of HumanCo. "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."

HumanCo's involvement also brings a network of influential investors, including Scarlett Johansson, former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, and musicians Shawn Mendes and Nick Jonas. This star power provides a formidable platform for TIES to amplify its message and bring the conversation about male fertility into the mainstream.

For Karp, the investment is a bet on a category whose time has come. "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." With this backing and a deeply personal mission, TIES is not just launching a product but is poised to lead a cultural shift in how society views the journey to fatherhood.