Nurx built its brand on a promise that should have been obvious long before 2015: reproductive and sexual health decisions should not require an in-person appointment. Birth control by mail, STI tests shipped to your door, PrEP without stigma — Nurx normalized care that was technically legal everywhere but practically inaccessible for millions. They raised $130 million proving the model before being acquired by Thirty Madison in 2023. The brand lives on inside Thirty Madison's portfolio, which says everything about how right they were.
Founded
2015
HQ
San Francisco, CA
Total Raised
$130M
Founder
Hans Gangeskar and Edvard Engesaeth
Status
Acquired by Thirty Madison (2023)
Website
www.nurx.comTHE ORIGIN STORY
Nurx was founded in San Francisco in 2015 by two Norwegian entrepreneurs, Hans Gangeskar and Edvard Engesaeth. Their starting insight was deceptively simple: birth control requires a prescription in the US, but there is no medical reason why most healthy people should need to visit a clinic to get one.
They launched an app-based service that connected users with physicians who could prescribe contraceptives online and deliver them by mail. The timing was good — the ACA had mandated contraceptive coverage, and a generation of women was ready for a better experience than the traditional OB/GYN pipeline.
WHAT THEY ACTUALLY DO
Telehealth subscription platform for reproductive and sexual health. Patients complete a health questionnaire, connect with a licensed provider, and receive prescriptions managed through the app.
Key services include hormonal birth control, emergency contraception, STI testing kits (mailed to your home, results via app), PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention), and HPV vaccines. Revenue comes from patient fees and pharmacy margin on prescriptions.
THE PRODUCTS
["Birth control delivery (pill, patch, ring, shot, implant)", "Emergency contraception (Plan B, Ella)", "At-home STI testing kits", "PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV)", "HPV vaccination scheduling"]
HOW THEY GREW
Category expansion from birth control into adjacent sexual and reproductive health services. Nurx grew by adding services that shared the same user profile: people who wanted healthcare for sensitive or stigmatized conditions handled discreetly online.
STI testing, PrEP, and skin care all followed the birth control playbook. Geographic expansion across US states as telehealth regulations matured was also a key growth lever.
THE HARD PART
State-by-state regulatory variation made national scaling complicated. Telehealth prescribing rules differ across states, meaning Nurx had to maintain licensed providers in dozens of jurisdictions.
Insurance reimbursement for telehealth services was also inconsistent. And in a market where Planned Parenthood, Hims & Hers, and Amazon Pharmacy all have reproductive health ambitions, differentiation required consistent brand trust.
MONEY TRAIL
Series A
2017 · Led by Union Square Ventures
$7M raised
Series B
2018 · Led by Kleiner Perkins
$36M raised
Series C
2020 · Led by Recruit Strategic Partners
$87M raised
WHO BACKED THEM
Nurx raised from Union Square Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Recruit Strategic Partners, and individual angels. The company attracted investors focused on women's health and reproductive rights as well as broader telehealth infrastructure bets.
Related Profiles
Companies
Hims & Hers
Hims & Hers and Nurx both built telehealth businesses targeting sexual and reproductive health. Hers expanded into women's birth control directly competing with Nurx. Both bet that stigma-sensitive health categories were uniquely suited to online-first care.
Thirty Madison
Thirty Madison acquired Nurx in 2023, adding reproductive and sexual health to its portfolio of condition-specific telehealth brands alongside Keeps, Cove, and Evens. Nurx became the brand that extended Thirty Madison's reach into women's health.
Head-to-Head
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