The Sperm Bank of California

What The Sperm Bank of California does

The Sperm Bank of California (TSBC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation founded in 1982 in Berkeley, California. It operates as the only non-profit sperm bank in the United States, providing research-based donor sperm, personal sperm storage, semen analysis, and genetic consultation services. TSBC is governed by a board of directors and led by Executive Director Alice Ruby, with operations based at 2115 Milvia St., Suite 201, where it maintains a single laboratory facility and processes all customer transactions by phone during limited weekday hours. The organization serves five primary customer segments — LGBTQ+ individuals and couples, Black and Indigenous People of Color, single individuals, people experiencing infertility, and individuals preserving fertility for future family-building — and prioritizes equitable access, donor diversity, and lifelong support for donor-conceived people, families, and donors.

The core product is donor sperm sold by the vial through an online catalog that customers browse before completing registration and purchase over the phone with staff assistance. Supporting offerings include Personal Sperm Storage with four account types (Client Depositor, Directed Donor, Known Donor, and Transfer Storage), semen analysis, genetic consultation, and a suite of Family Services: the trademarked Identity-Release® Program (the first open-identity donor program in the world), Sibling Inventory, a Family Contact List, Second-Parent Adoption support, and resources for donor-conceived youth and adults. TSBC operates the lowest family limit nationally, capping each donor at ten families and relying on prompt pregnancy and outcome reporting to enforce it. The organization extends its reach globally through international shipping and supports its mission with an award-winning research program, dedicated transgender resources, and outreach materials for Black and POC recipients.

TSBC generates revenue through two streams: one-time fees for donor sperm vials and recurring fees for personal sperm storage accounts; pricing is not publicly disclosed and all transactions are completed by phone with TSBC staff. The go-to-market motion is inside sales supported by a content-heavy website (donor catalog, resources, testimonials, blog), a Facebook presence, and email account management, with no public e-commerce checkout. As a private non-profit, TSBC is not venture-backed, has no parent company, and does not disclose revenue, making it a small, mission-driven specialist in a U.S. reproductive-services market otherwise dominated by for-profit competitors.

Name

The Sperm Bank of California

Legal name

The Sperm Bank of California

Website

https://thespermbankofca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Sperm Bank of California is a Berkeley-based 501(c)(3) non-profit and the only non-profit sperm bank in the United States, providing donor sperm, personal sperm storage, semen analysis, and genetic consultation to LGBTQ+, BIPOC, single, infertile, and fertility-preservation clients since 1982.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Sperm Donation Program: Revenue generated from the sale of donor sperm vials to recipients. Families purchase vials through phone-based transactions with TSBC staff.
2. Personal Sperm Storage Services: Fee-based storage services for individuals preserving fertility, including client depositors, directed donors, known donors, and transfer storage accounts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Sperm Bank of California is a non-profit organization providing research-based donor sperm services, including donor screening, vial sales, and the Identity-Release® Program. It also provides personal sperm storage (fertility preservation) across multiple account types (Client Depositor, Directed Donor, Known Donor, Transfer Storage), semen analysis, and genetic consultation. Supporting family services include the Sibling Inventory, Family Contact List, and guidance on second-parent adoption, with all purchases completed through a phone-based, staff-assisted sales process.

Product overview

The Sperm Bank of California operates as a non-profit organization offering research-based sperm donation and sperm storage programs. The core offering is Donor Sperm Services supported by the Identity-Release Program, which is the first open-identity program in the world. Personal Sperm Storage provides fertility preservation across multiple account types. Supporting modules include Genetic Consultation, Sibling Inventory, Family Contact List, Second Parent Adoption support, Insemination Support Services, and a Research and Success Rates program. All services serve the LGBTQ+, BIPOC, single individuals, people experiencing infertility, and those preparing for future family-building.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Identity-Release Program: The first open-identity program in the world to provide donor-conceived adults with access to information about their donors

Products and services

• Donor Sperm Services Provides donor sperm to recipients through a catalog of screened donors, with genetic testing, a 10-family limit policy, and integration with the Identity-Release Program for donor-conceived adults.
• Identity-Release® Program The first open-identity program in the world, providing donor-conceived adults with access to information about their donors when they reach the age of majority.
• Personal Sperm Storage Fertility preservation service offering multiple storage account types (Client Depositor, Directed Donor, Known Donor, and Transfer Storage) accompanied by semen analysis services.
• Genetic Consultation Genetic counseling service provided during recipient registration to help prospective parents understand hereditary risks and make informed family-building decisions.
• Semen Analysis Laboratory semen analysis service supporting both personal sperm storage clients and the donor screening pipeline.
• Insemination Support Services Educational service providing home insemination guidance, fertility and ovulation tracking recommendations, and advice on improving conception chances.
• International Shipping (Vial Distribution) International shipping of purchased donor sperm vials to recipients located outside the United States.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cryos International: Large international sperm bank serving global recipients — directly comparable in sperm donor catalog, storage, and international shipping capabilities.
• New England Cryogenic Center: Long-standing US sperm bank offering donor sperm and storage services — comparable in operational model and clinical service offerings.
• Seattle Sperm Bank: Pacific Northwest-based sperm bank offering donor sperm and storage services with online catalog and direct ordering — comparable operating model and customer segments.
• Fairfax Cryobank: Major US sperm bank providing donor sperm, sperm storage, and reproductive services — closely comparable in catalog-based model, genetic screening, and storage offerings.
• Xytex Cryobank: Established US sperm bank providing donor sperm, storage, and genetic services — directly competes with TSBC in catalog-driven donor sperm sales.
• California Cryobank: One of the largest for-profit sperm banks in the US, offering donor sperm, sperm storage, and genetic services — directly competes with TSBC in the same product category and overlapping customer base.

Emerging players

• Cofertility: Emerging fertility platform offering egg freezing and donor matching — partial overlap with TSBC's family-building and fertility preservation services, though focused on egg rather than sperm.
• Maeva (formerly known in the space): Emerging digital-first fertility platform focused on simplifying access to fertility care, including donor services — represents the digital-native threat that TSBC's phone-based model may struggle to match.

Others

• Donor Sibling Registry: Non-profit registry helping donor-conceived individuals connect with half-siblings and donors — adjacent to TSBC's Family Contact List and Sibling Inventory services.

Broad incumbents

• Carrot Fertility: Enterprise fertility benefits platform that includes donor sperm coverage — provides channel access to employer-sponsored fertility customers that may include TSBC's services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheSpermBankofCalifornia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Sperm Bank of California