Arex was founded in 2008 by Dr. Barb Cohen, a Harvard-trained biochemist who discovered the sperm fertility cycle working in large animals, where most fertility treatments originate. After validation in animal studies, Dr. Cohen conducted successful proof of concept work with collaborators at Boston IVF and the CReATe Fertility Centre. During this time, she bootstrapped the company by selling $150k in assay kits and taking small amounts of money from friends and family. Now, the Arex team includes experienced professionals drawn from companies including Affymetrix, Vicam (now a Waters Corp) and Artemis Health (Verinata). Stakeholders include former executives from leading companies such as LabCorp, Flagship Ventures, Pharmacia, Bertarelli and BioTheranostics.