The world’s first sperm race will take place before a live audience of more than 1,000 in Los Angeles next week. Ironically, even though thousands of spectators are expected for the match-up, they won’t be able to actually see the participants without a microscope.
The world’s first sperm race. It’s just what it sounds like: a race between sperm. Over on its website, Sperm Racing—the name of the startup organizing the sperm races—explains that it’s built a special microscopic racetrack to face off two sperm samples.
What makes the racetrack unique is that it mimics the reproductive system, copying “chemical symbols, fluid dynamics, [and] synchronized starts.”
Importantly, you won’t be able to actually see the sperm in the race without a microscope, since they’re really small. Not to worry, though Sperm Racing says it’ll be tracking each sperm’s movement with high-resolution cameras to track their microscopic moves.
The winner of the race will be the first sperm to cross the finish line.
A spectacle. Of course, it wouldn’t exactly be a noteworthy event if there wasn’t some spectacle, and that’s exactly what the startup promises to offer.
“We’re turning it into a spectacle. Think press conferences. Weigh-ins. Live-streamed races with play-by-play commentary,” Eric Zhu, one of the startup’s founders, writes in its manifesto. “[A]nd, of course, betting.”
The hype will be experienced in person, too. The startup says that the world’s first sperm race will be held in front of a live audience at the Hollywood Palladium on April 25. More than 1,000 seats are available and the event is expected to sell out, though whether it actually does is still up in the air.
A $1 million investment. If you thought this was a huge joke, you’re not alone. I also thought the founders of Sperm Racing were just out to troll us all.
However, according to Traded, an outlet that publishes news about venture capital and other investments, the startup recently raised $1 million for its sperm race. The round was led by Karatage with participation from Figment Capital and Karman.
A matter of health. While Sperm Racing does place a lot of emphasis on the race itself, the startup says the project is about something much bigger: male fertility.
In its company’s manifesto, Zhu cites that male fertility is declining, adding that “nobody’s really talking about it.” He’s not wrong about the declining part. A 2022 study found that human sperm count had fallen by more than 50% around the world over the last 50 years, sparking controversy and alarm among male fertility experts.
