UCL spin-out raises £2.5m to improve infant health with breast milk microbiome

London-based biotechnology company BoobyBiome has raised £2.5m in seed funding for its infant feeding solutions.

The funding round was led by specialist deep tech investor Empirical Ventures, alongside The Helm, XFactor Ventures, Lavender Ventures, Kayan Ventures, and Evenlode Investment, with influential angels including Dominic Hollamby, Lord Ara Darzi, Yael Cohen, Vanessa Colomar, and others.

Founded in 2019 by a team of female scientists-turned-entrepreneurs, the company plans to tackle the rising rates of infant health issues by harnessing the breast milk microbiome.

Dr Lydia Mapstone, Chief Executive Officer, BoobyBiome, said: “This funding marks a major milestone in our mission to revolutionise infant feeding and ensure every baby has equal access to a healthy future.

“It represents five years of dedication to understanding breast milk and harnessing its power for infant health.”

The prevalence of infant health issues linked to inadequate microbiome development, such as food allergies, asthma, type 1 diabetes, and obesity, is continuing to rise.

The breast milk microbiome – a diverse blend of beneficial bacteria found in human milk – plays a crucial role in strengthening infant immune defences against these diseases.

While breastfeeding offers well-established health benefits, it can sometimes be challenging due to a range of medical, physical, or personal factors, meaning not all families are able to exclusively breastfeed.

BoobyBiome has set out to redress this disparity in infant feeding.

Based on over five years of research at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, it has created the world’s largest high-resolution breast milk microbiome database.

BoobyBiome has also produced a biobank of proprietary strains, capturing the diversity of beneficial bacteria found in human milk samples.

This has enabled the identification, characterisation, and preservation of strains critical for infant gut and immune development.

This latest funding will advance the commercial launch of BoobyBiome’s proprietary storage device, including partnerships with global infant bottle companies.

It will also enable the ongoing research and development of its live microbiome drop and the expansion of BoobyBiome’s commercial team as it scales internationally.

Dr Sioned Jones, Chief Operating Officer, BoobyBiome, said:  “In closing this gap, we also aim to reduce the stigma often faced by parents who, for many reasons, cannot breastfeed.

“This support will allow us to advance our research, bring our live microbiome drops closer to market, and deliver meaningful improvements to infant health worldwide.”

Dr Tara O’Driscoll, Chief Technology Officer, BoobyBiome, said:  “We founded BoobyBiome in response to rising infant diseases linked to low breastfeeding rates and underdeveloped microbiomes.

“Like many issues in infant health, it remains under-researched and under-funded, and we hope our work helps drive greater investment into this vital field.”

Dr Ben Miles, Co-Founder and General Partner, Empirical Ventures, said: “We’re proud to support the brilliant team at BoobyBiome as they advance their research and bring their groundbreaking technology to market.

“Lydia, Sioned, and Tara’s combined expertise makes them exceptionally well placed to transform infant health, and their work addresses a critical gap that has been overlooked for too long.

“At Empirical Ventures, we believe entrepreneurial scientists like the BoobyBiome team are uniquely capable of driving real, positive change in the world.

“We’re excited to back their journey and to see the impact this innovation will have on families everywhere.”