BoobyBiome

# BoobyBiome: Transforming Infant Health Through Breast Milk Microbiome Science

High-Level Overview

BoobyBiome is a biotech company, not a technology company in the traditional sense. Founded in 2019 as a spinout from University College London's Great Ormond Street Hospital, the company applies cutting-edge microbiome research to develop products that improve infant health outcomes.[1][6] The company's core mission is to give every baby access to the beneficial bacteria found in breast milk, addressing a critical gap for infants who cannot be breastfed due to medical, physical, or personal factors.[6]

BoobyBiome serves families globally by offering two primary solutions: a breast milk preservation device designed to extend storage time while maintaining beneficial bacteria, and a multi-strain synbiotic supplement containing probiotic microbes isolated from breast milk combined with prebiotic fibers.[2][4] The company targets both formula-fed infants and families relying on donated breast milk, addressing health disparities linked to inadequate microbiome development—conditions ranging from allergies and asthma to type 1 diabetes.[6]

Origin Story

BoobyBiome was founded in 2019 by three scientists: Dr. Lydia Mapstone (CEO), Dr. Sioned Jones (COO), and Dr. Tara O'Driscoll (CTO).[2][4] All three hold advanced degrees in biological sciences and microbiology-related fields, with Mapstone holding a PhD in Molecular Biology & Microbiology.[1] The founders' passion was ignited by researching the understudied breast milk microbiome, discovering that over 50% of a baby's microbiome is seeded by their mother, with breast milk providing the largest contribution.[1]

The team quickly recognized that the benefits of breast milk extend far beyond nutrition, leading them to establish BoobyBiome with support from world-leading advisors and academics at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health.[1] Early recognition of their work came swiftly: the three founders were named to Forbes magazine's 30 Under 30 list and won the Founders Forward Perfect Pitch competition hosted by Newable and JPMorgan Chase.[2] In 2024, the company raised £2.5 million in funding, with backing from investors including Empirical Ventures.[6]

Core Differentiators

• Proprietary Research Database: BoobyBiome leverages the world's largest high-resolution breast milk microbiome database along with a proprietary biobank of bacterial cultures isolated directly from breast milk.[7]

• Dual Product Approach: The company offers both a hardware solution (a bottle lid device that mimics mammary gland conditions to preserve bacteria and extend storage time by approximately 3.5 times) and a biological solution (a multi-strain synbiotic supplement).[2][4]

• Manufacturing Scalability: In collaboration with the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), BoobyBiome has optimized bacterial fermentation processes and demonstrated scalability at the 10-liter scale, with robust methods for co-culturing multiple bacterial species.[3]

• Personalization Potential: The company is exploring future personalization of probiotics, recognizing that breast milk microbiome composition varies significantly between mothers and could be tailored to individual infants.[4]

• Comprehensive Analytical Capability: BoobyBiome has developed a full genome next-generation sequencing dataset of breast milk and infant stool, enabling rational design of supplement compositions that account for both bacterial strains and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs).[4]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

BoobyBiome operates at the intersection of microbiome therapeutics and precision infant nutrition, riding the broader wave of microbiome science gaining clinical and commercial validation. The timing is particularly significant: growing scientific evidence links early-life microbiome composition to long-term health outcomes, while simultaneously, global breastfeeding rates remain constrained by medical, economic, and social factors.[6]

The company addresses a market gap that has been "overlooked for too long," according to investors.[6] With tens of millions of children annually lacking access to breast milk, the addressable market spans both developed nations (where formula feeding is common) and developing regions where donated milk programs are expanding.[2] BoobyBiome's hardware device alone represents a product with global demand, as it is compatible with all existing infant feeding bottles.[2]

The company's influence extends beyond commercial impact: by building the world's largest breast milk microbiome database and establishing manufacturing processes for live bacterial supplements, BoobyBiome is advancing the entire field of microbiome therapeutics and setting standards for how complex bacterial consortia can be produced at scale.[3]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

BoobyBiome is positioned to become a category-defining company in infant microbiome health. The founders' scientific rigor combined with commercial acumen—evidenced by their ability to move from research to manufacturing feasibility and clinical preparation—suggests they can navigate the complex regulatory pathway required for probiotic supplements and medical devices.[3]

The company's future trajectory will likely be shaped by three factors: successful completion of preclinical trials and regulatory approval for their synbiotic supplement; market adoption of their preservation device as a standard accessory for formula-feeding families; and their ability to execute on personalization strategies that differentiate their offering from competitors. As microbiome science matures from academic curiosity to clinical standard of care, BoobyBiome's early-mover advantage in breast milk microbiome research and their proprietary bacterial collections position them to influence how infant nutrition is approached globally—potentially transforming health outcomes for millions of children who cannot access breast milk.