BoobyBiome Raises £2.5 Million to Protect Breast Milk’s Microbiome and Transform Infant Health

BoobyBiome, a startup spun out of University College London’s Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, led by Dr Lydia Mapstone, Dr Sioned Jones, and Dr Tara O'Driscoll, has secured £2.5 million seed round led by Empirical Ventures, with backing from The Helm, XFactor Ventures, Lavender Ventures, Kayan Ventures, Evenlode Investment, and angel investors including Dominic Hollamby and Lord Ara Darzi. 

The company discovered that key bacteria in breast milk die within 20 minutes of oxygen exposure, leading to the development of a patented low-oxygen storage device that preserves the microbiome, antioxidants, and vitamins to help protect infants from conditions like asthma, allergies, diabetes, and obesity.

Their technology is powered by the world’s largest high-resolution breast milk microbiome database and a proprietary biobank of bacterial strains.

BoobyBiome is advancing two innovations: an oxygen-excluding storage device compatible with any infant bottle, and a live microbiome drop to support formula-fed, C-section, and preterm infants. The storage device will launch in the UK in 2026, followed by Europe and the US, while clinical trials validate the microbiome drop. New funding will drive global expansion, partnerships, and continued research.