BoobyBiome raise £2.5M seed round to harness the breast milk microbiome for infant health

London, 8th September 2025: BoobyBiome, a pioneering infant health company harnessing the breast milk microbiome to transform early-life nutrition, today announced the close of its £2.5M seed round. The round was led by Empirical Ventures with participation from Dominic Hollamby, Coco Hollamby, XFactor Ventures, Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham, The Helm, Evenlode Investment, Lavender Ventures, Kayan Ventures, Jessica Somauroo, Dr James Somauroo, Vanessa Colomar, Federica Amati, Yael Cohen and other angel investors.

This investment will accelerate product development, clinical validation, and market entry, supporting BoobyBiome’s mission to make microbiome-driven infant health solutions accessible to families worldwide.

Founded by Dr Sioned Jones, Dr Tara O’Driscoll, and Dr Lydia Mapstone, BoobyBiome is redefining infant wellness by preserving and replicating the complex microbial ecosystem of breast milk; a critical foundation for gut and immune development in the first 1,000 days of life. Breast milk’s delicate anaerobic bacteria are easily degraded during pumping and storage, and current probiotics lack the specificity or scientific validation to replicate their benefits.

Underpinned by a world-leading breast milk strain biobank and genomic screening, BoobyBiome’s developing a platform of science-backed, parent-friendly solutions to preserve and replicate the breast milk microbiome, delivering its full benefits to infants regardless of feeding method. The company recently secured £1.6M in Innovate UK grant funding in collaboration with the University of Reading and is advancing toward clinical studies and launch with a clear regulatory roadmap.

“This investment marks a major milestone in our mission to revolutionise infant feeding and ensure every baby has equal access to a healthy future.” said Dr Lydia Mapstone, CEO & Co-founder of BoobyBiome. “It represents five years of dedication to understanding breast milk and harnessing its power for infant health.”

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.”

BoobyBiome’s platform strategy spans consumer health, formula partnerships, and long-term microbiome therapeutics, making them uniquely positioned to capture a growing market focused on gut health and early-life nutrition.

Congratulations to Sioned, Tara, Lydia, and the entire BoobyBiome team on this milestone. We’re proud to back your vision and to see the impact this science has on families around the world.