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§ Private Profile · Paris, France
Nūmi is a technology company.
Nūmi develops cell-cultured breast milk, aiming to replicate the complex biological composition of natural breast milk in an in-vitro environment. The company's technology focuses on engineering over 1,500 bioactive molecules, including critical immunity boosters like lactoferrin and human milk oligosaccharides, as well as satiety regulators and essential nutrients for brain development such as DHA and ARA. This scientific approach seeks to establish a new standard for infant nutrition.
Founded in 2023 by Eugénie Pezé-Heidsieck and Eden Banon-Lagrange, Nūmi emerged from the insight that many parents face challenges with traditional breastfeeding and formula feeding. Their ambition is to offer a scientifically advanced alternative, providing a natural and comprehensive nutritional option that fosters greater equity, freedom, and choice in parenting journeys.
The company primarily serves parents seeking a high-quality nutritional option when natural breastfeeding is not feasible. Nūmi's long-term vision extends beyond infant nutrition, aiming to make the unparalleled benefits of breast milk accessible to a broader population by reformulating its properties into functional foods for all life stages. The company strives to redefine health through continuous innovation.
Nūmi has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round.
Nūmi has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Nūmi has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $3.0M Seed in November 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2023 | $3M Seed | — | B Capital Group, Hardware Club, Heartcore Capital, LDV Capital, Serena Capital, Financière Saint James, Kima Ventures, Kost Capital | Announced |
Nūmi has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Nūmi's investors include B Capital Group, Hardware Club, Heartcore Capital, LDV Capital, Serena Capital, Financière Saint James, Kima Ventures, Kost Capital.
Nūmi is a French biotech startup founded in 2022 that develops cell-cultured human breast milk using mammary gland cells to replicate the 1,500+ bioactive molecules in natural breast milk, offering a superior alternative to bovine-based infant formulas.[1][2][5] It serves parents facing breastfeeding challenges—such as pain, insufficient supply, or choice—by providing a product that boosts infant immunity (via lactoferrin, HMOs, antibodies), brain development, and satiety, with ambitions to expand into functional foods for all ages.[3][5] The company has raised €3M ($3.21M) in pre-seed funding from investors like Heartcore Capital, HCVC, Kima Ventures, and others, assembled a 15-person team of scientists and engineers, and established an in-house lab in Paris (Suresnes) to scale from lab production to larger volumes via B2B commercialization, targeting initial US regulatory approval before Europe and Asia.[1][3][6]
Nūmi was co-founded in 2022 by Eugénie Pezé-Heidsieck and Eden Banon (also referred to as Eden Banon-Lagrange in some contexts), French entrepreneurs driven by the limitations of bovine formulas, which fail to fully replicate human milk's 1,500+ constituents despite affecting ~70% of mothers with breastfeeding difficulties.[2][3][4] The idea emerged from leveraging cell culture technology to mimic lactation in vitro: ethically sourcing mammary cells from hospitals and lactariums, cultivating them under controlled hormonal conditions, and purifying the output for consumption.[1][4] Early traction included lab-scale proof-of-concept for key constituents, patent filings, €3M funding, team-building from top institutions, and collaborations with academics and hospitals, overcoming challenges like lab setup and talent acquisition through expert advisors and investors.[1][3]
Nūmi rides the wave of cellular agriculture and precision fermentation, disrupting the $50B+ infant formula market dominated by suboptimal bovine products amid rising demand for human-milk equivalents driven by breastfeeding inequities and health-focused parenting.[2][3][5] Timing aligns with maturing cell culture tech (used in meat alternatives) now applied to nutrition, bolstered by investor enthusiasm for food-health convergence and regulatory progress—US leads with defined paths for cultivated products, pressuring Europe to evolve.[2][3] It influences the ecosystem by validating human milk as a biotech target, spurring competition, advancing women's health (e.g., shared parenting equity), and pioneering bioactive molecules for lifelong nutrition, potentially setting standards in synbio-driven functional foods.[1][5]
Nūmi is poised for scale-up, with near-term focus on tech amplification, US regulatory filings, B2B partnerships, and team expansion to deliver commercial product within 2-3 years, leveraging its €3M war chest.[1][3] Trends like synbio maturation, Asia's nutrition premium, and global breastfeeding advocacy will propel growth, though regulatory hurdles and competition loom. Its influence could evolve from infant formula disruptor to leader in age-spanning bioactives, truly making breast milk's "magic" universally accessible and redefining equitable parenthood through science.[5] This bold ambition positions Nūmi as a cornerstone in next-gen nutrition.