Nūmi

Nūmi is a French biotechnology company founded in 2023 by CEO Eden Banon and CTO Eugénie Pezé-Heidsieck. The firm is focused on addressing a critical gap in infant nutrition by producing human breast milk through in-vitro cell cultivation. This process aims to offer an alternative to traditional bovine-based infant formulas, which can cause allergies and intolerances in some infants and lack the full complexity of human milk.

The company was founded by Banon, who has a background in venture capital and advising deep tech startups, and Pezé-Heidsieck, who holds a PhD in cellular and molecular biology. Their mission is to replicate the more than 1,500 bioactive molecules found in human breast milk, such as lactoferrin and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), to support infant immunity, brain development, and metabolism. The process involves ethically sourcing mammary cells, cultivating them in bioreactors under controlled conditions that mimic natural hormonal cues, and then purifying the resulting milk.

Nūmi operates on a business-to-business (B2B) go-to-market strategy, intending to supply its cell-cultured milk constituents to other companies. The company has secured $3.21 million in pre-seed funding from investors including Heartcore Capital, HCVC, Kima Ventures, and Kost Capital. This capital is being used to expand its scientific team, advance research and development, and navigate the regulatory landscape. Nūmi is targeting the United States for its initial market launch due to the country's clearer regulatory framework for novel foods.

Keywords: cell-cultured breast milk, infant nutrition, biotechnology, formula alternative, mammary cells, cell cultivation, lactoferrin, human milk oligosaccharides, deep tech, food technology, infant health, synthetic biology, B2B ingredients, alternative proteins, cellular agriculture, women's health, pediatrics, novel foods, bio-identical milk, human milk constituents