Emulait, a Las Vegas-based startup that designed the first baby feeding system designed to emulate the experience of breastfeeding, has secured $11M in a funding round. The funding round was led by family offices and private investors and the latest round brings the total funding to $16M.
Replicating breastfeeding with 3D scanning
Shilo Ben Zeev founded Emulait after witnessing his wife and daughter struggle with breastfeeding. According to Emulait, their baby bottle is designed to simulate the experience and benefits of breastfeeding.
“Emulait was founded out of the desire to solve my daughter’s oral latching problem and now works to provide every parent, family, and child with a feeding system that supports their choices and lifestyle,” says Shilo Ben Zeev, founder, and CEO of Emulait. “I am incredibly passionate about building an organization that supports every baby and family beginning their healthy feeding journey.”
How does it work?
To order the Emulait bottle, mothers need to download the mobile app to take digital scans of their breasts to create a personalised feeding system using one of 25 bottle top variations: five colours ranging from “fair” to “rich,” and from five most common sizes.
The bottle nipples have multiple milk holes and a 3-flow system to replicate the physiological flow rate of a real nipple and reduce the risk of overfeeding and obesity.
Emulait’s custom software scans, analyses, and captures data points such as the shape, size, colour, and texture of the nipple. The technology is privacy-protected and never collects photographs or images.
Once the scan is submitted, Emulait uses advanced 3D scanning technology paired with BPA-free, phthalate-free, non-toxic, FDA-approved medical-grade silicone to create the bottle nipple that replicates the structural anatomy and functional physiology of the mother’s breast.
“Emulait’s design, which mimics the anatomy of the nipple and requires active sucking to get the milk out of the bottle will dramatically improve parenthood for many new families,” said Linda Hanna, RNC, MSN/Ed, Lactation and OB Expert and Advisor to Emulait. “With more than half of women ending their breastfeeding journey within the first month due to issues with sucking and latching, Emulait is solving a widespread need for mothers that need help with feedings while still being confident they are providing their babies with the best possible alternative to the breast.”
“We understand the urgency and emotional fraught many parents face when they are struggling with feedings; oftentimes, this is their last hope, and need a solution fast,” said Madison Blampied, Director of Business Development at Emulait. “Here at Emulait, each of us has a personal connection to the struggles around breast and bottle feeding and have made it our mission to help other parents avoid the same experiences.”
