Innovators Gallery
The Innovators Gallery features 20+ companies, ranging from breast pump industry leaders to postpartum healthcare start-ups. The gallery is located on the third floor of the MIT Media Lab and is open on April 28th and 29th from 12pm-5pm. Participants can explore the Innovators Gallery to glean the wisdom of companies' research, products, services, and years of actively supporting breastfeeding equity and innovation.
Medela LLC
Research and Hackathon Sponsor
Breast milk is amazing. It's life-giving and life-changing. Even in the smallest amounts. We know that moms are committed to breastfeeding-not only for the health benefits but because of the unique bond it creates. The power of breast milk is timeless, but the way moms make breastfeeding work has changed.
For more than 50 years, we've been dedicated advocates of breastfeeding moms. As the #1 breast pump brand*, Medela is committed to improving mom's breast milk pumping experience and her ability to successfully provide breast milk to her baby for as long as she chooses. Through intensive dialogue with healthcare professionals, patients, and consumers, we gain intimate understanding of their needs, and transform valuable knowledge into innovative products and services that make feeding with breast milk an easier reality.
Founded in 1961 in Zug, Switzerland by Olle Larsson, Medela continues to grow under the ownership of the Larsson family today, concentrating on two business units: "Human Milk," providing research-based breast milk feeding solutions, and "Healthcare," engineering and manufacturing medical vacuum technology solutions. Medela is headquartered in Switzerland and has 18 subsidiaries, distributing its products to more than 100 countries throughout the world.
Medela's US-based manufacturing and development facility is headquartered in McHenry, Illinois with an additional facility in Elgin, Illinois. Every year, more than one million mothers in the U.S. rely on Medela's technology. For more than 30 years, Medela has focused on providing the best in research-based breast milk feeding products and clinical education to support moms' breast milk feeding journey.
Lansinoh
Hackathon Sponsor
Since a mom embarked on what would become Lansinoh® nearly 30 years ago, we’ve understood that sometimes breastfeeding moms need a little help. With a range of products and support, from soothing lanolin to breastfeeding pumps and accessories, we’ve become a savior to moms worldwide.
Spectra
Hackathon Sponsor
Owned by fellow a mom and registered nurse, Spectra Baby USA is committed to supporting every mother on the beautiful journey of breastfeeding. Spectra is the #1 recommended breast pump brand by licensed lactation consultants: worldwide. Our double electric breast pumps are designed to bring comfort and confidence to every moment a mom shares with their little one. From our unique Natural Nursing Technology to our one-of-a-kind customer care, moms can count on Spectra to be right there with them, every step of the way.
Ameda
Hackathon Sponsor
More than 70 years ago, Swedish engineer, Einar Egnell made it his life’s work to help breastfeeding mothers. After years of research, Egnell created the first comfortable and effective breast pump that closely mimics the sucking rhythm of nursing infants. In the process, Egnell also created the vacuum and cycling standards that today’s lactation professionals use to judge breast pump quality. Today’s Ameda breast pumps combined Egnell’s innovative technology with the features a 21st century mother expects. Everything Ameda offers – Ameda breast pumps and products, Ameda breastfeeding education, Ameda’s support of lactation professionals – reflects our passion for breastfeeding. Since 1942, Ameda has been the leading innovator and has delivered unmatched quality and service to lactation professionals, institutions and most importantly, mothers.
Evenflo
Hackathon Sponsor
Providing families with great feeding products is not our job, it is our passion. Our female-led organization is on a mission to ensure better care for every baby by providing you and your family with a quality, innovative product, at a price that does not break the bank. We are here to make feeding available and accessible to all, regardless of wealth or status or community, because we are Every Baby’s Advocate & Every Parent’s Ally™.
Pureen
Hackathon Sponsor
Our story began more than 40 years ago when a young Southeast Asian pharmacist founded Pureen. His vision for Pureen was as clear then as it is today: Thinking About Baby and You. We continue to develop a family of products of the highest quality, made with the safest ingredients, produced under the safest standards.
Over the years, we have grown from our Pureen Baby product line to a full range of products designed to ease and comfort Baby, Mom and Family. Our mission remains constant: Thinking About Baby and You.
Willow
Hackathon Sponsor
Everything you need to pump is right here. With an all-in-one design, Willow® works quietly inside your bra, collects your milk in a disposable, spill-proof bag, and tracks your volume through the app. Now you can move freely and do things—real things—while you pump.
Moxxly
Hackathon Sponsor
Moxxly is a consumer products company designing for modern women. We work at the crossroads of user-centered design, branding, and technology to create products that empower women. We believe breast pump products should be as beautiful as the function they serve and the pumping experience should support a woman’s decision to breastfeed without having to bare all. That’s why our first product is an elegant pump system that allows women to breastfeed with their shirt on while receiving real-time data about their supply.
Continuum
Hackathon Sponsor
Continuum is a global innovation design firm. Our work is informed by the needs, desires, and aspirations of people: customers, patients, citizens, and those who make our client organizations work.
We bring to every project a global perspective, with world-class capabilities and local sensibilities. Continuum operates with a collective purpose of making a difference—in people’s lives and in our clients’ bottom line.
Mighty Mom
Hackathon Sponsor
The Mighty Mom Hush-A-Pump case reduces the noise of the Medela Pump in Style® by approximately 50 percent, allowing mothers to pump discreetly at work or at home.
It gives women more control over one of the most essential tools of working mothers: the pump.
Developed by a mother with countless hours of pumping under her belt and a dad on the winning MIT Breast Pump Hackathon team in 2014, entrepreneurs Christine and Tim Brothers recognized that the noise of a breast pump can limit a mother’s ability to productively pump. By removing that barrier, Mighty Mom helps mothers reclaim time they would have otherwise spent pumping in isolation.
Sarah Wells Bags
Hackathon Sponsor
Sarah Wells Bags offers stylish, functional breast pump bags and breast pumping accessories for breastfeeding moms to feel fashionable and confident
Mamava
Hackathon Sponsor
It was Labor Day 2006. The New York Times featured an article written by Jodi Kantor that outlined the challenges certain mothers faced trying to continue breastfeeding after returning to work.
“As pressure to breastfeed increases, a two-class system is emerging for working mothers. For those with autonomy in their jobs — generally, well-paid professionals — breastfeeding, and the pumping it requires, is a matter of choice…. But for lower-income mothers — including many who work in restaurants, factories, call centers, and the military — pumping at work is close to impossible, causing many women to decline to breastfeed at all, and others to quit after a short time.”
This article struck a cord and the seed was planted. After having pumped at trade shows, airports, corporate retreats, baseball games, and even the back seat of a male client’s car, we decided enough was enough. This project was motivated by our personal experiences as working, nursing moms, and by all the friends and colleagues and the thousands of women who have shared their experiences and frustrations with us.
Formlabs
Hackathon Sponsor
Formlabs is committed to bringing powerful and accessible fabrication tools into the creative hands of professionals around the world. We’re a passionate team of engineers, designers, and problem-solvers. Started as a 3D printing company out of MIT in 2011, Formlabs now employs over 250 people across offices in Germany, Japan, and China.
Breastfeeding @ Home
Hackathon Sponsor
Breastfeeding Help @ Home offers live, 24/7 breastfeeding advice on your smartphone using secure video chat.
Mothership
Hackathon Sponsor
Mothership has two main programs it will grow, Personalized and Certified. Mothership Personalized focuses on helping families find health information that is right for them. Mothership Certified focuses on training health care providers on building connection and promoting empowerment in health practice to be the healthcare partner millennial parents are looking for.
LacTeck
Hackathon Sponsor
LacTeck is working on lactation technologies designed to support pumping moms. Their pump2baby bottle allows moms to directly pump and feed at the same time.
Ms United
Hackathon Sponsor
U Boost is the first compressive technology based breast pump booster. It improves milk output and pumping comfort by mimicking the natural art of hand compression.
Lilu
Hackathon Sponsor
Lilu is the first ever pumping bra with automated compression. By mimicking massage techniques recommended by lactation experts, the bra provides breast massage while pumping, so that Moms don't have to. With Lilu, Mothers can now get up to 50% more milk, hands-free, and in less time.
Ovia Health
Hackathon Sponsor
Ovia Health supports women, from preconception and pregnancy through postpartum and parenthood, as they navigate their most important health and life decisions. We partner with leading employers to provide a personalized maternity benefits solution that prevents healthcare costs and creates a family-friendly workplace. We also help brands connect with women who are making daily decisions to improve the wellbeing of both themselves and their families.
pumpspotting
Hackathon Sponsor
pumpspotting is a social app designed to connect breastfeeding women over milk, motherhood, and the best places to nurse and pump. Named one of the top five apps for motherhood by Apple, pumpspotting is using technology to unite moms worldwide and make the nursing and pumping journey more supportive at every stage in the journey. This spring they are traveling cross-country in the Breast Express, a 40-foot RV nursing and pumping suite, to raise awareness and bring communities together in support of breastfeeding.
Check with Ellie
Hackathon Sponsor
A virtual breastfeeding assistant, allowing moms to treat and identify common breastfeeding issues 24/7 via Facebook Messenger, with options to connect with lactation consultants via video.
Lacti-Cups
Hackathon Sponsor
Lacti-Cups was created with moms and babies in mind by Lactation Consultant Diana Osorio who worked for over 17 years in NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and Post-Partum, and witness at first hand the struggles that mothers go through while breastfeeding and decided to come up with a clever solution. The Patented design of Lacti-Cups are easily placed on the breast instead of nursing pads and collect all the naturally occurring breastmilk leaks instead of absorbing it and wasting it as nursing pads do. Lacti-Cups collects between 4-12 oz/day, even more, depending on each mom, allowing moms to have more breastmilk available for their babies.Lacti-Cups helps moms to overcome many of the challenges faced of breastfeeding as relieving nipples of friction and preventing engorgement.
Truss
Hackathon Sponsor
Truss are Infrastructuralists. We are builders, helping companies scale and enterprises transform legacy systems to modern. We focus in verticals whose success depends on working with data, and we are adept at complex high-regulation, high-compliance domains like healthcare and government agencies. Truss started in 2012 in San Francisco by a diverse group of founders, holding and demonstrating values of inclusion, high performance and integrity for all our work.
Pacify
Hackathon Sponsor
Launched in 2014, Pacify was founded on the idea that more can be done to use mobile technology to help families access excellent pediatric care, regardless of their circumstances. Pacify’s industry-leading mobile platform provides instantaneous access to live clinical support from International Board Certified Lactation Consultants, Registered Dietitians, and Registered Nurses. The Pacify app connects parents with expert providers 24/7, and all memberships include unlimited video consultations. There are no appointments or scheduling, and on average, calls are connected in less than 30 seconds. Pacify is available directly to consumers as a membership or baby shower gift, but thousands of low-income families have free access to the app through Pacify's public health partnerships with WIC programs, Medicaid plans, research institutions, breastfeeding coalitions, and home visiting programs.
Jenna Bra
Hackathon Sponsor
Jenna Bra, is the First Ever All-in-One (Patented) Nursing, Pumping and Weaning bra designed by a mom for moms!
Whether nursing, pumping or needing constriction due to miscarriage or loss of child, Jenna Bra's patent protected adjustment design can suppress milk production taking a mom from fully nursing to complete milk suppression in a couple of days.
boober
Hackathon Sponsor
Boober is where new parents go for expert, same-day, in-person lactation support. We are the world's first on-demand platform which matches and connects new parents to vetted, expert lactation professionals, safely and conveniently. Our mission is to improve the health, confidence, and well-being of expectant and new parents, and their babies. Launched in 2017, by Jada Shapiro, founder of Birth Day Presence (renowned childbirth education and doula matching center in NYC), boober has rapidly grown, already matching over 600 parents to expert lactation help on the same day with rave reviews from pediatricians and clients alike. boober is simple, but it’s transforming how new parents receive breastfeeding support. Anyone who needs help can simply text Boober at 347-688-5070 to get in touch with a real person. As Dr. Liza Natale of Pediatric Associates in Manhattan says, "Everyone in my pediatric group has been so pleased with boober! We send all our patients struggling with breastfeeding there!"
Birth day Presence
Hackathon Sponsor
Birth Day Presence is the premier provider of smart, non-judgmental childbirth education, doula services and on-demand lactation support for savvy New Yorkers. Founded in 2002, Birth Day Presence is the longest-running and most trusted independent childbirth education and doula referral center in the city.