Israeli FemTech startup Anabella, which developed a more efficient breast pump that mimics a newborn’s suckle, announces a $1.4 million investment led by two Israeli investors from the Israeli version of the show “Shark Tank” and a third Angel investor. This funding round comes not long after the founders of the Anabella pump appeared on the “Shark Tank” show and received an offer of over $1 million. In fact, including both investment rounds, the company has raised $2.5 million up-to-date.

It’s almost like the real thing

“Most pumps today are based on the same simple patent from 1854 - the vacuum pump principle. The patent was originally intended for cow utters and has never been adapted to the body of a woman. It has basically kept the same principle since the 1800s, however, what has changed are all the peripheral things like style, weight, design, portable option, and more. Although, none of these ever really addressed the lack of the pump’s efficiency,” so explains Anabella co-founder Senia Waldberg in a talk with Geektime.

Annabella claims that its pump is the only one in the world that mimics the suckle of a newborn, essentially recreating the natural feel of lips, tongue, muscular motion, and more on the breast, resulting in a higher volume pump. Using a mouthlike suckle the machine is able to stimulate the hormones that help release and make a mother’s milk. This results in a more organic pump that yields more milk than the other standard pumps on the market these days.

According to Waldberg, Annabella has many advantages compared to other products on the shelf, like the fact that it doesn’t cause pain and actually comes with quite a pleasant feeling, but its biggest “thumbs up” comes from its efficiency in the quantity of milk it can pump. “Our test trials are persistent and match research and literature from over the years. We see a more than 50% increase in milk quantity produced compared to competitors. Our mission is to transform the breast-pump into a positive experience. Relieving mothers of the fears of lack of production when returning to the demanding career and work-life. We aim to turn the device into a helpful tool rather than just an unbearable necessity.”

The company was founded by Masha Waldberg, who came up with the idea, her husband Senia Waldberg, and Ron Adelman. Once the company reached an initial product, it recruited Uri Yaffe as CEO and co-founder. So far the company has 5 employees (including the entrepreneurs) in its headquarters in Kfar-Saba (Israel) and an additional 10 sub-contractors. As the product is still in its developmental stage, the company expects the baby-mimicking pump to reach markets at some time next year.