Photographs: Caroline Tompkins; Prop Styling: Matt Cullen

Why Have So Many Breast Pump Startups Flamed Out?

Despite years of hype, these entrepreneurs are finding it’s nearly impossible to survive

Bryce Covert
Jan 6 · 12 min read

JJanica Alvarez and her husband, Jeff, were supposed to revolutionize the breast pump. The pump—a hulking, painful, ugly device—serves a very precise purpose: to extract milk from a mother’s breasts when she’s not with her baby. It’s a…

Bryce Covert

Written by

Journalist writing about the economy.

Marker

Marker

Making you smarter about business. A new publication from Medium.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade