Vansh Langer: Natural Breast Milk Access for Infants at Hospitals and in the NICU

Hi! It’s me, Spiffy, the interplanetary journalist reporting from Planet Earth with the latest scoop on entrepreneurs making a difference in healthcare for all of us around the world! Today’s rockstar is physician Vansh Langer, the CEO of BBy, who is working on UN SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being. Let’s see how he’s doing it!

Spiffy: Hey there, Vansh! Thanks for agreeing to talk to me today. I’m curious to know what challenge BBy is addressing.

Vansh: Great to be here Spiffy! BBy provides increased access to natural breast milk to infants and increasing efficiency in the NICU.

Spiffy: Ah, so that’s what BBy stands for! What motivated you to do it?

Vansh: I saw the need when working in the hospital as a physician and seeing how many sick infants needed breast milk and how much time was wasted defrosting and preparing it.

Spiffy: Can you elaborate how BBy is helping towards a more equitable world?

Vansh: We increase access and decrease administration time of breast milk in hospitals and the NICU.

Spiffy: I’m sure there are many parents who are grateful to you all. Is there a recent company milestone you want to share?

Vansh: Well, we recently got FDA approval!

Spiffy: Congratulations! I always ask entrepreneurs to share experiences of failure and what they learned from it, along with their successes. What can you tell me?

Vansh: For the last six years we've bootstrapped our business to stay alive with minimal VC funding. Helping families and infants while staying lean.

Spiffy: More power to you! Now, what is something you've unexpectedly learned from someone recently?

Vansh: I recently learned from a nurse in the NICU that even an hour of time saved defrosting milk represents an average reduction of three infant mortalities.

Spiffy: Wow, more power to you. Is there anything else you would love to tell our audience today?

Vansh: With the shortages of infant formula in the United States, we're doing everything in our power. 

Spiffy: Thanks for speaking with me today, Vansh—it’s been an honor!

Dr Vansh Langer is a physician from Albany, NY. He is a graduate of Siena College, University of Windsor, and University of Chicago. (Nominated by Lorenzo Thione at Gaingels. First published on the Ladderworks website on June 7, 2022.)

© 2022 Ladderworks LLC. Edited by Anushree Nande. Spiffy’s illustration by Shreyas Navare. For the Ladderworks digital curriculum to help K-3 kids advance the UN SDGs, visit Spiffy's Corner here.