Medela

What Medela does

Medela AG is a Swiss-founded (1961) privately held medical device and consumer health company headquartered in Baar, Switzerland, operating through wholly-owned subsidiaries in the U.S., China, Germany, U.K., and Australia. The company operates two principal business lines: (1) breastfeeding and pumping products — a comprehensive portfolio of wearable InBra pumps (Motion, Melody, Magic), classic electric pumps (Swing Maxi, Solo, Freestyle), the hospital-grade Symphony pump available through rental, manual pumps (Harmony), and an extensive accessories ecosystem (shields, bottles, storage bags, breast care, pumping bras, cleaning, NICU/special feeding devices); and (2) medical vacuum technology — the Thopaz+ Digital Chest Drainage System sold to hospitals for post-cardiothoracic procedure monitoring.

The company's core technology is centered on proprietary 2-Phase Expression technology (mimicking natural infant sucking behavior), FluidFeel technology in the Magic InBra wearable, evidence-based PersonalFit Flex breast shield sizing, and the digital Thopaz+ chest drainage platform. Medela holds ISO 13485, MDR, MDSAP, and ISO 9001 certifications across its global entities.

Medela generates revenue through three primary streams: (1) consumer and retail hardware sales of pumps and accessories via direct e-commerce (medela.com), Amazon marketplace (including Prime Day promotional events), and physical retail; (2) recurring hospital-grade Symphony breast pump rentals to hospitals and home-use rental programs; and (3) enterprise medical device sales of Thopaz+ through the Vizient contract reaching 1,450 hospitals and 5,000+ health system members. Customer segments span new and expectant parents (primary), hospitals and lactation professionals (secondary), and surgical care hospital systems (secondary). The company maintains operations across 23+ countries with 1,001-5,000 employees and distribution in 35+ countries.

Name

Medela

Legal name

Medela AG

Website

https://medela.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Medela is a Swiss-founded medical device and consumer health company (founded 1961) that designs, manufactures, and sells breast pumps, breastfeeding accessories, and the Thopaz+ digital chest drainage system, serving new and expectant parents, hospitals, lactation professionals, and surgical care health systems across 35+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Breast Pumps and Breastfeeding Products

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113), Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing (33911)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Medical Devices & Home Diagnostics (Thermometers, Blood Pressure Monitors, Glucose Meters, Rapid Tests) (CRADAMAK)

Keywords

• Breast pumps
• Breastfeeding accessories
• Medical vacuum technology
• Hospital-grade pumps
• Digital chest drainage

Headquarters

HQ city

Baar

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Breast Pump and Accessory Hardware Sales: Sale of breast pumps (wearable, electric, manual), breast care products, maternity/pumping bras, breast milk storage bottles and bags, cleaning solutions, and NICU products through direct e-commerce, Amazon marketplace, and retail channels.
2. Hospital-Grade Breast Pump Rentals: Symphony hospital-grade breast pump available for rental, providing recurring revenue from hospitals and home-use rental programs for mothers who need frequent pumping.
3. Medical Device Sales (Thopaz+): Thopaz+ Digital Chest Drainage System sold to hospitals and healthcare networks through Vizient contract, reaching over 5,000 health system members and 1,450 hospitals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Medela manufactures and sells breast pumps (wearable, classic electric, manual, hospital-grade), breastfeeding accessories (storage bags and bottles, breast care, maternity and pumping bras, cleaning products, special feeding devices, NICU solutions), and medical vacuum technology including the Thopaz+ Digital Chest Drainage System for hospitals. Products are sold direct-to-consumer through medela.com, Amazon, and retail stores, and to hospitals via the Vizient contract and rental programs for the Symphony pump.

Product overview

Medela offers a comprehensive breastfeeding and pumping product portfolio comprising wearable electric breast pumps (InBra line including Motion, Melody, and Magic models), classic electric breast pumps (Swing Maxi, Solo, Freestyle), hospital-grade Symphony pump for rental, manual Harmony pump, and hands-free collection systems. The portfolio includes extensive accessories: breast milk storage solutions (bags, bottles, cooler bags), breast care products (Purelan lanolin cream, hydrogel pads, nursing pads, nipple shields), maternity and pumping bras (Keep Cool, 3in1 Nursing and Pumping Bra), cleaning solutions (Quick Clean Microwave Bags, Quick Clean Spray), special feeding needs products (Supplemental Nursing System, SpecialNeeds Feeder), and NICU solutions (Calesca warming device). The offering also extends to surgical care with the Thopaz+ Digital Chest Drainage System. Medela supports mothers through the Medela Family App for tracking pregnancy, breastfeeding, and pumping journeys.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Medela Family App: Mobile application helping mothers track pregnancy, breastfeeding, and pumping needs.
• Symphony
• Harmony
• Purelan
• Thopaz+

Products and services

• Motion InBra Wearable Electric Breast Pump Wearable electric breast pump highly efficient and anatomically designed for everyday use at home, work, and on the move, using Medela's InBra wearable platform.
• Magic InBra Wearable Breast Pump Lightweight wearable breast pump (approximately 7 ounces) with hospital-grade performance, featuring FluidFeel technology that mimics natural breastfeeding, advanced sensors, and app connectivity for mothers seeking a discreet in-bra option.
• Melody InBra Wearable Breast Pump Wearable breast pump supporting efficiency, comfort, and discreet use for mothers with diverse breastfeeding needs.
• Freestyle Hands-free Double Electric Breast Pump Medela's first wearable hands-free double electric breast pump, designed so users can carry on with other tasks while expressing milk.
• Freestyle Mini Hands-free Double Electric Breast Pump Slim, cordless double electric breast pump design allowing mothers to express milk throughout their schedule.
• Swing Maxi Hands-free Electric Breast Pump Hands-free electric breast pump for on-the-go use with the convenience of multi-tasking while pumping.
• Swing Maxi Double Electric Breast Pump Compact and easy-to-use double electric breast pump with improved mobility to fit seamlessly into a mother's lifestyle, using 2-Phase Expression technology.
• Pump In Style Pro+ Breast Pump

Quantifiable outcome

• Double pumping yields 18% more milk and milk with higher fat content compared to sequential single pumping
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AmazonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 10 June 2026Medela utilizes Amazon as a marketplace channel partner for promotional events such as Prime Day, offering up to 30% off select breast pumps and breastfeeding essentials from June 23-26.
• Vizient, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 February 2026Medela's Thopaz+ Digital Chest Drainage System was awarded a Vizient contract, making it the first system in Vizient's newly created digital chest drainage category. The contract provides Vizient's network of over 5,000 health system members and 1,450 hospitals with access to Thopaz+.
• NEC SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Medela established a global campaign partnership with the NEC Society for NEC Awareness Month, contributing a total of $75,000 since 2024, including $45,000 in 2025 for the NEC Society Symposium grant support. The partnership includes employee mobilization worldwide for an NEC Awareness Run & Walk on May 16, with fundraising supporting research, education, and advocacy initiatives for necrotizing enterocolitis awareness.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Philips Avent: Philips Avent is Medela's largest direct competitor in the global breast pump and baby feeding category, offering a full line of electric and manual pumps plus accessories. Both brands are widely distributed through hospitals, retail, and online channels and compete head-to-head on lactation technology and brand trust.
• Tommee Tippee: Tommee Tippee is a UK-based competitor offering breast pumps, bottles, and baby feeding accessories globally. The brand is a fellow member of the top global infant-brand owners alongside Medela, Philips Avent, MAM, and Dr. Brown's, and competes directly on retail shelf space and consumer trust.
• Lansinoh: Lansinoh is a direct peer specializing in breastfeeding products including breast pumps, nipple creams, and storage accessories. The brand is comparable because it competes for the same breastfeeding-mother wallet share and is similarly focused on hospital-channel lactation professionals and direct-to-consumer sales.
• Spectra Baby USA: Spectra Baby USA is a direct competitor offering hospital-grade and personal-use breast pumps popular with lactation consultants and home users. The brand competes head-to-head with Medela on the Symphony hospital-grade category and is often recommended alongside Medela products by lactation professionals.
• Ameda: Ameda is a long-standing competitor in hospital-grade breast pumps, with strong presence in US hospitals and birthing centers. Ameda is comparable because it serves the same hospital and lactation professional channel as Medela's Symphony pump and competes for the same NICU and maternity ward contracts.
• Dr. Brown's: Dr. Brown's is a baby feeding brand offering bottles and breast-related accessories, and is part of the same global infant-brand cohort as Medela (50-55% UK baby bottle sterilizer share cohort). The brands compete on retail shelf, e-commerce, and consumer mindshare for mothers' feeding-related purchases.
• Evenflo Feeding: Evenflo is a competitor in the US baby products market offering breast pumps, bottles, and feeding accessories at mid-tier price points. It is comparable as a broad-line baby feeding competitor to Medela's consumer line, with overlapping retail and online distribution.

Emerging players

• Elvie: Elvie pioneered the wearable in-bra breast pump category with strong DTC marketing and competes directly with Medela's Motion InBra, Melody InBra, and Magic InBra lines. Elvie is comparable because it targets the same premium, hands-free mother segment with a tech-forward positioning.
• Willow (Willow Innovations): Willow is a venture-backed wearable breast pump company that competes in the same premium wearable category as Medela's InBra line. It is comparable as a category-creating emerging player with overlapping target customers and a direct-to-consumer go-to-market approach.

Broad incumbents

• Teleflex: Teleflex is a large incumbent in medical devices with a portfolio that includes traditional chest drainage systems overlapping Medela's Thopaz+ digital chest drainage business. Teleflex is comparable as a hospital-channel competitor pursuing the same cardiothoracic procedure market that Thopaz+ addresses via Vizient.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Medela_US
• Facebookfacebook.com/Medela
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/medela-inc-

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Medela