Back to Eden | Fall 2025 Cohort Dossier

Back to Eden Infant Formula recognizes that all babies deserve nourishing milk, even when mother’s milk is not available. Founded by Megan and Eric Sanctuary, the startup offers a novel, minimally processed, whole food-based infant formula that is customized to individual infant needs based on age and tolerance. The company formulates and manufactures the formula as well as tracks the changing needs of the infant to determine customization.  

Megan Sanctuary is a senior research associate at Virginia Tech with a background in human milk and infant nutrition. Both she and her husband were committed to feeding their children breastmilk but the journey wasn’t as easy as either of them expected. Now, they are both working to make infant formula healthier for babies who don’t receive breastmilk. 

“We’re dedicated to putting life back into babies’ bottles. Our minimally-processed, whole food-based infant formulas maintain the intricate design and delicate nature of real whole milk and other natural ingredients to promote the optimal growth and development for all babies,” said Megan.

During her graduate studies, Megan had the opportunity to dive deeply into research on breast milk and infant formula. What she learned grew into a passion for infant health and feeding—something her colleagues at Virginia Tech noticed. They encouraged Megan and her husband Eric to explore the possibility of taking their idea of a minimally-processed, whole food-based infant formula to market.

Megan cited the strong collaboration between science, health, and industry—particularly the agricultural industry—as factors in choosing Roanoke as their operational headquarters. The Roanoke Blacksburg biotech and life science industry is growing rapidly. As a company positioned in the health science space, the region offers significant opportunities for Back to Eden Infant Formula.

Both Megan and Eric have participated in business development education and see RAMP as the natural next step. “RAMP is very supportive and encouraging with an amazing network of people that are eager to see us succeed,” said Megan.

They’re looking forward to learning from mentors and engaging with the entrepreneurial community. As they move through the accelerator, they plan to verify the market segment for their product, develop their business plan, and acquire data that would open the doors for greater funding opportunities.