Beauty Tech Startup Accelerators and Incubators

The beauty industry is always changing as it tries to keep up with the latest consumer trends. K-Beauty has dominated the skincare space for many years now and global beauty brands are looking to see where they should go next. The beauty trends are shifting from legacy brands to more independent brands. Beauty startups and beauty tech startup accelerators are now focusing more on clean, vegan, and natural products that attract the typical millennial consumer. In addition, there has been a greater focus on customization, such as personalized skincare according to body and skin type.

Beauty entrepreneurs face a lot of challenges when they try to take their products to market. Building a beauty brand takes a lot of work and money. In addition, renting office space, renting equipment, hiring beauty experts, and getting funding are some of the challenges many beauty startups face early on. The good news is that there are beauty tech startup accelerators and incubators that are helping beauty startups grow through investment, free office spaces, networking, distribution support, and consulting/mentoring. Furthermore, these accelerators and incubators play an important role in helping beauty startups attract funding, grow, and scale.

Beauty tech startup accelerators are what we would call vertically focused accelerators. These are accelerators that focus on one sector. They already know the field, have unique solutions, and know the challenges that are ahead. Therefore beauty tech startup accelerators understand the rapidly changing trends in the beauty industry, and the competitive landscape and have a unique network of investors and partners in the beauty industry. Furthermore, as the list will show, big corporations like Target, L’Oréal, NIVEA, and Sephora are partnering with beauty startups so they can work with new exciting, and innovative companies.

The Best Beauty Tech Startup Accelerators & Incubators

NIVEA Accelerator

NIVEA Accelerator(NX) is the first global beauty accelerator in Korea and China started by Beiersdorf Korea. When looking to find the next generation in disruptive beauty tech, there is no better place than South Korea. K-Beauty has been dominating the beauty/skincare space for many years now. The NX program offers strategic collaboration between the NX startups and Beiersdorf. Over 200 beauty startups applied for the selection process. Therefore they are not just a K-Beauty accelerator but a global beauty accelerator program.

NX builds on the global network of Beiersdorf (based in over 160 countries). The program offers tailored acceleration programs for each startup and offers startups to pitch for investment from Beiersdorf. Furthermore, their office space has an exclusive collaboration with WeWork Korea. The NX office offers private offices, a photo studio, and event space. In addition, the program is longer than most acceleration programs and goes for 1 year to maximize the potential of each startup. In addition, Beiersdorf invested in one LYCL Inc., which is a part of the first batch at NIVEA Accelerator.

“The decision to launch the NIVEA accelerator in Korea as part of our global venturing activities was made based on the belief that the Korean ecosystem is a frontrunner regarding beauty and tech trends,” said Endrik Hasemann, General Manager at Beiersdorf South Korea.

L’Oréal Open Innovation

The L’Oréal Open Innovation was created by L’Oréal to establish a lasting connection between beauty and tech startups. In addition, they are looking to create the next generation of innovative beauty products, devices, and digital services. L’Oréal is the official sponsor of the beauty tech accelerator within Station F, which is the world’s biggest startup campus. The main vision is to drive open innovation in beauty and tech throughout  L’Oréal globally.

L’Oréal has partnerships with not only STATION F but also Founders Factory, Raise Ventures, and Partech International Ventures to help innovative beauty startups with investment and office space. In addition, L’Oréal signed a partnership with Partech Africa to create BOLD (Business Opportunities for L’Oréal Development) which is an investment fund for startups with high growth potential. Therefore, this is a win-win collaboration that lets beauty startups benefit from L’Oréal’s knowledge in the field of beauty and allows them to invest in disruptive innovations.

“We believe that open innovation will be key to identify new disruptive ideas and co-develop new services to meet the aspirations of our consumers. We are excited to champion the next generation of beauty entrepreneurs through our partnership with Founders Factory and accelerate their development by bringing them our expertise of the beauty industry,” said Chief Digital Officer L’Oréal, Lubomira Rochet.

L’Oréal’s Women in Digital Initiative

The L’Oréal’s Women in Digital Initiative was founded back in 2012. The program supports female entrepreneurs in building technologies that have the potential to revolutionize the beauty industry. Every year, 3 female leaders are awarded the Women in Digital Next Generation Prize. This includes a $25,000 grant as well as networking and mentorship opportunities. Furthermore, they will also get a chance to pitch to L’Oréal executives and retail partners.

Target’s Beauty Accelerator Program

Target Takeoff is not just for beauty startups but an accelerator with a product-centered focus. Beauty brands will learn the ins and outs of mass retail from mentors and Target leaders to better their brands. They offer in-person and virtual training sessions. Furthermore, in exchange for participating in the accelerator, the beauty brands will provide Target with warrants that convert into equity upon/if entering into a commercial agreement.

Target Takeoff focused a lot on the beauty industry in early 2019. They brought in 10 beauty startups to work alongside business mentors. This includes more than 70 Target leaders across the company. The latest Target Takeoff brought in 10 additional emerging beauty startups. These companies represented a wide range of innovative product solutions from personalized nutrition planning to resources for caregivers of aging parents. Therefore whether you are a beauty startup or a startup looking to help consumers control their wellness, think about joining Target Takeoff in 2022.

“Target is proud to support the next generation of entrepreneurs through our work with startups,” said Gene Han, Vice President of Innovation at Target.

La Maison des Startups

La Maison des Startups is an accelerator program that was created by LVMH Maisons. It was established to help startups invent innovative new products and services for the luxury market. The program is designed for startups whose innovations are relevant to the different LVMH business groups. These groups include Fashion & Leather Goods, Wine&Spirits, Watches & Jewelry, and Perfume & Cosmetics. Therefore those interested in joining their accelerator program have a great opportunity to partner with LVMH.

The LVMH Program takes in 50 international startups each year for their 2 six-month acceleration programs. Furthermore, the acceleration program offers personalized coaching and support from LVMH experts. In addition, they offer workshops on the challenges when entering the luxury industry. Once the program is finished, startups can be invited to be part of their Alumni program. This will give startups access to future events so they can keep up with their networking.

“A startup needs to be able to answer the topics that interest us, like customer experience, sustainability, data, omnichannel, personalization, logistics, and delivery. We are not a technology group but a luxury group. What matters to us is what we can achieve, by working with a startup, for the customer, rather than the tool itself,” said the Director of Open Innovation, LVMH, Laetitia Roche-Grenet.

Sephora Accelerate

Sephora Accelerate is Sephora’s own version of a startup incubator. It is a one-year program that offers a Bootcamp and mentorship to female founders of beauty startups. At the end of the program, these beauty startups will get an opportunity to pitch their idea in front of industry leaders and Sephora executives. Sephora looks for female founders of early-stage startups. These beauty startups should offer a cosmetic product or technology that could help the beauty industry.

Sephora Accelerate startups that also focus on social impact through sustainable sourcing. They will give the startup a grant of $2,500.  This grant will pay for the mandatory boot camp in San Francisco in April. In addition, there is a demo day in August. The demo day will be in front of the Sephora merchandising team and industry experts. Furthermore, the Bootcamp will offer beauty startups workshops on business models and marketing. Furthermore, they will have access to mentoring from Sephora and the design firm IDEO.

Building a Community of Female Founders in the Beauty Industry

The 1-month program will be focused on building a community of female founders in the beauty industry. It will start with a 1-week Bootcamp which will offer mentorships from Sephora and industry leaders in the beauty industry. It will also include an all-expense trip to San Francisco for their Demo Day. Therefore, they will get the chance to showcase their startup to industry experts, potential VCs, and senior members from Sephora.

Sally Beauty Cultivate

Sally Beauty Cultivate is a business accelerator program to help female beauty entrepreneurs grow their businesses. It was launched by Sally Beauty, which is the largest retailer and distributor of professional beauty supplies. Their accelerator program aims to find emerging startups focused on hair care products that are innovative and address the needs of the customer. The top beauty startup brand will get $25,000 in financial support, product distribution at SallyBeauty.com, and mentorship from the Sally Beauty team. Furthermore, the beauty startups will get the opportunity to get their products into the hands of high-powered beauty influencers at one of Sally Beauty’s monthly influencer events.

The beauty startup must be founded by a female entrepreneur. It must focus on hair products in coloring, hair care, or hair tools. They must be able to support the online fulfillment of their hair care products. In addition, their products can not and will not in the future be distributed by a major retailer. All startups must agree to a one-year exclusivity period. Furthermore, they must reside legally in the United States.

“We continue to be inspired by all of the terrific women entrepreneurs we have met over the years and believe in supporting women who are developing products to make her best accessory, her hair, even better,” said Carrie McDermott, President of Sally Beauty.

Business Accelerator Program for Women Beauty Entrepreneurs

Sally Beauty Supply and CosmoProf will be doing the 2nd edition of Cultivate. Therefore, they are actively looking for innovative products that will address the needs of their consumers. The program will look for female-owned hair care, hair color, and nail brands that are looking to expand their business. They will not only get online distribution but also a business grant and a 4-week Virtual Bootcamp. The Bootcamp will focus on key areas such as merchandising, marketing, social media, store operations, e-commerce, and entrepreneurship. Each female entrepreneur will present at the Perfect Pitch Capstone event in front of Senior-level Sally Beauty Supply and CosmoProf leaders. In addition, the winner will get an in-store distribution through their stores.

HatchBeauty Brands

HatchBeauty Brands is a beauty and wellness incubator. They recently partnered with Lion Capital to address the evolving needs of the health, wellness, and beauty sector. They will look to invest in digital, creative, and commercial leadership. In addition, Lion Capital will be able to provide mentorship, infrastructure, and technology for rapid growth in the digital space.

HatchBeauty focuses on beauty innovation. Therefore, they work with brands and retailers on developing co-owned brands. Furthermore, their incubator utilizes its in-house digital marketing and influencer division to recreate celebrity cosmetic brands. Some of their current brands include Found, NatureWell, Kristofer Buckle, Orlando Pita, Nailing Hollywood, Jenna Hip, and Chad Kenyon.

“I believe that women need to figure out how to push past these norms and find their own normal, determine what works for them and return the belief that it is not really possible to create their own possibilities,” said Co-Founder of HatchBeauty, Tracy Holland.

The Unilever Foundry

Unilever Ventures is the venture capital and private equity arm of Unilever. They have The Unilever Foundry which is a global collaborative innovation platform for partnering with startups to accelerate innovation on a global scale. Their focus is on beauty, personal care, and digital startups. They help startups with partnerships, brand licensing, new product development, joint ventures, and startup investment. In addition, their workspaces bring startups, Unilever brands, and corporate partners together to foster innovation and collaboration.

The Unilever Foundry has profiled over 10,000 startups and has done over 200 pilot programs. It has raised over $20 million in investments. In addition, they also backed the free beauty search engine Mira (ask.mira.com). It aims to democratize the world of beauty. Therefore, users can find real consumer reviews, compare products side-by-side, and do click-through purchase options.

SV Beautytech Acceleration Program

SV BeautyTech Acceleration is a beauty accelerator program created by IgniteXL (global accelerator and seed fund) and Draper University. It is Silicon Valley’s first beauty accelerator program that is not affiliated with a large retailer or brand. Their first batch started with 9 startups merging beauty and technology. It is a 3-week boot camp plus a 6-month acceleration program that focuses on development and growth.

IgniteXL and Draper University take 1-3% equity in the startups that must have a working prototype with unique product innovations in beauty, fashion, health, or well-being. Furthermore, startups in the program learn how to navigate the digital landscape and shoring up data security. They will be provided housing/co-working space for the duration of the program. In addition, they will get individual pitch coaching from venture capitalist Tim Draper and access to mentors with the vast expertise of beauty and early-stage investors.

“Technology today is upending the $440 billion global beauty industry. It is a very exciting time for the beauty tech ecosystem. I am thrilled to launch the SVBeautyTech acceleration program in partnership with Draper University. We are giving this select group of startups access to an immersive custom-designed beauty tech program, including individual pitch coaching by SV’s legendary VC Tim Draper, an exclusive private session with Michelle Phan, Co-Founder of IPSY, as well as access to a vast network of early-stage investors,” said Founder of IgniteXL, Claire Chang.

Amazon’s Global Selling Propel (AGSP) Accelerator

Amazon’s Global Selling Propel (AGSP) Accelerator is a 6-week program to identify early-age high-potential start-ups in the consumer space. AGSP is an initiative by Amazon India in partnership with the Indian government to support Indian brand sellers and start-ups to expand globally across North America, Europe, Japan, UAE, Singapore, etc. through Amazon’s international marketplace. Amazon already has an accelerator program in place and they recently announced a few start-ups like Sirona and Azani Active in the Beauty, Health, and Wellness sector as a part of the program.

The Importance of Beauty Accelerators for Beauty Startups