Sephora names 15 new members to its Sephora Accelerate program, which champions female founders in the beauty industry. With its most competitive year yet, 2019 Sephora’s fourth participant cohort is a talented and diverse group of female founders who will have access to the growing Accelerate alumni network – currently 31 founders strong – along with Sephora leaders and industry experts, who will help them take the necessary steps to achieve their business objectives.
Two Australian women have been announced within the 2019 cohort: Maeva Herim, Founder of Bread Beauty Supply, and Pip Summerville, Founder of The Tonik.
“We first launched Accelerate in 2016 with the goal of growing the number of female founders within the beauty industry, and to date all Accelerate participants that have aimed to land in retail have done so, including Sephora. We are proud of the community we’ve built so far, as we track toward our goal of supporting more than 50 women by the end of 2020. The 2019 cohort includes 15 dynamic women—our largest cohort to date—from 8 countries, including Australia for the first time. We could not be more excited to spur on their growth and to see what each can uniquely bring to the program”, says Corrie Conrad, Vice President, Sephora Stands and Diversity & Inclusion for Sephora
As a member of the 2019 Accelerate cohort, the founders will participate in programming dedicated to brand growth throughout the year including:
• A one-week “boot camp” with expert guidance from Sephora and program partners
• Personalized one-on-one mentoring for specific business challenges from Sephora leaders and beauty industry experts
• Access to monetary grants to support their business endeavors
• Sephora Accelerate Demo Day, where founders present their companies to industry experts, venture partners and senior Sephora leaders with the goal of future business growth, programming and networking
SUSTAINABILITY
• Julie Corbett, Founder, Ecologic (U.S.)
Ecologic Brands developed the world’s first paper bottle made from recycled cardboard, an environmental alternative to the standard plastic bottle. In a world where plastic bottles are accumulating in oceans and environments, their paper eco.bottle® offer consumers a real solution to solve the mounting waste problem.
• Natasha Dhayagude, Chinova Bioworks (Canada)
Chinova Bioworks developed a natural, clean-label preservative extracted from mushrooms for use in the cosmetics and beauty industry. This ingredient is broad-spectrum against bacteria, yeast, and mold and can be customized to target individual producers’ antimicrobial needs while remaining cost competitive.
TECHNOLOGY
• Lisa Guerrera, Co-Founder, See Thru (U.S.)
See Thru is disrupting how consumers connect with beauty and wellness products for good. They power radical transparency through instant, in-depth, and personalized education on products while their customers shop online.
• Nicole Chau, Founder, La Luer (U.S.)
La Luer offers a non-invasive at-home facial device that delivers a standard facial process, effectively detoxing, toning, lifting and infusing the skin with active ingredients.
MERCHANDISING
• Maeva Heim, Founder, Bread Beauty Supply (Australia) – pictured.
Bread Beauty Supply is a hair care brand that is determined to better serve young women of color with natural curly and coily hair. Bread speaks to the Millennial and Gen Z audience, providing easy to understand products and hair routine kits for ‘naturals’ (non-chemically relaxed hair).
• Pip Summerville, Founder, The Tonik (Australia)
The Tonik is a natural supplements brand bringing the convenience and benefits of natural health to the market via a fun approach. The brand believes that wellness comes from within, and that when you feel good you love yourself and love the skin you’re in. It wants to make healthy fun, convenient and sustainable.
• Greta Fitz, Founder, Ascention (U.S.)
Ascention is a self-care fragrance collection that helps people heal through the power of luxurious scent, the healing power of crystals and the setting of positive intentions.
• Kerrigan Behrens, Co-Founder, Sagely Naturals (U.S.)
Sagely Naturals infuses hemp-derived CBD into products making them effective, natural alternatives to traditional anti-stress, and anti-inflammatory pain relievers.
• Hélène Ségol, Co-Founder, Green Barbès (Europe)
Green Barbès created an on-demand “micro-customization” approach that offers DIY all-natural skincare solutions allowing consumers to personalize their products based on their daily routine.
• Camille Pereira, Co-Founder, Médène (Europe)
Médène offers customized essential oil blends based on a scientific algorithm to help consumers integrate oils into their daily habits as a natural solution for wellness.
• Marie Cadihac, Founder, Anagem (Europe)
Anagem supports growth for hair, lashes, brows and beards and is composed of 95% natural ingredients. Their formula has demonstrated efficacy backed by clinical research.
• Patricia Camargo, Co-Founder, CARE Natural Beauty (Brazil)
CARE Natural Beauty is a natural and organic certified makeup and skincare brand. Their products are 100% made in Brazil, ingredients are locally sourced, and packaging is thoughtfully designed and environmentally friendly, using only paper, glass and recyclable plastic.
• Julia Alcantara, Co-founder, Orna Makeup (Brazil)
Orna Makeup is a digitally-native brand founded by three sisters, focused on cruelty-free cosmetics that uses science to deliver smart personal care. Orna Makeup supports fair trade and conscious consumption, ensuring that their products meet the highest socially responsible standards.
• Elena Muñoz, Founder, Polvos Magicos (Mexico)
Polvos Magicos makes organic superfood-based skincare products using locally sourced ingredients native to Mexico. The brand donates a percentage of its revenue to oceans’ conservancy projects.
• Nancy Liu, Co-founder, Paektu (China)
Paektu is a biotech company aiming to provide young women with healthy and natural skincare products, using lab cultured Cordyceps as a core ingredient. Cordyceps offer anti-aging, anti-oxidation, anti-radiation, anti-Inflammatory, and detoxification results when used on the skin.