Indu Secures £4 Million Seed Funding to expand UK retail presence with Sephora
British teen-first beauty brand, Indu, has successfully closed a £4 million Seed funding round, setting the stage for its UK retail expansion in partnership with Sephora UK.
The round was led by Unilever Ventures, the venture and growth capital arm of Unilever, in collaboration with V3 Ventures, a consumer-focused venture capital fund, and supported by leading industry investor angels.
This significant investment marks a pivotal moment for Indu as it embarks on its journey to establish a strong physical retail presence in the UK. The funding will be instrumental in bringing the brand’s innovative and holistic approach to beauty to a wider audience of teenagers and their parents.
Indu co-founder and executive chair, Aaron Chatterley, expressed his enthusiasm about the successful funding round: “Bringing in two incredible venture funds in Unilever Ventures and V3 with such strong experience in backing and scaling some iconic beauty and consumer brands was really the dream ticket for us. Raising money in the current economic climate is not easy, so closing this round is a testament to the very clear opportunity that Indu has to create a category-defining beauty brand for teens.”
Indu, co-founded by Aaron Chatterley, Reena Hammer, and Richard Schiessl, is a skincare and cosmetics brand uniquely tailored to meet the needs of teenagers.
The brand is inspired by teen trends, lifestyles, and habits, offering products that are both teen-approved and parent-trusted. The range includes skincare essentials like cleansers, moisturisers, and masks, alongside a comprehensive makeup line for eyes, lips, cheeks, and face. Notably, the brand’s innovative ‘Colourless’ collection features invisible makeup such as lip oil, eyebrow gel, and lash gel, designed to be school-friendly.
What sets Indu apart is its commitment to creating products that are microbiome-friendly and suitable for every teen skin tone and type. The packaging is designed with sustainability in mind, offering recyclable options and refills for products like moisturisers and cleansers. The brand’s educational messaging is crafted to resonate with both teens and their parents, ensuring that the products are not only effective but also safe and appropriate for young skin.
Indu’s product development process is deeply community-led, involving a teen committee of more than 250 diverse beauty enthusiasts who play a crucial role in shaping new offerings. In addition, the brand benefits from the guidance of a board of 14 advisors, comprising influential voices in the beauty and fashion industry, who provide expert insights to keep the brand at the forefront of teen beauty trends.
Anna Ohlsson-Baskerville, partner at Unilever Ventures, commented on the partnership: “We are thrilled to partner with Indu as they fill the gap in the market for premium, healthy teen-first beauty. By creating a line that is for teens, by teens, Indu has found a way to bring them the aspirational products that they need and want while providing parents with the reassurance that they are designed specifically for teen skin.”
Echoing this sentiment, Jimmy Dietz, partner at V3 Ventures, added: “We are incredibly impressed with the Indu team and their dedication to creating safe and appropriate products specifically tailored to teenage skin and lifestyles. Their commitment to addressing the unique needs of teenagers sets them apart in the beauty industry, and we’re very excited to support their mission.”
The successful Seed funding round not only represents a significant milestone for Indu but also underscores the brand’s potential to redefine beauty standards for the teen demographic in the UK and beyond. As Indu prepares to roll out its retail presence with Sephora UK, the brand is poised to make a lasting impact on the beauty industry.
