Sephora announces 2025 Accelerate program cohort

This latest class marks a decade since the launch of the incubator program, which three years ago pivoted to focus on BIPOC founders.

Dive Brief:

• Sephora has chosen eight emerging BIPOC brands in hair care, makeup, skin care and fragrance for its 2025 Accelerate incubator program, the company announced last week.
• The latest class includes the founders of 4AM, OliviaUmma, Bounce Curl, The Potion Studio, Tonal Cosmetics, Influxious, Ruhveda and The Steam Bar. So far, 33 brands total have completed the accelerator program.
• The 2025 class marks a decade of the program’s existence. In 2021, the incubator program pivoted to center on brand founders of color and more than half of the brands from 2021 to 2023 cohorts are now available at Sephora.

Sephora’s accelerator program consists of six months of mentorship, merchandising support, funding and investor connections, with an opportunity to launch at Sephora North America at the end.

The company said the program’s curriculum focuses on content to help founders navigate common challenges among early brands and succeed at Sephora. Nancy Twine, founder and CEO of Briogeo, will lead a session on financial readiness; co-CEOs and co-founders Christine Chang and Sarah Lee of Glow Recipe will cover social media and community; and Amy Liu, founder and CEO of Tower 28, will lead marketing sessions.

“This program has become a proven platform for championing diverse founders and empowering them with the resources, expertise, and community they need to launch and thrive,” Priya Venkatesh, global chief merchandising officer at Sephora, said in a statement. “The continued interest from this year’s applicant pool reflects not only the program’s impact but also the demand for unique, innovative brands that reflect today’s diverse beauty landscape.”

This year’s cohort includes: Jade Beguelin and Sabrina Sadeghian of 4AM, a research-based skin care brand; Hye Young Kim of OliviaUmma, a K-beauty inspired skin care brand; Merian O of Bounce Curl, a curly hair care brand; Aziza El Wanni of The Potion Studio, a clean brand for textured hair care; Christal Alert of Tonal Cosmetics, a sun care-first makeup brand; Funmi Monet of Influxious, a fine fragrance brand; Fatema Raja and Navneet Kaur of Ruhveda, a fragrance brand rooted in South Asian heritage and Ayurveda; and Judy Koloko of The Steam Bar, a scalp care-focused hair care brand.

Founders will also receive personalized consulting from Front Row and Clarity Media alongside other members of the program’s advisory team. Investment experts include leaders from Prelude Growth Partners, VMG Partners and Advent International. Brand founders and legacy partners from Sephora’s portfolio like Urban Decay, Caliray, First Aid Beauty and Ilia are also in participation.

Source: Retail Dive