Beiersdorf launches €100 million Skin Care Innovation Fund

Beiersdorf is expanding its use of venture capital as part of its broader innovation strategy, announcing a €100 million second-generation Skin Care Innovation Fund.

The new fund is twice the size of the company’s initial fund launched in 2020 and is intended to support research-driven advancements in skincare.

It will focus on investments across life sciences and biotechnology, sustainability, AI-enabled technologies and digital health.

Managed by Beiersdorf Venture Capital, the fund will invest globally in companies from early to growth stages, with initial investment sizes typically ranging between €0.5 million and €5 million.

Dr. Gitta Neufang, Chief Research & Development Officer at Beiersdorf, said: "Breakthrough innovation in skincare is increasingly driven by the synergy between extensive in-house research expertise and the dynamic advancements of external scientific entrepreneurship.

"Through our Skin Care Innovation Fund, we connect scientific advances from startups with Beiersdorf’s global R&D capabilities to translate scientific progress into effective skin care solutions for consumers worldwide."

Since its launch in 2020, Beiersdorf Venture Capital has invested in more than 15 companies across its core focus areas, with several reporting progress in both technological development and business growth.

Ascan Voswinckel, Head of Beiersdorf Venture Capital, said: "With our second €100 million venture capital fund, we build on the conviction that pioneering ideas need both capital and the right partners.

"In addition to funding, we provide access to Beiersdorf’s R&D expertise and global brand platforms, a combination that creates sustainable value for both sides. This comes together with a considerable innovation momentum in our key fields, leading to attractive investment opportunities, for example in longevity science or AI enabled actives discovery."