Launched in 2024, the partnership between The British Beauty Council and Venrex and the fund (Venrex BBCo I) is designed to support ambitious early-stage beauty founders shaping the future of the industry. It focuses on identifying and backing high-growth potential businesses across the beauty supply chain — from innovative cosmetic products and breakthrough wellness concepts to sustainability-led packaging solutions and operational technologies that improve efficiency across the sector.

Open to businesses from pre-seed through to Series A stage, the initiative aims to support founders with exceptional drive, vision and ambition, while helping strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in beauty innovation. Founders both within and outside of the British Beauty Council network are eligible to apply.

“The beauty industry is unique in the fact that it sits at the intersection of creativity, innovation and commerce,” says Millie Kendall OBE, CEO of the British Beauty Council. By combining Venrex’s unmatched expertise of the funding environment with the Council’s industry insight, I am confident that we will support businesses from across the wellness and personal care sector that are pushing industry boundaries when it comes to formulations, environmental impact and entrepreneurship.”

Venrex brings significant experience in scaling successful beauty brands, having previously invested in names including Charlotte Tilbury, Lisa Eldridge, VIEVE and Get The Gloss. By combining Venrex’s investment expertise with the British Beauty Council’s industry insight and network, the partnership is designed to create new opportunities for founders across beauty, wellness and personal care.

The launch of Venrex BBCo I also reflects the wider economic significance of the beauty industry. The British beauty economy already contributes £28.4 billion to UK GDP. The sector also represents a powerful opportunity to address the UK’s fundraising gender gap, particularly given beauty’s strong culture of female entrepreneurship.

By creating more accessible and inclusive routes to investment, the fund aims to support a thriving business ecosystem at the intersection of creativity, commerce and innovation — while also encouraging sustainability and futureproofing across the industry.

Principle Investment Director at Venrex, Josie Buck adds “British beauty is known globally for its creativity and wealth of start-up businesses. We are excited to collaborate with the British Beauty Council on this fund to support what we hope can be some of the UK’s highest-growth beauty-related businesses. Our experience investing in brands such as Charlotte Tilbury, Lisa Eldridge, VIEVE and Get The Gloss has shown us that the UK’s creative sectors and entrepreneurs are world class.”

Brands to have secured investment from the fund to date include:

• Conserving Beauty- solution skincare for acne-prone complexions
• MD London – the award-winning tool and haircare brand from celebrity stylist MIchael Douglas
• Quantum Light – the nanotechnology startup developing quantum dot-based pigments.
• Marin Skincare – products designed to restore and protect the skin barrier, powered by marine glycoproteins.
• SELA – a bio-engineered reusable nail system

Businesses interested in learning more about the investment opportunity or applying to the fund can contact the British Beauty Council team on joinme@britishbeautycouncil.com.