Indian Startups Win Big at L’Oréal’s Beauty Tech Innovation Program
Bengaluru-based Sravathi AI and Pune-based Without are among the winners of L’Oréal Groupe’s 2025 SAPMENA Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program. This is the largest open innovation competition in the South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa (SAPMENA) region. Both Indian startups will receive L’Oréal-funded commercial pilot opportunities along with a year-long mentorship.
A Regional Platform Driving Beauty Tech Innovation
The 2025 winners include Sravathi AI (India), Without (India), Halo AI (UAE) and Heatseeker (Australia). These teams will now collaborate with one of L’Oréal’s 37 international brands, gaining potential visibility across 35 markets. Wubble AI (Singapore) earned a Special Mention.
These innovators represent SAPMENA’s fast-growing startup landscape. The region is shaped by rapid market expansion, large populations and a tech-savvy younger generation. India’s strong performance in the programme also reinforces the importance of deeper support and strategic collaborations.
Leaders Celebrate India’s Rising Innovation Power
Vismay Sharma, President of L’Oréal’s SAPMENA Zone, emphasised the region’s role in shaping the future of beauty tech. He highlighted the rise of young, digitally fluent consumers and the shift of global innovation momentum toward SAPMENA.
Saloni Shah Javeri, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, L’Oréal India, added that Indian startups emerging as winners for the second consecutive year showcases the country’s growing prominence. She noted that homegrown solutions are solving real consumer needs and strengthening India’s position as an innovation hub.
A Rigorous Programme Reaching Over 50,000 Startups
The 2025 edition attracted applications from Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand. Over nine months, the startups presented solutions across Consumer Experience, Content and Media, New Commerce, Tech for Good and Science for Beauty. The Grand Finale took place on November 7 in Singapore, where 10 finalists pitched their ideas to industry leaders from L’Oréal, Google, Meta and Veros Ventures.
In 2024, Bengaluru’s NeuralGarage and Live2.ai were also among the inaugural winners.
L’Oréal continues to strengthen its innovation ecosystem globally, earning recognition from Fortune and Fast Company for its commitment to building a culture of creativity and technological advancement.
Grand Finale Winners
Sravathi AI (India)
Sravathi AI is a silico chemistry platform that designs and develops advanced pharma solutions using AI, molecular modelling, biochemistry and chemical engineering.
Its drug discovery system identifies novel drug candidates, speeds up lead optimisation and reduces clinical risks. The company has built a pipeline of nine therapeutic assets across various disease areas.
Its award-winning Chemistry AI platform also transforms chemical development with automated route-of-synthesis design, yield optimisation, impurity prediction and process scalability.
Without (India)
Without is a deep-tech social enterprise from Pune working at the intersection of plastic waste and poverty. It developed a patented chemo-mechanical process that converts “impossible-to-recycle” plastic waste into high-quality, toxin-free and recyclable materials.
Its circularity model creates both social and environmental impact, proving that tech-enabled innovation can deliver long-term change.
Halo AI (UAE)
Halo AI scales brand–creator collaborations with AI-powered analysis and creator matchmaking.
It eliminates manual workflows by 80 percent and helps brands launch campaigns within minutes. Its system connects brands with authentic nano and micro-influencers who deliver strong engagement and meaningful consumer impact.
Heatseeker (Australia)
Heatseeker allows marketers to run live, in-market experiments using AI tools and real customer behaviour.
It replaces traditional research approaches with rapid, real-world testing on platforms like Meta and LinkedIn. The platform automates experiment setup, analyses competitor activity and delivers insights within days.
Special Mention
Wubble AI (Singapore)
Wubble AI is the world’s first enterprise-grade solution offering royalty-free, personalised music in seconds.
Brands can create custom soundtracks for digital content, stores, and campaigns while using AI for rapid A/B testing and precise sonic branding.
