Meet the 13 Startups Chosen for L’Oréal’s First Sustainability Accelerator

“The selected partners in this first cohort are not only ready in terms of pilot and potential for scalability, but they also benefit from strong business sponsorship within the company,” she says. “So it should allow us to make them available quite fast on the market, pending, of course, the results of the pilots.”

The 13 companies, assessed by L’Oréal, CISL sustainability experts and external parties during the selection process, will now launch into an intensive support phase led by the CISL innovation team, focusing on pilot readiness, and will also be able to launch six-to-nine-month pilot projects, supported by L’Oréal, with the potential for their solutions to be scaled across the group’s international operations.

Looking ahead, the group plans to launch a call for candidates for the next round of the innovation program later this year. The beauty giant foresees collaboration with the small innovators contributing to its own sustainability objectives, as well as helping the 13 companies — and the next wave of innovators — to find their way.

“It’s sometimes hard for startups when they do not have a good point of entry in a big company like L’Oréal,” Barré says. “For us, the idea is really to speed up that process of assessment, adoption and scalability, and definitely to help us accelerate toward our 2030 ambition by bringing these scalable, sustainable solutions to market.”

Here’s a look at the 13 companies in the first cohort.

Next-generation packaging and materials

Blue Ocean Closures

Founded in Sweden in 2021, Blue Ocean Closures produces fiber-based caps and lids as an alternative to plastic. The company uses a first-of-its-kind technology to press-dry materials into high-density 3D objects, turning plant-based fibers, taken from responsibly managed forests, into caps or lids — which have been lacking recycled alternatives. They are compatible with existing production lines, making them a practical and scalable alternative to plastic. The Blue Ocean Closures solution uses 10% of the energy consumed in traditional plastic molding and cuts carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80%.

Bioworks

Founded in Kyoto in 2015, Bioworks develops bio-based and biodegradable materials to replace conventional plastics in cosmetics packaging, aiming to bridge the gap between sustainability and performance. To do so, it has developed powerful plant-based additives that strengthen the functional properties of bio-based materials. PlaX, its next generation bio-based packaging material, is made from sugarcane and is stronger, more heat-resistant and easier to mold than competitors in the space. It emits 62% less carbon dioxide than traditional petroleum-based plastics, while supply chain compatibility makes it easier for brands to cut their environmental impact.

Kelpi

Seaweed is the key to the recyclable, low-carbon packaging created by Kelpi. The UK-based sustainable materials company and certified B Corp, was set up in 2020 and combines scientific research in biomaterials with commercial development to produce seaweed-based alternatives to conventional plastic packaging. Kelpi has pioneered a transformative biomaterial coating derived from renewable seaweed and natural plant oils, offering a plastic-like barrier against water, oxygen, grease and acidic contents, while remaining fully biodegradable and recyclable. The primary feedstock is responsibly sourced seaweed, which requires no land, freshwater, or fertilizers.