Yesterday, Indu, a British brand tailored for teens and co-founded by the creators of Feelunique, has secured £4 million ($5.1 million) in a seed funding round led by Unilever Ventures, the venture capital arm of Unilever. This marks a significant milestone as the brand transitions to its next phase of growth. The funding round also saw participation from V3 Ventures, Verlinvest’s early-stage venture fund, along with family offices and existing investors.
This is Indu’s first institutional funding, following a pre-revenue raise of $4.8 million from about 60 individual investors. Since its direct-to-consumer launch in October and retail debut at Sephora UK in July, Indu has rapidly gained traction. The brand plans to expand into the U.S. market by 2025 and aims to reach profitability within the next 18 months.
Indu’s product development and marketing are heavily influenced by a committee of over 250 teens, ensuring the brand remains closely aligned with its target audience. The brand currently offers 25 core products across skincare, makeup, and a “colourless collection” designed for “no makeup makeup” looks. Priced between £8 and £22 ($10 to $28), these products have already achieved a significant customer retention rate, with 25% to 30% of sales coming from repeat customers.
Anna Ohlsson-Baskerville, partner at Unilever Ventures, praised Indu for its teen-centric approach, emphasizing that the brand effectively balances aspirational products with the reassurance that they are specifically designed for teenage skin. Jimmy Dietz, partner at V3 Ventures, also expressed admiration for Indu’s commitment to creating safe, appropriate products that address the unique needs of teenagers, setting the brand apart in the beauty industry.
