L’Oréal announces 2026 Big Bang Beauty Tech SAPMENA grand finalists
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L’Oréal names the 10 Grand Finalists for the 2026 Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program Grand Finale, which will take place in Singapore this November
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Now in its third year, the programme reinforces L’Oréal’s ambition to investing in and scaling breakthrough startup innovations across the SAPMENA region
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Winners secure a fully funded commercial pilot with one of L'Oréal's 40 international brands, potential scale across SAPMENA and year-long mentorship from L'Oréal senior leaders and programme partners
Singapore, 23 September 2026 – L'Oréal today revealed the finalists driving the next wave of beauty innovation, as 10 startups from across South Asia Pacific, the Middle East and North Africa (SAPMENA) secured spots in the 2026 SAPMENA Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program Grand Finale. Following a competitive sub-regional final, three Southeast Asian startups secured their place in the Grand Finale. Together with seven winners from India, Australia and New Zealand, and the Middle East, they form the final 10-team lineup competing in Singapore on 13 November 2026.
Selected from thousands of applications, these promising startups are pioneering breakthrough solutions in AI-powered commerce, creator-led ecosystems and sustainable beauty – technologies that L’Oréal believes will define the future of the industr
The Top 10 Grand Finalists of L'Oréal’s 2026 SAPMENA Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program are:
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droplinked (UAE): Drives on-chain agentic commerce for AI-driven inventory.
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Hector (India): An operator-built AI commerce platform.
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Hypely (UAE): A cultural intelligence platform for beauty teams, turning live creator and consumer discourse into evidence-backed reports that help brands act sooner.
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Intrinsic Foundries (India): A biological manufacturing platform converting industrial carbon waste into high-value biochemicals.
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Maia by Shopalyst (India): An agentic operating system for marketers that helps brands drive growth from digital media.
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NYB.AI (Singapore): A biotechnology company developing Vecura, an agentic AI discovery platform for life science research.
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Psyke (Australia): A corroboration layer structuring what AI learns from web presence, third-party listings and creators.
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RePlasTerial (Singapore): A startup that transforms 100% plastic waste into premium low-impact interior building materials, empowering global brands to build more sustainable retail spaces with circular commercial-grade panels.
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SUPERFAN® (Malaysia): A participation intelligence platform that transforms brand audiences into active, scored participants across social, web and in-store touchpoints.
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Uluu (Australia): A natural plastic alternative made from farmed seaweed and saltwater, aiming to end reliance on fossil fuels and persistent plastic pollution.
Advancing to the SAPMENA Grand Finale
During the Grand Finale, the 10 finalists will compete for:
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Fully funded commercial pilot: Opportunity to develop and test their innovation with one of L'Oréal's 40 international brands
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Year-long mentorship programme: Direct guidance from L'Oréal senior leaders and programme partners
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Scaling across SAPMENA: Potential to scale their innovations across 35 SAPMENA markets
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Global collaboration pathway: Successful pilots can unlock future collaboration opportunities with L'Oréal globally
Marc Dicko, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer (CDMO) for L'Oréal SAPMENA, said: “What makes the Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program so vital across SAPMENA is how rapidly localised market trends are evolving. From AI diagnostics to clean, sustainable tech, ambitious startups are swiftly turning emerging concepts into core consumer expectations. Beyond elevating the consumer experience, this innovation programme helps to create a powerful economic multiplier effect across the region by providing founders with the commercial runway, strategic backing and enterprise scale needed to transform local ingenuity into market-defining beauty tech.”
L'Oréal partners with startups and technology pioneers to co-create breakthrough solutions that transform beauty experiences. The Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program embodies this ambition, connecting promising startups with L'Oréal's brands, expertise and regional ecosystem to help accelerate innovations with the potential to scale across SAPMENA and beyond.
Spanning 35 markets from New Zealand to Morocco, L’Oréal’s SAPMENA (South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa) Zone brings together 3 billion consumers, representing 40 per cent of the global population. As L’Oréal’s core engine for open startup innovation in these fast-growing, mobile-first economies, the zone anchors its Grand Finale in Singapore to leverage the country's position as the region's leading technology and enterprise hub.
About the Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program in SAPMENA
The biggest Beauty Tech open innovation competition of this geographical scale, the Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program seeks to discover, support and nurture promising startups from the SAPMENA region. The competition is open to startups from countries including Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.
Startups are given the opportunity to develop their pilots in beauty tech innovation in one of five challenge themes: Connected Brand Experience, Creators & Affiliates, AI-Powered Commerce, Science for Beauty and Innovation for Good.
The top three SAPMENA Grand Finale winners will win a L’Oréal-funded commercial pilot opportunity, potential to scale multiple markets and a year-long mentorship with leaders from L’Oréal and the programme partners.
Startups who prove successful pilots in SAPMENA could have the opportunity to work with L’Oréal on future collaborations globally.
For more information, visit http://bigbang.lorealsapmena.com/.
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About L’Oréal South Asia Pacific, Middle East, and North Africa (SAPMENA) Zone
Home to 3 billion people and 40% of the world’s population, the South Asia Pacific, Middle East & North Africa (SAPMENA) Zone is a major growth engine for L’Oréal and a global talent hub. The SAPMENA Zone was formed in 2021 to drive focus on consumer needs and growth in many of the world's most populous, young and fast-growing economies. Across 13 entities and 35 markets spanning New Zealand to Morocco, the L’Oréal SAPMENA Zone is reinventing beauty experiences for our consumers through a portfolio of over 30 international brands and game-changing Beauty Tech innovations. Our business model is built on responsible and sustainable growth, with goals which focus on three key areas – the planet, the people and our products.
About L’Oréal
For over 115 years, L’Oréal, the world’s leading beauty player, has devoted itself to one thing only: fulfilling the beauty aspirations of consumers around the world. Our purpose, to create the beauty that moves the world, defines our approach to beauty as essential, inclusive, ethical, generous and committed to social and environmental sustainability. With our broad portfolio of 40 international brands and ambitious sustainability goals in our L’Oréal for the Future programme, we offer each and every person around the world the best in terms of quality, efficacy, safety, sincerity and responsibility, while celebrating beauty in its infinite plurality.
With more than 95,000 committed employees, a balanced geographical footprint and sales across all distribution networks (ecommerce, mass market, department stores, pharmacies, perfumeries, hair salons, branded and travel retail), in 2025 the Group generated sales amounting to 44.05 billion euros. With 22 research centres across 9 regional hubs around the world and a dedicated Research and Innovation team of over 4,000 scientists and more than 8,000 Digital, Tech and Data talents, L’Oréal is focused on inventing the future of beauty and becoming a Beauty Tech powerhouse.
In 2025, L’Oréal has been named the most innovative company in Europe by Fortune magazine, out of 300 companies, in a ranking spanning 21 countries and 16 industries in Europe.
More information on https://www.loreal.com/en/mediaroom