BeautyMatter 2023 NEXT Innovator of the Year Candice Mitchell Harris has secured a new experiential partnership with Ulta Beauty and strategic investment from the retailer’s venture arm Prisma Ventures and BrainTrust Fund for AI hair care technology company Myavana. did.
Who: Candace Harris founded Myavana in 2012 as a B2C and B2B solution, leveraging her 17 years of experience in computer science to analyze variables in hair tresses and hair products to support healthy hair and hair growth. We have developed AI hair care technology that creates a personalized hair care plan. She is pioneering an overwhelmingly homogeneous and non-inclusive space, carving out solutions for BIPOC women who are often ignored.
Backed by over 10 years of research, development and data, Myavana pioneers HairAI (artificial intelligence hair strand analysis) technology and HairSI (scientific hair strand analysis) to transform the multi-billion dollar textured hair care market. It’s bringing. Myavana Labs has analyzed over 2 billion of his hairs, making it the world’s largest database of textured hair care data. Myavana combines personalized scientific hair analysis with the company’s prescriptive, data-driven hair product recommendation suite of over 3,000 commercially available hair products on the market.
All recommended products are performance tested and verified by Myavana for effectiveness on textured hair types and conditions. The Myavana product suite forms innovative hair care solutions for consumers and advanced data-driven services and retail opportunities for industry professionals. By partnering with Myavana’s Consumer Intelligence Data Insights, hair product manufacturers can gain insight into the state of hair texture to inform product development needs.
why: The funding will be used to leverage the company’s consumer intelligence across the hair industry to expand its AI technology in retail, including the salon channel and global product distribution.
In their own words: “Through Prisma Ventures, Ulta Beauty’s digital innovation fund, we are committed to technology that paves the way for like-minded people looking to innovate the world of beauty, especially spaces through an inclusive lens. We are always looking to support and invest in ,” said Agustina Sartori, Senior Director of Digital Innovation at Ulta Beauty and Managing Director at Prisma Ventures. “Candice’s visionary approach to digitizing the beauty experience for all hair types, including textured hair, is incredibly unique and opens new doors for more guests through hair analysis technology. We are thrilled to be working with Myavana on this mission.”
“Myavana is emerging as a leader in beauty AI, as its hair strand analysis is a powerful tool for consumers, from shoppers looking for personalized diagnostics to retailers and stylists looking to sell shoppers the right product the first time. Because it will be of great benefit to all our customers in our valuable markets.” BrainTrust Fund General Partner Kendra Bracken-Ferguson and Lisa Stone; “I look forward to working with Candice and her team as the brand continues to accelerate.”
“At Myavana, we were originally on a mission to transform the hair industry through science and technology, and we are excited to partner with Ulta Beauty to begin this digital transformation in the retail industry. Innovate and improve through hair care technology. We partner with the nation’s largest beauty retailer who prioritizes innovation and inclusion, while making our unique locks and unique hair journey even more precise. We are excited to bring this to the market to help people identify and understand,” said Harris, CEO and Founder of Myavana. .
detail:
- Myavana has secured strategic investment from Prisma Ventures and BrainTrust Fund.
- As a key element of the strategic partnership, Ulta Beauty announced new products. virtual hair analysis tool, Integrate Myavana’s HairAI technology to help guests understand their hair type and receive comprehensive personalized product recommendations. This tool integrates seamlessly into Ulta Beauty’s e-commerce virtual try-on experience.