Sephora announces BIPOC brands selected for its 2025 Accelerate program
Sephora has selected not one but eight BIPOC brands to participate in its 2025 Accelerate incubator program.
Designed to help nurture and propel emerging brands, the selection for this latest year spans across the hair care, makeup, skin care and fragrance categories.
Founders selected to participate in the program will obtain access to a six-month curriculum with mentorship, merchandising support, grants and investor connections, as well as the opportunity to launch their products at Sephora North America upon completion.
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“We are delighted to celebrate the 2025 Accelerate finalists and recognize their incredible potential to shape the future of beauty,” shared Priya Venkatesh, global chief merchandising officer at Sephora. “This program has become a proven platform for championing diverse founders and empowering them with the resources, expertise, and community they need to launch and thrive. The continued interest from this year’s applicant pool reflects not only the program’s impact but also the demand for unique, innovative brands that reflect today’s diverse beauty landscape. At Sephora, we are proud to stand alongside these founders, ensuring they have the tools and support to succeed far beyond the program.”
The class of Sephora’s 2025 Accelerate cohort include:
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Aziza El Wanni — The Potion Studio -
Merian O — Bounce Curl -
Christal Alert — Tonal Cosmetics -
Hye Young Kim — OliviaUmma -
Funmi Monet — Influxious -
Jade Beguelin & Sabrina Sadeghian — 4AM -
Judy Koloko — The Steam Bar
- Jade Beguelin & Sabrina Sadeghian, 4AM – 4AM is a research-backed skincare brand that creates luxurious, all-in-one products designed to simplify your skincare routine without sacrificing life’s guilty pleasures.
- Hye Young Kim, OliviaUmma – OliviaUmma is an innovative skincare brand inspired by Korean beauty and designed for cross-generational use.
- Merian O, Bounce Curl – Bounce Curl is a science-backed hair care brand that creates high-performance, patented products designed to enhance and maintain the health and beauty of curly, wavy, and coily hair.
- Aziza El Wanni, THE POTION STUDIO – THE POTION STUDIO crafts clean, climate-adaptive hair care for textured hair — streamlining routines for ‘the lazy natural’ who refuses to compromise on hair health or time.
- Christal Alert, TONAL Cosmetics – TONAL Cosmetics is sun care-first makeup for all skin tones.
- Funmi Monet, INFLUXIOUS – INFLUXIOUS is an overflow of luxury through fine fragrance and scented adornments.
- Fatema Raja & Navneet Kaur, RUHVEDA – RUHVEDA is a contemporary fragrance brand rooted in South Asian heritage and Ayurveda.
- Judy Koloko, The Steam Bar – The Steam Bar is Skinification meets the Art of Steaming, promoting the regeneration of hair through the groundbreaking delivery system which is steaming for all.
Included in the curriculum that the founders will obtain access to is Nancy Twine’s (Briogeo) Financial Readiness; Christine Chang + Sarah Lee’s (Glow Recipe) Social Media + Community; and Marketing Sessions with Amy Liu (Tower 28).
Lastly, founders also receive access to 1:1 personalized consulting with Front Row and Clarity Media, plus a dedicated advisory team—comprised of beauty industry partners, legacy founders from within the Sephora portfolio, and financial professionals—unlocking unparalleled access to, and tailored guidance from, Sephora’s powerhouse network, the company shared.
