Skincare brand CHOSEN has raised $5 Mn in a Series A funding round led by Fireside Ventures, along with participation from BOLD, L’Oréal’s corporate venture capital fund, Alkemi Growth Capital, and other angel investors such as CaratLane co-founder and former CEO Avnish Anand, Chandan Asokan, KC Nischal, Punit Saraogi, Nishita Ranka, and Mikki Singh.
Prior to this, the Chennai-based startup had secured $1.2 Mn in an angel funding round in 2024.
The proceeds will be deployed to strengthen R&D capabilities, expand the pipeline of clinically validated, evidence-based products, scale its Centre of Excellence, and invest in high-impact talent across functions, CHOSEN said in a press release.
Launched in 2020 by Renita Rajan, CHOSEN develops science-led skincare for melanin-rich Indian skin, grounded in the science of the exposome and focused on four key domains of aging: pigmentation, skin texture, contour, and hair aging. Its portfolio spans both topical formulations and nutraceuticals, following a dermatologist-developed, clinic-to-consumer model.
According to CHOSEN, it has built its brand on insights from over 150,000 consultations, and its model integrates a B2B network of dermatologists with a direct-to-consumer (D2C) platform, allowing patients to begin treatment through clinical guidance and continue maintenance independently.
The company currently operates with around 58 SKUs across its doctor-led and D2C segments. Its products are prescribed in more than 2,000 clinics nationwide, while its online channel serves customers across India, with nearly 95% of digital sales coming through its own platform.
CHOSEN is also preparing for expansion into global “skin of color” markets, including regions in Latin America and East Asia, where similar dermatological needs exist. Notably, around 70% of its revenue is driven by repeat customers, particularly among women aged 30 to 50.
It directly competes with other notable players in this space, such as Avène, Heliocare, Cetaphil, Sebamed, Shiseido, and Dr. Sturm.
