ORGANIC BIOACTIVES WINS TOP PRIZE IN 2020 L’ORÉAL INNOVATION RUNWAY COMPETITION
by Organic Bioactives Ltd
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
A jury of world leaders in the cosmetic R&D community have selected New Zealand based innovative natural skincare ingredient maker Organic Bioactives as the winner of the 4th annual L’Oréal Innovation Runway Competition.
“Before it became the norm to conduct business virtually, it would have been nearly impossible for us – a small, early-stage startup in New Zealand – to have an audience with L’Oréal.”
Andrea Taimana / Co-Founder and Chief ScienIfic Officer at Organic Bioactives
Auckland, New Zealand, February 2021 — Clean skincare ingredient startup Organic Bioactives is proud to announce that the 2020 L’Oréal Innovation Runway Competition recognized the company’s proprietary water-based extraction technology TPTXtractionⓇ as a scientific solutions that will shape the future of beauty.
Scientific Innovation and Ingredient Sustainability from Organic Bioactives
“L’Oréal’s commitment to sustainable innovation inspired us to join the 2020 L’Oréal Innovation Runway Competition,” says Andrea Taimana, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Organic Bioactives. The L’Oréal Innovation Runway Competition was an opportunity for Organic Bioactives to showcase their proprietary water-based extraction technology TPTXtraction. With TPTXtractionⓇ, the beauty ingredient startup leverages New Zealand’s unique biodiversity to naturally address today’s most common skin concerns (hydration, pigmentation, environmental pollution, and sensitive skin, among others).
Organic BioacIves replaces synthetic ingredients with natural alternatives for a better planet and humanity.
Organic Bioactives Receives Global Recogntion, Financial Support, and Mentorship
L’Oréal Research & Innovation, in partnership with Slingshot (a pitch competition sponsored by Enterprise Singapore), hosts the annual L’Oréal Innovation Runway Competition. The winning company receives prizes from both organizations, including S$5,000 (NZ$5,250), access to a valuable industry network, and potential access to L’Oréal’s R&D expertise.
“It would be a dream to be able to partner with L’Oréal to bring this purpose to life,” says Taimana.
This past summer, Organic Bioactives entered the New Ingredients & Materials challenge, one of four challenge categories of the competition. (The other three categories were Protect, Cleanse, and Repair & Enhance; learn more here: https://www.lorealinnovationrunway.sg/en.) Semi-Finalists were chosen in September 2020 and then received a month of mentoring; and in November, the final pitch to the L’Oréal jury panel took place.
After being named a finalist, Organic Bioactives was declared a winner of the competition in late December (alongside an India-based venture called Brisil that up-cycles rice ash waste from fuel production into silica for applications in the rubber, food, and personal care industries). Taimana says that “mentorship from L’Oréal and potential access to their resources will allow us to grow in our knowledge to further explore natural bioactives and their untapped potential.”
The competition process itself was energizing and encouraging for the Organic Bioactives team too: “I have to say, to hear and learn about all the various ways science and technology are being used to advance the beauty industry was really uplifting and insightful,” says Taimana. “Also, I was delighted to see that as a collective we are moving towards more sustainable approaches in the cosmetic industry.”
“Our fellow competitors were of such a high caliber. We were incredibly humbled to win,” she remarks.
“Treasure nature and you shall benefit.” – Māori proverb
The Organic Bioactives approach to raw material sourcing and ingredient production is grounded in Indigenous New Zealand harvesting practices and so-called ‘chemical-free’ processing—an extraction technique that uses water and temperature rather than synthetic chemicals.
By isolating bioactives from traditionally harvested and genetically unchanged Red Seaweed and Black Fern meristems, the team at Māori-owned Organic Bioactives has created the OceanDerMXⓇ range, an ingredient portfolio that, at just 1% – 5% concentration, delivers many sought-after skincare benefits such as high water-retaining capacity, potent antioxidants, and anti-pollutants, and essential nutrients that promote vibrant skin cell communication.
About Organic Bioactives
Organic Bioactives brings the power of New Zealand’s bountiful biodiversity together with modern skincare science to create unparalleled clean beauty ingredients. Organic Bioactives’ ingredients are NATRUE certified, and COSMOS as well as China compliant. Founded in 2019 and based in Auckland, New Zealand, Māori-owned Organic Bioactives works in partnership with Astrolab, an incubation and innovation company focused on commercially valuable technologies. For more information, visit organicbioactives.com.
INNOVATING FROM TRADITION™
