Innovative program provides founders from underserved communities with mentorship, funding, and industry expertise to scale their brands

NEW YORK, March 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Maesa, the leading disruptor in beauty and personal care with the growing portfolio of innovative and accessible brands, proudly announces the graduation of the second cohort of the #MaesaMagicIncubator. Originally launched in 2023, this program has been dedicated to fostering and uplifting emerging beauty and wellness entrepreneurs from underserved communities, including those identifying as women and/or BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, differently abled, low-income and seniors above 65.

Over the course of 12 weeks, three winners participated in a dynamic and hands-on program that provided personalized mentorship, specialized business training, and a $35,000 no-strings-attached grant each to fuel their growth. Designed to offer tangible business results, the incubator blends foundational business principles with targeted tracks, such as Finance and Marketing, equipping each entrepreneur with the skills and strategic guidance needed to scale their brands. Graduates also gained access to exclusive industry experiences, including a spot in the prestigious 'Future of Commerce and Work' program at the Harvard Faculty Club and, new this year, a fully paid trip to Cosmoprof North America Miami that provided invaluable industry exposure through a dedicated panel conversation and networking opportunities.

The program culminated in a pitch deck presentation to an esteemed advisory board featuring top investors and beauty industry leaders, including Maesa CEO Piyush Jain, Maesa CMO, Oshiya Savur, Managing Director at Bain Capital, Liraz Evenor, and Nyakio Greico, Founder of Nyakio Beauty, Thirteen Lune, and Relevant.

"The Maesa Magic Incubator is more than just a program – it's a movement," said Piyush Jain, CEO of Maesa. "In just two years, we've witnessed firsthand how access to funding, mentorship, and industry connections can fast-track the success of emerging beauty founders. This program isn't just about providing funding to brands, it's about equipping entrepreneurs from under-represented communities with resources and expertise to build scalable, lasting businesses. With each graduating class, we're not only championing innovation but also shaping a more inclusive and dynamic future for beauty and wellness. We couldn't be prouder of this year's cohort and look forward to seeing their continued success."

Meet the 2025 Graduating Founders
The founders have spent the last several months refining their brands under the guidance of Maesa's executive mentors, gaining support and resources in the high focus area for their business, including distribution strategy and critical brand-building. The 2025 graduating class includes:

• Jadis Montijo, Motivo Scar Care - "The Maesa Magic Incubator didn't just validate the white space in beauty for scar care, they truly believed in it. Being part of the program allowed us to dive deep into our brand and business, equipping us with the tools to successfully enter and grow within the beauty industry, a space where scar care has never played before."
  • Motivo Scar Care was built from patient experience and doctor expertise. The brand developed premium scar care products, to not only improve the appearance of scars, but to help rewrite the standards of healing.
• Marsha McBain, Berri-Clear Skincare – "From transformative mentorship sessions with top beauty industry experts to visiting Harvard Business School and speaking on the prestigious Cosmoprof stage, Maesa has profoundly shaped my skincare business in ways I could never have imagined. The opportunities and connections I've gained through this program have been invaluable, and for that I am truly grateful."
  • Berri-Clear Skincare proudly pioneers the world's first dark spot superfruit skincare line, harnessing the power of fruits and vegetables native to Trinidad and Tobago to effectively reduce hyperpigmentation.
• Aziza El Wanni, The Potion Studio – "The Maesa Magic Incubator has been a game-changer for The Potion Studio. It provided invaluable mentorship, resources, and strategic guidance that helped refine our go-to-market approach. The program also helped me define my brand positioning more clearly and prepared me for the Sephora Accelerate program, giving me the confidence and tools to scale my brand in a meaningful way."
  • The Potion Studio is a luxury haircare brand that believes in the power of nature and quality ingredients for both men and women with textured hair. Our mission is to simplify and refine your hair care routine with intentional products designed for not so simple hair.

As part of their experience, each Maesa Magic Incubator winner will receive continued advisory support from Maesa and access to an extended network of industry leaders to help propel their businesses forward.

Looking Ahead
Building on the success of its first two years, Maesa is committed to expanding the Maesa Magic Incubator to create even greater opportunities for diverse founders in beauty and wellness. The leading disruptor in beauty and personal care, Maesa delivers new, better, and different products through its best-in-class design, formulation, manufacturing, and marketing capabilities – ensuring that these emerging founders are equipped to build sustainable and successful businesses.

For more information about the Maesa Magic Incubator, visit https://maesa.com/pages/maesa-magic-incubator.

About Maesa
Maesa is the leading disruptor in beauty and personal care, transforming the industry by incubating and growing meaningful, innovative brands and making prestige beauty accessible. Maesa believes beauty ignites inspiration, creativity, imagination, and connection, sparking new ideas and possibilities, and meeting unmet consumer needs. Through best-in-class design, formulation, brand creation and marketing capabilities, Maesa delivers new, better and different products with an unsurpassed speed to market. Maesa works with a variety of retailers to create and launch brands across beauty and wellness categories. The current portfolio includes Kristin Ess, Hairitage by Mindy McKnight, Fine'ry, and Being Frenshe, among others. For more information, visit www.maesa.com.

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SOURCE Maesa