NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Maesa, the #1 beauty incubator in mass, is proud to announce the graduation of the inaugural cohort, class of 2024 of the #MaesaMagicIncubator. Launched in 2023 to celebrate Maesa’s 25th anniversary and honor the company’s entrepreneurial roots, the program was designed to amplify and elevate entrepreneurs from under-served communities by combining lecture-based learning with personalized mentorship, hands-on training, and access to no-strings-attached grant capital.
Maesa Magic is about redefining what’s possible in beauty. All three entrepreneurial ventures were chosen through a competitive process because they espoused Maesa’s mission of out of the box thinking to achieve unmet consumer needs through innovative beauty products. Over the course of the program, three promising entrepreneurial CEOs behind the Fuzz Clinic, House of Foster and Squigs Beauty brands were provided with a transformative opportunity to learn from top industry experts and apply the knowledge to grow their companies.
The 12-week program consisted of six weeks of foundational business lectures and 1:1 working sessions on function fundamentals, four weeks of individualized hands-on training, two weeks of pitch prep, fireside chats with industry experts, and a coveted admission to the leadership development program, the “Future of Commerce and Work,” hosted by Emerson Group on site at the Harvard Faculty Club.
The program culminated with each founder presenting their entrepreneurial journey, brand story, and specific tangible deliverables achieved through the program to an esteemed advisory board. The powerhouse judging panel comprised of Maesa leadership, including CEO Piyush Jain, Chief Brand Officer Oshiya Savur and Chief Growth Officer Scott Kestenbaum, Hairitage Founder and CEO Mindy McKnight, Create & Cultivate Founder Jaclyn Johnson and Motivational Speaker and Writer Jodi-Ann Burey. Each of them provided participants with the invaluable feedback and tools needed to thrive in the CPG category. Additionally, all three graduates received a $35,000 grant each to scale their business.
“Over the course of our inaugural #MaesaMagicIncubator program, we have endeavored to accomplish our mission of amplifying the unique voices of beauty entrepreneurs and empowering them to grow their brands. Our goal was to support unparalleled innovation in white spaces that have the capacity to break through and succeed in market,” said Piyush Jain, Maesa CEO. “In our 2024 class, we see the will to make magic by delivering products that solve real problems and fulfill unmet consumer needs. Our program stands as a testament that investing in our communities yields shared rewards for us all. This class is an exciting beginning, and we look forward to welcoming more beauty and wellness entrepreneurs who embody Maesa Magic into the program in the near future.”
The graduates of the inaugural #MaesaMagicIncubator cohort include:
- Fuzz Clinic, founded by Keisha Wagner-Gaymon. Fuzz Clinic is pre/post hair removal skincare for women of color. The brand’s formulations are infused with botanical ingredients aimed at addressing common issues such as dark marks, irritation, and unsightly bumps often associated with hair removal. Fuzz Clinic’s overarching mission is to empower its customers by boosting confidence and enhancing their self-esteem through the brand’s exceptional skincare solutions.
- House of Foster, founded by Selah Jael. House of Foster is a brand promoting unapologetic, explorative fragrance that is scientifically designed to bring you home. Intentionally made for unseen fragrance consumers but accessible to all, the line features clean modern accords with a non-boring soulful undertone. House of Foster was born in search of the "untold scent story," with culture-led formulation that redefines the constraints of clean fragrance.
- Squigs Beauty, founded by Nikita Charuza. Squigs Beauty is an award-winning, approachable, fun, and effective Ayurvedic beauty brand, whose mission of Happy Headcare was created to put you in a good mood. Happy Headcare is the brand’s comprehensive approach to caring for the skin on your face and scalp because both are equally important and for that reason, the brand donates a percentage of proceeds to mental health charities.
“We are immensely proud of the graduates of our first #MaesaMagicIncubator program. As a company with entrepreneurial roots and spirit, we understand the challenges that brand founders are facing and our goal has been to give them the right tools, resources, and networking opportunities to scale their brands and make them standout in their respective categories,” said Oshiya Savur, Maesa Chief Brand Officer. “It was important to us to cultivate a program that met these entrepreneurs at their point of need. From the topics of foundational lectures to the size of cohort, to focusing on deliverables for hands on tracks, each part of this program was designed to give actionable insights to entrepreneurs with a brand that has the potential to truly make an impact.”
Maesa is known for incubating and growing meaningful, global beauty brands such as Kristin Ess Hair, Hairitage by Mindy McKnight, Being Frenshe, Fine’ry, itk, Flower Beauty, TPH by Taraji and many more. Through the #MaesaMagicIncubator, Maesa seeks to address the challenges faced by promising early-stage entrepreneurs who, much like Maesa, are crafting consumer solutions that are disrupting categories and creating magic. Recognizing that entrepreneurship can be both difficult and lonely, especially for founders from under-served communities, Maesa’s intent with the #MaesaMagicIncubator was to provide access to both mentorship and capital for young, game-changing brands to succeed. By nurturing diverse ideas, Maesa aims to stimulate innovation and foster economic growth, creating a ripple effect of shared success and satisfying unmet consumer needs.
The second cohort of #MaesaMagicIncubator is scheduled to go live in 2024. More details and a call for entries to follow.
About Maesa
Maesa is the world’s #1 beauty incubator in mass, transforming the industry by incubating and growing meaningful brands through design, formulation, value analysis and manufacturing. Maesa works with mass, drug, and specialty retailers to cultivate both private label and exclusive brands, including Kristin Ess Hair, Hairitage by Mindy McKnight, Being Frenshe, Fine’ry, Flower Beauty, TPH by Taraji, itk, Mix:Bar, Koze Place, and Believe Beauty. For more information, visit www.maesa.com.
