Melt&Marble secures €7M funding to scale up lab-grown skin care

Melt&Marble has secured €7.3 million (US$8.5 million) in funding to scale up the production of fermentation-based “designer fats” for use in beauty and food products.

With the funding, the Swedish biotech company will bring its first ingredients to the market. The release is set for commercial launch in personal care applications in 2026.

The round was led by the Swedish deeptech investor Industrifonden, backed by the European Innovation Council (EIC), and supported by the company’s strategic partners Beiersdorf and Valio. Melt&Marble also received additional backing from Chalmers Ventures and Catalyze Capital.

Last year, the EIC contributed €2.5 million (US$2.9 million), amounting to €10 million (US$11.65 million) in the last year.

The investment signals strong cross-sector demand for the technology, according to the company.

“This investment marks a major milestone for Melt&Marble as we transition from R&D to commercialization. With key scalability milestones already achieved and strategic partners onboard, we’re entering the market with the capabilities and confidence to deliver real impact,” says Anastasia Krivoruchko, CEO of Melt&Marble.

“Our vision has always been to deliver more sustainable, high-performance ingredients, and this round brings us significantly closer to that goal.” 

Tobias Elmquist, senior investment director at Industrifonden, adds: “Melt&Marble has achieved an impressive level of technical and commercial readiness for a company at this stage. Their ability to engineer functional fats through precision fermentation addresses a clear and growing demand across industries.”

Its precision fermentation platform offers animal-free, tailored fat structures that aim to enhance skin feel and bioactivity in cosmetics.“From the molecule up”

Biotech and lab-grown ingredients are increasingly driving sustainable beauty, with reducing carbon footprints among the industry’s top priorities. These technologies allow companies to create ingredients that align with environmental goals and do not compromise on performance. 

Melt&Marble says that traditional fats such as coconut oils, palm oil, and animal-based sources often struggle with performance, supply volatility, and environmental criteria.

Its precision fermentation platform offers animal-free, tailored fat structures that aim to enhance skin feel and bioactivity in cosmetics.

The company is engineering fats “from the molecule up,” and therefore claims to deliver cost-competitive, locally produced ingredients that meet sustainability goals and technical demands.

Ascan Voswinckel, head of venture capital at Beiersdorf, says: “Melt&Marble is addressing an important challenge in the personal care industry, with its advanced innovative precision-fermentation technology.”

“With consumer interest in more sustainable and responsible skin care products growing, Beiersdorf is pleased to invest in Melt&Marble, and support their highly committed, science-driven team as they aim to advance sustainability across multiple industries.”