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Unilever Ventures is the venture capital and private equity arm of Unilever. We invest in young, promising companies, accelerating growth by providing access to Unilever’s global ecosystem, assets and expertise. We’re looking for tomorrow’s world-beaters in Personal Care and Digital.
We provide access to a company with unrivalled global reach. On any given day, two billion people use Unilever products to look good, feel good and get more out of life. With more than 400 brands focused on health and wellbeing, no company touches so many people’s lives in so many different ways.
Unilever Ventures works closely with The Unilever Foundry to provide technology innovators with access to paid pilot projects, mentorship and growth financing.
"It's time for the brand to go to the next level. Unilever is a great company with great principles; it has a profound understanding of brands and global reach; it makes the perfect partner to help REN fulfil its future potential worldwide"
"As one of the largest marketing technology organizations in the world, it has been amazing to work with Unilever building a multi-year and increasingly strategic and broad relationship. Unilever Ventures has been instrumental in helping share our vision with the key stakeholders in Unilever."
"Unilever Ventures combine the strategic and financial benefits of a solid venture capital firm with the unique ability to leverage Unilever, helping us to tune our proposition so that we could appeal to large consumer goods companies."
"UV’s operating model allows small companies to combine their entrepreneurial spirit with strong financial discipline."
"Unilever Ventures has been an important partner in helping us grow and nurture our vision through capital infusion and access to a global network of experts and resources"
"Unilever Ventures has been critical to the difficult decisions a rapidly growing company faces."
"Unilever Ventures has been an ideal partner for us at this critical time of growth for our brand. They believe in our mission and they are committed to helping us reach our potential, while maintaining our rigorous safety standards. Their desire to share their extensive industry knowledge has already proved invaluable."
"Unilever has been a fantastic investor for us. They have been incredibly supportive, providing insights and feedback where we need them, but giving us the space to stay focused on our mission. It's a great relationship."
Voted most influential Corporate Venture fund in the consumer sector, Unilever Ventures brings together an experienced and flexible team of investment and operational experts with a proven track record of creating market-leading consumer and tech companies. We play to our strengths and value people for theirs.
We fundamentally understand brands. We know how to build, nurture and protect them.
As part of a global CPG ecosystem, we can fine-tune a business’s strengths.
We have access to substantial in-house Unilever resources: a coach, a local expert, even a transformational client. Unilever is the 2nd largest advertiser in the world.
As a committed partner; we are able to provide critical follow-on financing to take a business to the next level.
Deeper consumer and market understanding through Unilever’s global market intelligence.
Improved brand awareness through insight-driven branding, communication and media planning.
Cost savings and best practice across procurement, logistics and manufacturing.
Strengthened scientific credibility through new technology, formulation capabilities, clinical studies and IP assessment.
Brand protection, and regulatory and legal expertise for international rollout.
Geographic and channel expansion from introductions in traditional retail, foodservice and drug/pharmacy.
We take a long-term view on companies’ performance. We encourage a long-term perspective and motivate key managers by providing them with significant incentives.
As the venture capital and private equity arm of Unilever, our corporate reputation is of the utmost importance to us. We approach everything we do with integrity.
We work closely with a company to establish a strategic and operating plan to maximise long-term equity value. We always look for ways to leverage the scale of Unilever. We only succeed when you do.
Whilst we are tightly focused on key sectors we understand that different companies have different needs, so we are flexible in the structure, size and stage of our investments.
We invest in businesses directly, but we also co-invest alongside a selection of hand-picked funds who share our sector focus.
We invest in early and later stage businesses ranging from new growth capital to pre-exit funding. We mainly look for a proven model – seed investments are rare.
We’re generally an active minority shareholder with a seat on the board, but we’re open to majority stakes – on our own or in collaboration with partner funds.
Our direct investments range from €250k to €15m with a sweet spot of €8m to €10m. Significantly larger investments can be considered for highly strategic opportunities.
We primarily invest in Europe, North America and Asia. However, we will continue to invest elsewhere if the opportunity is right.
Great companies led by outstanding, passionate people – unless we’re confident that a team can deliver, we won’t invest.
Genuine innovation – brands that create defendable, sustainable, profitable positions.
Differentiated businesses with clear opportunities for global expansion that can disrupt or compete with market leaders in our target sectors.
Companies that could benefit from Unilever’s global reach, market and consumer knowledge and its capabilities.
We’re looking for an authentic brand story which fuses beauty with superior technology and draws upon advances in science or the riches of nature to provide a great consumer experience.
We are focused on premium opportunities in cosmeceuticals/nutraceuticals, professional skincare, natural skincare and haircare, beauty devices, hair loss and scalp health, male grooming and digitally enabled beauty businesses. We also look for ground-breaking technologies that could play a role in new innovations in Unilever personal care brands.
We’re looking for products and businesses that delight consumers and have the potential to disrupt category ’norms’. We look for evidence of focus and ambition in exceptional branding, product delivery or a unique channel approach – eCommerce models are a bonus. Premium opportunities in tea, frozen desserts and functional beverages are most attractive.
Digital technologies are transforming nearly every aspect of the consumer journey. Unilever Ventures is seeking investments in dynamic, digitally-powered marketing businesses which can allow companies like Unilever to deliver a better return on their marketing investments and engage more deeply with consumers - at-shelf, on-line, and on-mobile.
Key focus areas include content creation, data analytics, ecommerce, Internet of Things, mobile marketing, social media, and video in both developed and emerging markets.
We’re looking to invest in new technologies and business models which improve health and wellbeing and reduce environmental impact. In particular, we seek to enhance Unilever’s brands through science; to provide safe drinking water and sanitation; to improve traceability through software (SaaS) and hardware (flexible microelectronics); to reduce waste, cost and material usage; and to drive sustainable behaviour change.
Specialty oral and transdermal pharma company. Acquired by Orexo AB in 2008.
exited?
Iron based catalyst to replace cobalt in paint drying. Sold to OM Group in 2011.
exited?
A chain of branded day spas operating in UK, Canada and Spain.
exited?
UK’s first natural vitamin water. Acquired by PepsiCo in 2008 (now SoBe V-Water).
exited?
Acquired by Unilever Ventures in April 2015 as part of its strategy to invest in and scale high potential, innovative Personal Care brands.
Acquired by Unilever Ventures in April 2015 as part of its strategy to invest in and scale high potential, innovative Personal Care brands.
Created in 2000 by Antony Buck and Robert Calcraft, REN pioneered a new type of high-performance skincare. Its combination of effectiveness, naturalness and pleasurable experience – articulated as ‘performance; purity; pleasure’ – gives it a distinctive market position that has global relevance. The multi-award winning brand is today sold in 50 countries – predominantly through perfumeries, department stores and pharmacies. Its top four markets are currently the UK, Scandinavia, US and France, and its portfolio is focused on facial care and body care.
"it’s time for the brand to go to the next level. Unilever is a great company with great principles; it has a profound understanding of brands and global reach; it makes the perfect partner to help REN fulfil its future potential worldwide."Antony Buck
REN co-founder
We invested in Percolate in 2013 alongside best-in-class investors with deep expertise in the enterprise SaaS space to help corporations create effective, efficient, and consistent marketing.
We invested in Percolate in 2013 alongside best-in-class investors with deep expertise in the enterprise SaaS space to help corporations create effective, efficient, and consistent marketing.
Percolate has become The System of Record for Marketing® trusted by an ever increasing number of the world’s best brands, providing a marketing workflow solution able to govern the entire marketing process with a core focus around helping brands to plan, create and execute consistently on-brand content, cost effectively and on a global scale.
As a digital partner to the Unilever group, Percolate has helped build and scale a world-class brand Social publishing capability that supports brand growth (equity and penetration), better governance over the Social marketing process, Social integrations with other core Unilever systems and more effective and efficient Social marketing.
"As one of the largest marketing technology organizations in the world, it has been amazing to work with Unilever building a multi-year and increasingly strategic and broad relationship. Unilever Ventures has been instrumental in helping share our vision with the key stakeholders in Unilever."James Gross,
President & Co-founder
We invested in BrainJuicer when they had only one founder employee. Our partnership helped the company scale to over 140 employees operating in 11 countries before we exited the business in 2011.
We invested in BrainJuicer when they had only one founder employee. Our partnership helped the company scale to over 140 employees operating in 11 countries before we exited the business in 2011.
BrainJuicer PLC is a marketing and brand consultancy, with market research solutions grounded in the principles of behavioural science. Unilever Ventures invested in BrainJuicer in 2003 when it had only one founder employee John Kearon, the Chief Juicer. BrainJuicer has developed a number of highly innovative, and saleable consumer research and insight tools which translate breakthroughs in psychology, behavioural economics and social sciences to allow them to better understand and predict human behaviour, as well as automate research more effectively than conventional research companies.
Listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2006, and operating in 11 countries, with approximately 140 employees by the end of 2013. BrainJuicer’s clients include many of the worlds largest consumer facing companies with large (in many cases, global) brands.
"Unilever Ventures combine the strategic and financial benefits of a solid venture capital firm with the unique ability to leverage Unilever, helping us to tune our proposition so that we could appeal to large consumer goods companies."John Kearon
Brainjuicer CEO & Founder
Having acquired a majority stake in froosh, we have re-launched this fruit smoothie brand and business to drive it to number one in the market.
Having acquired a majority stake in froosh, we have re-launched this fruit smoothie brand and business to drive it to number one in the market.
Unilever Ventures acquired the assets of froosh in December 2008 when the business had less than €1m in revenues and was #4 in the emerging Nordic smoothie category. It’s now the leading premium smoothie brand in Scandinavia with high double digit growth per annum. We oversaw fundamental changes in the business, including the recruitment of a new management team, reformulation of the brand and packaging to make it more provocative and eye-catching, a distinctive new product positioning and a shift of the business model to owned and operated markets. We have also launched a fruit farm initiative to promote the benefits of trade with developing countries.
"Having an investor with such a deep understanding of the business has been a tremendous asset for froosh."Brendan Harris
Chairman & CEO, froosh AB
We invested $25m to grow Iluminage Beauty, expanding distribution, developing award-winning new products and refreshing this home beauty device brand.
We invested $25m to grow Iluminage Beauty, expanding distribution, developing award-winning new products and refreshing this home beauty device brand.
Iluminage Beauty is a global joint venture in home beauty devices owned by Unilever Ventures and Syneron Medical Ltd. It combines Unilever’s global experience in consumer beauty product development and marketing and Syneron Medical’s expertise in professional aesthetic device technology.
Product areas include hair removal, acne and skin rejuvenation – and the range encompasses devices, topicals and intelligent textiles. Current key markets include North America, Europe and Israel.
"Unilever is an ideal partner with consumer brand experience and significant global resources."Shimon Eckhouse
FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN, Syneron Medical
We co-founded mobile marketing company, Brandtone, introducing them to blue chip companies and helping them scale internationally.
We co-founded mobile marketing company, Brandtone, introducing them to blue chip companies and helping them scale internationally.
Brandtone is a leading global provider of mobile marketing solutions to consumer goods companies. It partners with global brands to help them develop a deep and highly cost effective personal relationship with existing and prospective customers.
Unilever Ventures co-founded Brandtone in 2010 as the sole institutional investor. At the time the business was serving Unilever – its only client – in South Africa. Since then we’ve helped them scale internationally by raising over €20m in expansion capital with Verlinvest (the family investment arm of AB Inbev) and Syngenta Ventures.
"Unilever Ventures has helped us evolve our strategy, and understand how to navigate and service a large consumer goods company like Unilever."Donald Fitzmaurice
CEO, Brandtone Holdings Limited
Our core team of investment experts are based in London,
Mumbai and New York.
M&A professional, Olivier has led a large number of transformative acquisition and divestment transactions for Unilever in different parts of the world. Over the last 20 years in Unilever, he has held senior positions in finance, strategy and business development. Olivier leads Unilever Ventures Investment Committee and manages relationships with a number of Corporate and Venture Capital funds and Private Equity funds around the world. He is currently a Board Director of Iluminage Beauty, Yummly, REN and ioma.
John has been the MD of Unilever Ventures direct investment fund for the past 14 years, during which time he has sat on thirteen Boards, four as Chair. Currently he is also Non Exec Chair of; The Co-Op's Federal Retail Services Co which co-ordinates UK retail activities, Innovate UK’s Emerging Technologies & Industries Advisory Board and The Big Innovation Centre Governing Board. He is also a Non Exec Director of The Stobart Group PLC.
Andrew joined Unilever as a marketing trainee in 1985 after studying Biochemistry at Cambridge University and has a general management, marketing and finance background. Andrew worked on setting up Unilever’s Corporate Venture Group prior to the establishment of Unilever Ventures, which he co-founded in 2002. His primary focus is investment in Personal Care. He is currently on the Boards of iluminage Beauty, Arecor and VHsquared and was on the Board of BAC, CyDen and Pharmakodex before Unilever Ventures successful exit from these companies.
Jan joined Unilever Ventures as a founder member in 2002. Jan leads the Digital Practice in Europe from the London office for investments in digital marketing, digital media, consumer insight, and eCommerce. Jan started his career in marketing 1989 and had over 12 years of marketing and sales experience with Unilever. He had a number of international marketing roles including European Marketing Manager for Persil and regional Marketing Manager for Oral Care for the Middle East and North Africa based in Dubai. Jan has a degree in electrical and electronic engineering from Cambridge University. Jan is currently a director on the board of a number of portfolio companies including Brandtone, Froosh, and Big Sync Music.
Rachel brings over 20 years’ experience in senior management roles in an early stage beauty business, venture capital investing and corporate finance. After 10 years in Finance, in 2002 Rachel joined Unilever Ventures and spent 5 years working on early stage, cross sector deals. From 2007 to 2016, Rachel held a number of general management positions including Group CEO of a beauty company with operations in UK, Spain and Canada and Interim CEO of REN Skincare. Rachel specialises in Personal Care. Rachel holds a first class honours degree from the University of Sheffield. She is currently an Observer on the Board of Iluminage Beauty and a Board Director of REN.
Anna joined Unilever Ventures in 2003 after close to 10 years in financial advisory and VC investment. Anna works on new investment opportunities, now primarily in Personal Care and Digital Beauty, the structuring and execution of deals as well as the Board level management of portfolio companies. Anna is Swedish; she lived 12 years in France and holds a degree from the French graduate school of management ESSEC. She previously worked from investment to exit on V Water, CyDen, PharmaKodex and BAC as well as UV’s investments in Iluminage, Froosh, VHsquared and several technology spin-outs. She is currently a Board director of SACHAJUAN Haircare AB, P2i Limited and Catexel Ltd and an observer on Percolate Industries Inc.
Pawan has over 12 years of diversified industry experience in FMCG & Telecom working with companies like Unilever, Britannia and Nokia. Pawan joined Unilever in 2008 and has held various positions in Finance. Most recently, he served as Global Finance Director for the Water Category. Pawan has experience in M&A and played a key role in Unilever’s 2014 investment in a Chinese Water Purifier Company - Qinyuan. In April 2015, he was appointed Investment Director-Asia for Unilever Ventures where he is responsible for UV’s operations in Asia, including fund relationships. Pawan is a certified Chartered Accountant.
Stephen joined Unilever Ventures in 2006 from Burlington Consultants, a strategy consultancy which was acquired in 2005 by Deloitte & Touche LLP. At Burlington / Deloitte, he worked on numerous commercial due diligence assignments for private equity clients and debt providers as well as advising corporate clients on a variety of strategic business issues across multiple sectors. Stephen has been involved in UV’s investments into Froosh (smoothies), CyDen (beauty devices, since exited), P2i (smart coatings), SNOG Pure Frozen Yogurt (frozen yogurt) and Big Sync Music (music licensing). Stephen holds a first class honours degree in Business from the University of Bath and is a Director of Froosh, SNOG Pure Frozen Yogurt and Big Sync Music.
Ian joined Unilever Ventures in 2010 and focuses on digital technology deals. He is a Board director of Voltea and CDDM Tech, and he previously worked on our exit of Rahu Catalytics, as well as UV’s investments in Brandtone, VH2, iluminage, Syneron Beauty and CDDM Tech. Prior to joining Unilever Ventures, Ian was a strategy consultant with L.E.K. in London and Melbourne. He has a PhD in Physical Chemistry from Cambridge University and an MSci in Chemistry from Bristol University.
Amelia joined Unilever Ventures’ Investment Team in 2015, with a primary focus on digital technology deals. Prior to this Amelia was a Strategy Consultant within the M&A practice at Accenture. Amelia has experience in transactions across Technology and Consumer Goods, and led due diligence activities for Accenture’s UK digital innovation fund. Amelia has a BA Hons degree in Philosophy from Durham University, and further training includes CIMA, CFA IMC, and an MBA Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development module. Amelia also set-up, and ran a domestic services business, and is the founder of a non-profit organisation focusing on women in business.
Financial business partner on European and US direct investments; responsible for portfolio performance processes as well as providing transactional support on specific deals. Interfaces with Unilever Group on accounting and reporting impact of these investments. Is FCA Compliance and Money Laundering Officer and is responsible for UK and US office accounting operations. Prior to joining Unilever Ventures in 2006, Paul had 13 years of experience supporting Unilever FMCG operations in Europe. His roles have ranged from sales and marketing support, category finance manager, financial accounting operations, company planning and analysis to internal audit and business systems implementation.
Jay Miranda joined Unilever Ventures in 2004 and is the Financial Controller responsible for the evaluation and ongoing financial management of Fund investments and Co-investments across Europe, the US and Asia. She has over 20 years’ experience in financial, commercial and manufacturing accounting and her category experience has been all within Foods and has focused on the area of Spreads and Dressings. During her time in Ventures, Jay has been extensively involved in exploring and entering new markets.
Jay graduated in 1990 with a degree in Accounting and Finance from The University of Birmingham and prior to joining Unilever; Jay trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers gaining 4 years of extensive audit experience in manufacturing and the foods sector.
Amanda joined Unilever Ventures in 2011 having previously held a role as tax manager for Unilever’s UK operating companies. Her role is to provide tax support for all Ventures transactions. She acts as a single global point of contact on all tax issues, coordinating tax advice from various jurisdictions. Amanda advises on tax structuring within the framework of Unilever’s Tax Principles. During her time at Ventures, she has been involved in exploring and setting up new structures to enable Ventures to enter new markets and also in various disposals both intra-group and to external buyers.
Amanda qualified as a Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Tax Adviser with Ernst & Young in Manchester and has over 10 years’ experience working in tax in various roles both in practice and more recently as an in-house tax adviser.
Lana joined Unilever Ventures in 2015 as PA to the Head and Directors of Unilever Ventures. Prior to this Lana was a Global Commercial Assistant within the Oncology and Brillinta team at AstraZeneca. Lana is also responsible for the firm’s day to day operations, including network infrastructure, telecommunications and technical support. She acts as a contact for 3rd parties on office services and property issues, as well as being the front of house for the office, and supporting the rest of the UV team. Lana has a Diploma in Business & Secretarial Management and holds a BAppSocSci in Counselling and Communication.
We have a global network of world-class sector and functional experts inside and outside Unilever.
NXD, Iluminage
Chairman Syneron Medical
NXD, Iluminage
Ex-President Clarisonic
Global SVP Prestige, Unilever
Personal Care & Digital Advisory Boards
VP Finance, Prestige, Unilever
Personal Care Advisory Board
NXD Brandtone
VP ETS, IT, Unilever
Digital Advisory Board
SVP Global Media, Unilever
Digital Advisory Board
SVP Customer, Global eCom, Unilever
Digital Advisory Board
SVP Marketing, Unilever
Digital Advisory Board
VP CMI, Unilever
Digital Advisory Board
VP Strategy Foods, Unilever
Digital Advisory Board
VP Digital Marketing & eCom, North Asia, Unilever
Digital Advisory Board
General Partner & Founder, Felix Capital
NXD, Froosh
Investor
NXD Arecor
Ex-Chief Scientific Officer Genzyme
NXD Arecor
Biotech Angel Investor
NXD VH2
NXD Catexel
Funds that Unilever Ventures works with include Langholm Capital, L Catterton, Felix Capital, Physic Ventures, ClearVue Partners, Blume Ventures, Capvent, Swander Pace and Ambit.
To start the journey, get in touch at UV.investments@unilever.com or on +44 (0)20 7321 6199.