The Estée Lauder Companies has launched The Catalysts program created by ELC’s New Incubation Ventures (NIV). The program launched with support from TikTok.
 
The Catalyst program is an integrated, global initiative, aimed at spotlighting, uplifting, and empowering emerging storytellers with fresh visions for the beauty industry. 
 
People can apply to the program online from now until August 4. Applicants have the chance to win up to $250K in financial backing, mentorship, and project assistance. 
 
Winners will be decided through a panel of industry luminaries, creative visionaries, and TikTok creators will select two winners who are reshaping the future of beauty through innovative branding, product development, and storytelling.
 
Shana Randhava, Senior Vice President, NIV, said, 
 
“Today, founding a beauty brand takes more than traditional business acumen; it’s about crafting narratives, building communities, and shaping not just trends but also broader conversations and movements. Founders are storytellers, cultural ambassadors, filmmakers, designers, gamers, and artists. Their visions of beauty — expressed via product, retail experiences, films, content — continue to fuel growth in the beauty sector. We set out to create a program to identify and elevate these visionaries as they continue to drive innovation and push the conversation forward.”
 
The Catalysts will unveil ten masterclasses for applicants which will provide an overview of “what it takes to build the next great brand”. Catalysts Masterclass series taps a group of industry-leading founders, storytellers, and creatives to share the insights needed to build a next-generation beauty brand.
 
Vanessa Craft, Global Head of Partnerships at TikTok, commented, 
 
“We’ve witnessed the evolution of beauty firsthand on TikTok, not just through how products are shared and discovered, but how they are experienced. We’re proud to have created a space where everyone is able to explore the diversity and inclusivity of beauty – driven by our incredible community of creators and brands who enable enthusiasts to be a part of something and see how beauty products perform on people that look like them. We are delighted to be joining The Estée Lauder Companies in finding and nurturing future pioneers of the beauty industry.”

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