The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has announced a pioneering partnership with Startup India. This marks the first collaboration between a global beauty giant and the Government of India’s initiative to boost innovation and entrepreneurship.
The partnership, established through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), strengthens ELC’s commitment to fostering emerging beauty brands in India.
As part of this collaboration, ELC is expanding its flagship BEAUTY&YOU India program to support women-founded startups, recognising the vital role of women in shaping the industry. The initiative aligns with ELC’s legacy, founded by the trailblazing entrepreneur Estée Lauder, and reflects the program’s history of attracting women-led ventures.
“India is a key strategic market for ELC, with a rapidly evolving prestige beauty industry and a vibrant, tech-driven startup ecosystem redefining innovation. As the prestige beauty leader in India, ELC remains deeply committed to shaping the future of beauty in this dynamic landscape,” said Stéphane de La Faverie, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Estée Lauder Companies.
Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, said, “India’s beauty industry is undergoing a major transformation, and collaborations like this play a pivotal role in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. We are excited to work with The Estée Lauder Companies to create new opportunities for emerging beauty brands in India.”
“India’s beauty and personal care industry is undergoing a transformation, and collaborations like this are crucial to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. We look forward to working with The Estée Lauder Companies to create new opportunities for emerging beauty brands in India,” said Sumeet Jarangal, Director, Startup India, DPIIT.
“Through BEAUTY&YOU India, ELC has established a record of supporting founders and innovations that are shaping the future of beauty in India. We are proud to add a dedicated category for female-founded startups, which reflects our longstanding mission to promote women’s advancement and leadership in our business, industry, and communities in India,” said Rohan Vaziralli, General Manager, The Estée Lauder Companies, India.
Since its 2022 launch, BEAUTY&YOU India has received over 1,500 applications from 150+ cities, offering grants, mentorship, and industry access to fuel homegrown beauty innovation. ELC’s broader commitment to women’s empowerment in India also extends to philanthropy, including $7 million in charitable contributions through initiatives like the Breast Cancer Campaign and M·A·C VIVA GLAM.
