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Paris, France — June 2025
L’Oréal Groupe has announced the launch of a €100 million Sustainable Innovation Accelerator aimed at advancing environmentally responsible solutions within the global beauty industry. Spanning five years, the program is designed to identify, support, and scale cutting-edge innovations across seven critical sustainability domains.
Developed in partnership with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and its Canopy innovation platform, the accelerator offers a 12-month program combining mentorship, pilot development, peer collaboration, and potential for investment or commercial agreements with L’Oréal.
Program Structure
Participants selected for the accelerator will undergo a tailored 12-month program, which includes:
- A 12-week group acceleration phase led by CISL
- Up to 12 hours of individual mentorship from sustainability and industry experts
- Peer-to-peer learning sessions
- Opportunities to co-develop pilot projects with L’Oréal, potentially leading to investment or commercial partnerships
Focus Areas
The accelerator targets seven high-priority innovation areas identified as vital to L’Oréal’s sustainability strategy and broader industry transformation:
- Low-carbon and climate-smart technologies
- Water-resilient solutions
- Nature-based and regenerative sourcing practices
- Alternative, biobased, and recycled ingredients and materials
- Plastic-free and circular packaging systems
- Resource circularity across products, packaging, and retail
- Inclusive and sustainable business models, including living wages, supply chain transparency, and consumer behavior change
Solutions may include innovations such as biodegradable packaging, regenerative agriculture technologies, refill and reuse systems, AI-powered recycling tools, and climate adaptation strategies that support workers.
Application Details
The first call for applications is open until September 30, 2025. The accelerator is open to startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and established companies worldwide.
Industry Collaboration
“At L’Oréal, we have always embraced and nurtured innovation, co-creating with partners across our value chain to drive positive change within the beauty industry,” said Ezgi Barcenas, Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer at L’Oréal Groupe. “We know that we have to be even more intentional in seeking, advancing, and scaling pioneering solutions.”
James Cole, Chief Innovation Officer at CISL and Executive Director of Canopy, added: “Collaboration is key to driving meaningful progress. We are thrilled to partner with L’Oréal to source and accelerate commercially relevant solutions for the challenges facing the beauty industry and beyond.”
The accelerator aligns with L’Oréal’s ongoing commitment to meet its 2030 environmental goals, including reducing carbon emissions, improving resource circularity, and promoting social and environmental sustainability throughout the beauty value chain.
For more information or to apply, interested organizations can visit L’Oréal’s official website or the CISL Canopy platform.
L’Oréal Complexe Atlantis by Edison McCullen
