Uncover, a Kenyan skincare startup, has raised $1 million in seed funding to scale its operations in Kenya and expand to Nigeria in January.
The funding came from FirstCheck Africa, Samata Capital, Future Africa, and IgniteXL. Angel investors including Kwenhui Tawah, and Patricia Ithau participated. The new funding brings the total amount raised by Uncover, since its launch in 2020, to $1.225 million.
Uncover hopes to continue building and strengthening this community, starting with Kenya and Nigeria, which are the next major beauty and personal-brand markets in the continent after South Africa.
Founded by Sneha Mehta, Jade Oyateru (COO) and Catherine Lee (Advisor), Uncover is revolutionising self-care in Africa, starting by building the continent’s most trusted skincare brand.
Uncover was launched after incubation at Antler. It uses African botanicals and outsources its manufacturing to Korean original design manufacturers, who they say ensures its products are “healthy, safe, affordable and effective.”
Additionally, the startup recently introduced a new range of skin products in the market, with plans to launch more next year. Its products are sold through its online platform, on marketplaces, and in the stores of partner brands.
“Our production happens in Korea (one of the world’s biggest beauty markets), where we are leveraging the best technology, labs, and scientists in the world who understand stability testing, safe ingredients, and formulations. We are able to deliver because women in our community have graciously provided information and tried our products, to help us formulate specifically for this market,” said Mehta.
“We have had incredible traction since, and our community has grown from zero to about 60,000 women in Kenya in two years… we have built brand awareness, loyalty, and our values of education and knowledge and empowerment have been established at the market,” she said.
