Unilever Ventures

Unilever Ventures is the corporate venture capital and private-equity arm of consumer-goods giant Unilever, founded in 2002 and headquartered in London with a significant investing presence in Mumbai. The firm provides strategic capital and operational expertise to founders building the next generation of consumer brands, commerce technologies and B2B and enterprise solutions, leveraging Unilever's global scale, supply chain and brand-building know-how. Its investment focus spans three areas: beauty and wellness, consumer brands across skincare, haircare, personal care, nutrition, supplements, longevity and holistic wellness; commerce, technology enabling next-generation retail, e-commerce and consumer discovery; and B2B and enterprise technology serving consumer goods, retail and adjacent industries. Unilever Ventures is most active at the seed and Series A stages, frequently acting as an early strategic investor alongside financial venture funds, with typical cheques ranging from roughly $500,000 to $15 million, and willing to lead; it has also acted as a limited partner, backing emerging managers such as Selva Ventures' $34 million fund. The firm has run five funds, including the New Voices Fund, and over its roughly two-decade history has invested in around 137 companies, averaging about seven new investments per year over the last decade. It is led by managing partners Olivier Garel and Stephen Willson, with partner Pawan Chaturvedi heading India and Asian investments from Mumbai. Notable portfolio brands include Saie, Kopari, BYBI, Beauty Bakerie and India's Secret Alchemist, SkinInspired and WishCare. By pairing capital with Unilever's brand-building scale, the firm backs the next generation of consumer and commerce companies.