IgniteX Studio is a multi-track platform for consumer brands ready to go global. Each cohort dives deep into a specific category—Beauty, Wellness, Health, or Food—pairing founders with industry operators, investors, and creative experts who know how to build breakout brands.
Our Spring 2026 cohort “K-Beauty to Global”, we’re hunting for the next K-Beauty mafia*, ambitious founders poised to shape the future of beauty.
*reference to infamous Silicon Valley Paypal Mafia
The Moment
K-Beauty redefined modern beauty.
But the next chapter will be written by founders who go further combining scientific depth, cultural intelligence, and community-led storytelling to build global brands with staying power.
Today’s opportunity isn’t about chasing trends or optimizing short-term performance.
It’s about re-imagining what Korean beauty can become while global attention is still here, expectations are rising, and the category is ready to evolve again.
Why K-Beauty to Global
Building a global beauty company demands a level of precision that goes far beyond early success. Retail systems differ meaningfully across markets. Supply chains must hold up under scale without erosion of quality. Regulatory environments shape everything from formulation to go to market strategy. Capital becomes more selective, more experienced, and more exacting.
K-Beauty to Global is designed for founders with real momentum who are ready to take on this next phase of growth.
The cohort is built for early stage companies with Korean beauty in their DNA through formulation, lab partnerships, product philosophy, or aesthetic and with the ambition to build brands that resonate across international markets.
We will work closely with a small number of founders to sharpen brand, shape strategy, strengthen execution, and operate with confidence in the world’s most demanding markets.
The BadAss Founders: The Next Generation of K-Beauty Leaders
We’re searching for the best of the best – the bold, the relentless, and the truly exceptional founders who are ready to redefine what K-Beauty means on the world stage.
1. Builders of World Class Beauty Brands
Founders developing products grounded in scientific rigor, formulation excellence, and sensorial intelligence. This includes proprietary formulations, differentiated actives, and product experiences that set a new benchmark for quality and performance.
2. Global Ambition From Day One
Entrepreneurs who aren’t just building a brand. They’re building a future global beauty powerhouse. You’re ready to scale beyond Korea, enter the world’s most competitive markets, and shape the next era of beauty worldwide.
3. Obsession With Consumers & Community
You live and breathe your consumer. You build with them, for them, and because of them. You understand that community is the heartbeat of every enduring global brand.
4. Founder-Market Fit
Founders who are resilient, resourceful, and deeply connected to the problem they are solving. You move fast, test fearlessly, and iterate with intention. You bring a level of execution that matches your ambition.
5. Ready to Level Up
This program is not designed for comfort or experimentation alone. It is for founders ready to raise the bar on how their brand is built, operated, and positioned globally.
Program Snapshot
· Up to 10 early-stage companies selected
· $100K–$150K equity investment per company
· Hybrid (virtual and in-person), 6 week program (Spring 2026)
· Run by top operators, retail advisors, brand strategists, and VCs
· Demo Day in Seoul, Week of April 27, 2026* — pitch to global investors & retailers & distributors
*date subject to change
Powered by igniteXL Ventures
igniteXL Ventures is the leading beauty + wellness global fund based in Silicon Valley, with category leading brands like Bubble, Musely, Uncover, Good Light, HelloBiome, and Lion Pose in their portfolio.
2026 Spring Cohort Timeline
Jan 15
2026
Applications Open
Feb 15
2026
Applications Close
Feb 23
2026
Finalists Announced
Mar 2 – Apr 10
2026
Accelerator Duration
Apr 28
2026 (TBC*)
Demo Day Seoul version (mandatory participation)
Jan 15
2026
Demo Day US version
*date subject to change
The Team
CLAIRE CHANG
Founding Partner (Palo Alto, CA)
AMANDA LIM
Venture Partner (Los Angeles, CA)
Curriculum: Build a Breakout
K-Beauty Brand
1. Global Beauty Market Overview
Crack the global beauty market landscape with real case studies, retail insights, and what separates the winners from everyone else.
2. Brand Building
Sharpen your brand story, visual identity, and positioning so customers—and buyers—immediately get who you are.
3. Retail Playbook
Learn exactly how Sephora, Ulta, Target, Walmart, and Costco evaluate brands… and what makes a buyer say yes.
4. E-Commerce & Amazon
Master Amazon, DTC, and conversion fundamentals so your online presence becomes a real revenue engine.
5. Marketing & TikTok
Cut through the noise with creators, UGC, TikTok strategy, and community tactics that actually move product.
6. Operations & AI Advantage
Build a supply chain that won’t break when you scale. Plus: use AI for planning, demand forecasting, and smarter operations.
7. Fundraising
Tell a compelling investor story, understand beauty-specific metrics, and prepare for your next raise with confidence.
8. Cashflow Mastery
Plan your inventory, forecast your burn, and manage cash like a founder who’s building for the long run.
9. Team & Culture
Know who to hire (and when), how to build a US-based team, and how to create a culture that works across borders.
10. Exit Strategy
Set clear on what strategics look for—and position your brand now for a high-value acquisition later.
FAQ — K-Beauty Accelerator
This cohort is for ambitious, high-caliber K-Beauty founders building category-defining brands with global potential. We’re looking for innovators creating world-class products, founders obsessed with their consumers and community, and entrepreneurs ready to scale into the world’s most competitive markets.
Pre-launch brands are welcome as long as you’re actively developing your first product and can bring it to market within 6–12 months. Founders in formulation, sampling, or early production are fully eligible.
K-Beauty to Global is not a general beauty program. It is built specifically for founders scaling Korean beauty innovation into global markets.
Our team and fund have deep roots across both Korea and the US. We understand the nuances of the K-Beauty ecosystem, from formulation and manufacturing to brand building and go to market strategy, as well as what it takes to operate credibly in the world’s most competitive retail and capital markets.
The program combines capital investment with hands-on guidance from operators, investors, and partners who work across these markets every day. It culminates in an in-person demo day in Seoul, giving founders meaningful exposure to global investors, retailers, and strategic partners. A demo day in the US will follow as a curated extension of the cohort.
The cohort runs for 6-7 weeks, combining intensive learning, 1-1 mentorship, and curated workshops.
The program is hybrid (mostly virtual but some will be done in-person), making it accessible globally. The primary demo day will be in-person in Seoul during the week of April 27th, 2026 and participation is mandatory. An additional demo day will be held in the US.
You do not need to be a fluent English speaker however, most of the content will be in English so to get the most out of the program, we strongly encourage you to have an English speaking team member.
Yes. We invest in each selected brand in exchange for equity. Exact terms are shared during the interview stage.
Founders gain access to the IgniteX Studio ecosystem, including a global network of operators, investors, and partners across the global beauty markets.
Beyond relationships, founders gain practical insight drawn from real operating and investing experience, applied directly to the decisions they are making as they scale.
They also join a small, trusted community of founders building global beauty companies in parallel, and upon completion of the program become part of the igniteXL portfolio, with long term partnership and continued access to capital, network, and strategic support.
Expect to spend around 4–6 hours per week on workshops, founder sessions, and assignments that move your brand forward.
Participation is generally limited to two team members per company. Additional participants may be approved where appropriate.
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