Douglas launches the “BEAUTY FUTURES” competition for innovative start-ups and companies
- BEAUTY FUTURES – The Douglas Innovation Pitch will award prizes in three categories: “Beauty Brand”, “Beauty Technology” and “Green Retail”
- Winners will be added to Douglas’ international line of products and become Douglas partners
- Applications can be submitted at www.douglasbeautyfutures.com
- Winners will be selected by a high-calibre jury that will include Douglas CEO Tina Müller and such external experts as Prof. Dr. Miriam Meckel, Christian Miele, Verena Pausder and Lea-Sophie Cramer
- Tina Müller, CEO Douglas Group, says: “After the corona pandemic forced us to pause the competition in 2020, we are all that much more excited about BEAUTY FUTURES – The Douglas Innovation Pitch and the chance it will give entrepreneurs to showcase their new brands and solutions. In doing so, we are systematically fostering the business activities of start-ups and are profiting from a close relationship with new companies.”
Douglas, Europe’s leading premium beauty platform, has launched its start-up competition for the third time – this year under the name of BEAUTY FUTURES – The Douglas Innovation Pitch. The competition is open to innovative start-ups and companies in the areas of “Beauty Brand”, “Beauty Technology” and “Green Retail”. The third category is a novelty and is designed to address the growing demand for increased sustainability in retail.
“We will use the competition BEAUTY FUTURES – The Douglas Innovation Pitch to further shape the face of Europe’s beauty market,” says Tina Müller, CEO Douglas Group. “We will also foster the work of passionate entrepreneurs at the same time. Our new category “Green Retail” will provide start-ups with a platform where they can present their ideas about making retail more sustainable. We are looking forward to hearing new ideas that will support our digitalisation strategy, #FORWARDBEAUTYDigitalfirst, and our market position as Europe’s leading premium beauty platform.”
Within the “Beauty Brand” category, Douglas is searching for revolutionary product ideas in the areas of skin care, make-up, fragrance, nutritional supplements and hair care that could become meaningful additions to Douglas’ line of products. The “Beauty Technology” category will recognise unique ideas that will enhance the Douglas Customer Experience and reshape the company’s relationship with its customers. These technologies could focus on data management, AI or AR and be used in company’s stores, online shop, app or social media. By adding the new category “Green Retail”, Douglas has initiated a search for start-ups that are developing pacesetting solutions that will make retail increasingly sustainable – in Douglas’ stores, E-Commerce, purchasing or logistics.
The high-calibre jury will consist of members of Douglas’ management and external personalities. The judges will include Tina Müller, CEO Douglas Group, Beate Fastrich, Business Angel and Early Stage Investor, Prof. Dr. Miriam Meckel, Co-founder, CEO and publisher at ada, Christian Miele, President of the Federal Association of German Start- ups and a partner at Headline, Verena Pausder, Start-up founder and author and Lea- Sophie Cramer, Entrepreneur and Angel Investor.
Prof. Dr. Miriam Meckel, Co-founder, CEO and publisher at ada, expresses her excitement about the competition: “Fostering young, innovative companies is something that is close to my heart. I can’t wait to be on the jury of BEAUTY FUTURES – The Douglas Innovation Pitch.”
The winning idea submitted in the “Beauty Brand” category will receive the unique opportunity to be included in the international product assortment of Douglas stores and the company’s online shop. Following a review process, the winners of the other two categories will have an opportunity to integrate their solutions into the company’s online shop, stores or the Douglas ecosystem.
One of the winning ideas for the challenge held in 2018 was “BEARS WITH BENEFITS”. These gummy bears are filled with the beauty vitamin biotin, an active ingredient that optimally supports skin, hair, nails and the entire immune system. The brand has enjoyed tremendous success since joining the Douglas’ line of products and is a true success story. “Our working relationship with Douglas and Tina Müller has raised our brand to a completely new level and given us an opportunity to reach millions of customers across Europe with our brand and products,” say Lena Hien and Laurence Saunier, the Co-
founders of BEARS WITH BENEFITS. “This really helped us to completely tap the brand’s potential. We continue to profit from our great working relationship with the company to this every day. In fact, our best-seller, AH-MAZING HAIR Biotin sugar free, is based on the inspiration of Tina Müller.”
Contest participants should submit a brief description of their ideas and explain how they will produce long-range success. A pitch deck that includes a summary of the business plan should be submitted as well. Female and diverse teams are explicitly urged to join the competition.
During a shortlisting process, an internal jury will select six candidates per category. These candidates will then be asked to make a video pitch to the entire jury. The best three teams (one for each category) will be honoured during an award-presentation ceremony on November 12.
Interested start-ups can submit their entries at www.douglasbeautyfutures.com. The deadline for submissions is 11:59 p.m. Central European Summer Time on September 26.