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Cellarim Labs raises seed round led by 3i Partners and Venture Catalysts

Entrackr · 2h ago

Medial

Cellarim Labs, a biotechnology startup working on cell-free biomanufacturing for beauty and personal care ingredients, has raised Rs 6 crore in a seed funding round co-led by 3i Partners and Venture Catalysts. The round also saw participation from Momentum Capital, Jashan Bhumkar, Gayathri Kuppendra Reddy, and other investors. The proceeds will be used to set up a pilot-scale biomanufacturing facility, accelerate commercial production of NeuHyal™, and expand its B2B ingredient supply to beauty and cosmetic brands, Cellarim Labs said in a press release. Co-founded in 2023 by Hitesh Rafalia and Nisa Mehreen, Cellarim Labs focuses on developing alternative production methods for cosmetic ingredients. The startup aims to address issues in the beauty ingredients segment such as dependence on imported bioactives, supply volatility, variability in purity, and higher costs for brands. The company has developed a cell-free, enzyme-based manufacturing platform that replaces conventional fermentation and chemical synthesis processes. The platform combines enzyme engineering and bioprocessing to convert renewable bio-waste into cosmetic ingredients with consistent specifications. Cellarim Labs is also building an AI-driven biofoundry that enables partner brands to submit target molecules for design, testing, and production, with the aim of reducing development timelines for new bioactive ingredients. According to the company, it has launched NeuHyal™, a Hyaluronic Acid portfolio ranging from 10 kDa to 5000 kDa, developed within one year. The product line is positioned for use across skincare, cosmetic, and related applications, offering an alternative to conventional Hyaluronic Acid sources. Cellarim Labs is initially targeting the global Hyaluronic Acid market, which is estimated at $9 billion and serves applications across skincare, dermal fillers, and medical grade use cases.