Kenyan beauty startup Uncover raises $1 million to expand to Nigeria

Uncover Skincare, a Kenyan-based startup that specializes in beauty and skin care products tailored for African women, has raised $1 million in seed funding to expand its operations in the East African country and set up a presence in Nigeria.

Co-founded in 2020 by the trio of Sneha Mehta, Jade Oyateru, and Catherine Lee, Uncover Skincare seeks to revolutionize the African skincare market sector through data-led manufacturing that is aligned with the needs of the modern African woman.

The startup also provides virtual consultations and engaging content to gain more reach, which according to the startup, has grown its revenue by 20-fold. The Uncover platform has grown a community of women from zero to 60,000 in two years.

"We have built brand awareness, loyalty, and our values of education and knowledge and empowerment have been established at the market,” Mehta said.

The company, which recently introduced a new range of skin products on its online platform, will use the latest funding to expand to Nigeria in January. The Nigerian beauty market has witnessed tremendous growth over the last few years, thanks to a rising population and spike in modern retailing, and Uncover hopes to tap into this market. The new funding brings the total amount raised by Uncover, since its launch in 2020, to $1.225 million.

“We are using the funding to launch more products, go into additional markets, and also double down on our tech and data to effectively produce, reach and market to our audience,” Uncover co-founder and CEO, Sneha Mehta said.