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Chennai-based D2C brand CHOSEN has closed a $5 million Series A round — approximately Rs. 47.5 crore — led by Fireside Ventures, with participation from BOLD, L’Oréal’s corporate venture capital fund, and Alkemi Growth Capital. The round also drew backing from notable angel investors including CaratLane co-founder and former CEO Avnish Anand, alongside a cohort of practising dermatologists. With this raise, CHOSEN’s total funding crosses $6 million, including a $1.2 million friends-and-family round from 2024.
What Makes CHOSEN Different
Founded in 2020 by Dr. Renita Rajan, CHOSEN offers IoT-led skincare solutions backed by dermatological expertise and operates across skincare, haircare, and wellness categories, selling over 55 SKUs via its website and doctor-led channels.
The brand’s clinic-to-consumer model is its clearest point of differentiation. Rather than building from a marketing-first playbook, CHOSEN was designed from inside the dermatology practice — with products developed to address real, clinically observed concerns including pigmentation, skin texture, contour, and hair ageing. Its range spans both topical formulations and nutraceuticals, giving it a more holistic positioning than most D2C skincare brands operating in India today.
The participation of practising dermatologists as angel investors in this round isn’t incidental — it reflects the professional credibility that underpins the brand’s identity and strengthens its doctor-channel distribution model.
How the Capital Will Be Deployed
The Series A funding will be directed toward strengthening CHOSEN’s R&D capabilities and expanding its pipeline of clinically validated, evidence-based products. A portion will also go toward scaling its centre of excellence and growing the team — investments that reinforce the brand’s commitment to science-led product development rather than trend-driven launches.
The involvement of BOLD and L’Oréal’s venture arm alongside Fireside is particularly significant. L’Oréal’s corporate VC participation signals international validation of CHOSEN’s dermocosmetic positioning — and brings potential access to global formulation expertise, regulatory know-how, and strategic networks that pure financial investors cannot offer.
The Market CHOSEN Is Competing In
CHOSEN competes with dermo-cosmetic brands such as Heliocare, Obagi Medical, Bioderma, The Derma Co, Cetaphil, and Dr. Sheth’s — a competitive set that spans international clinical brands and well-funded Indian D2C players. What distinguishes CHOSEN within this group is its founder-led clinical credibility, IoT-integrated diagnostics, and a product architecture that bridges the gap between professional dermatology and everyday consumer skincare.
The funding comes as India’s beauty and personal care sector sees strong investor traction, with the BPC segment currently the fastest-growing category in India’s ecommerce market, projected to reach $28 billion by 2030. That growth is being driven by demand in haircare and skincare, evolving consumer preferences for ingredient transparency and clinical efficacy, and the rapid expansion of well-funded D2C brands into Tier II and III cities.
What This Signals for India’s Dermo-Cosmetic Category
CHOSEN’s raise reflects a broader shift in how Indian consumers are approaching skincare — moving away from aspirational beauty toward outcome-driven, dermatologist-backed solutions. The brand’s clinic-to-consumer model, multi-category range, and clinical validation framework position it well for a segment that rewards trust and evidence over aesthetics and influencer reach.
For the Indian beauty industry, the combination of Fireside’s consumer brand expertise, L’Oréal’s global dermo-cosmetic network, and a founder with genuine clinical authority represents a genuinely differentiated foundation. In a category where credibility is the hardest thing to manufacture, CHOSEN is building it from the ground up.
