Estée Lauder investment arm NIV : Community beauty firm Kiki recently revealed its first round of funding investors, which includes A16z crypto and The Estée Lauder Companies’ New Incubation Ventures (NIV).

Marketing analysts will find that the round included a variety of investors, such as consumer-tech funds Double Down, 2Punks Capital, and Advancit, as well as digital communities RedDao and OrangeDao, and digital creator GMoney. However, no specific financial details of the investment were disclosed.

A16z crypto’s decision to invest in Kiki is a result of the brand’s involvement in its spring 2023 Crypto Startup Accelerator program. Meanwhile, NIV recouped its investment in November 2022, when Kiki was still in its early stages before being launched, as stated in a press release.

The co-founders of Kiki, Jana Bobosikova, Brendon Garner, and Ricky Chan, highlighted the significant role that brand websites play in both selling products and educating consumers. They emphasized Kiki’s cutting-edge platform, which surpasses the capabilities of traditional brand.com to harness community engagement and foster creativity in the face of rapidly emerging trends.

Founded in 2023, Kiki operates as a beauty brand that prioritizes community involvement. Our products are developed in collaboration with our valued users, who provide us with valuable feedback. Our company leverages its exclusive platform and blockchain infrastructure to enable a fresh approach for customers to engage with each other and the brand beyond conventional web2 channels and social media. Through a collaborative approach, we have successfully launched unique product collections like Kiki’s Skin Development Kit and the NFC-enabled Pretty Nail Graffiti pen, among others.

Shana Randhava, Senior Vice President at NIV, The Estée Lauder Companies, enthusiastically praised Kiki’s focus on enhancing the customer experience. She observed that Kiki, with its unique platform, is leading the way in web3 technology, revolutionizing the way consumers can collaborate with brands and participate in groundbreaking ways. Randhava emphasized the significance of this investigation into a fresh consumer-centric approach, offering valuable insights into the future of beauty for The Estée Lauder Companies.

NIV’s portfolio has expanded with the addition of Kiki, along with other notable brands like Faculty, Haeckels, Melt Season, and Code Mint. These investments have been made since March 2021.