BEAUTY&YOU India returns with launch partner Nykaa, the Government of India’s Startup India, and a new Visionary Women’s Award to fuel beauty innovation in dynamic Indian market.
Nykaa, the pioneer of India’s beauty revolution, returns this year as lead partner, reaffirming its role as the driving force behind the country’s evolving beauty narrative. Over the past decade, Nykaa has redefined how India discovers, experiences, and embraces beauty, while playing a pivotal role in spotlighting Indian beauty on the global stage. This year’s program also features Startup India following the launch of its partnership with ELC through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of India’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) – the first-of-its-kind between a global beauty company and Startup India. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to supporting Indian entrepreneurs and women-founded startups.
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Advancing Innovation & Entrepreneurship in India
Nadine Graf, President, Europe, UK & Ireland, and Emerging Markets, The Estée Lauder Companies, said: “India continues to inspire—not only as a dynamic beauty market, but as a global force for innovation and bold entrepreneurship. Through BEAUTY&YOU India, we have seen firsthand how ideas rooted in culture and courage can shape the future of beauty. This year, I am especially proud that the program will launch a new Visionary Women’s Award—a tribute to the ambition, ingenuity, and leadership of women founders. Supporting them is more than an opportunity: it’s a responsibility we embrace with purpose.”
Sanjiv Singh, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, said: “Our collaboration with The Estée Lauder Companies underscores the role of public-private partnerships in advancing innovation and strengthening India’s startup ecosystem. Building on the program’s success, we are pleased to extend Startup India’s support to BEAUTY&YOU India 2025 and help create new opportunities for emerging entrepreneurs.”
Shaping India’s Beauty Ecosystem
Falguni Nayar, Executive Chairperson, MD & CEO of Nykaa, commented: “At Nykaa, we’ve spent over a decade shaping India’s beauty ecosystem, from discovery to distribution, and from consumers to creators. As lead partner for BEAUTY&YOU India 2025, we are proud to extend that ecosystem to early-stage founders through a program designed to transform bold ideas into scalable, future-facing brands. In collaboration with The Estée Lauder Companies, this initiative offers the resources, network, and credibility needed to empower the next generation of beauty entrepreneurs.”
Rohan Vaziralli, General Manager, The Estée Lauder Companies, India, added: “BEAUTY&YOU India reflects our ambition to not just participate in, but actively shape the future of beauty in India. With the support of Startup India and DPIIT, this platform has become a national engine for beauty entrepreneurship—grounded in cultural insight, commercial potential, and inclusive innovation.”
Expanded Prize Program & New Visionary Women’s Award
Winners will receive financial support from a prize pool of up to $500,000 and earn recognition across four award categories:
- GROW: Best in-market beauty brands.
- IMAGINE: Best pre-launch beauty concepts.
- BREAKTHROUGH: Leading innovations in beauty, such as new product technologies and business model innovations such as ingredients, AI, and sustainability.
- VISIONARY WOMEN’S AWARD: Inspired by ELC’s legacy as a beauty company founded by a trailblazing woman, this award, new in 2025 and presented with Startup India, will recognize the innovation and impact of outstanding women entrepreneurs.
Along with monetary awards, winners receive support and promotion, including:
One-on-one mentorship from global beauty and business leaders.
- Brand-building and distribution support through Nykaa’s powerful ecosystem, spanning discovery, consumer insights, digital amplification, omnichannel presence, and access to its extensive network.
- National visibility and strategic opportunities through Startup India, including participation in Startup Mahakumbh, the world’s largest startup event.
BEAUTY&YOU India 2025 seeks applicants whose deep cultural insights and use of new technologies or formulations meet the evolving needs of Indian beauty consumers. Since its launch in 2022, the program has become a powerful platform—receiving more than 1,500 applications from 150+ cities in India and around the world, with the majority from women entrepreneurs. Finalists for this year’s program will be announced in September and invited to present their concepts to a panel of industry experts this October in Mumbai.
The Estée Lauder Companies is a leading prestige beauty company in India. Over the past 20 years, ELC has launched 14 brands locally across makeup, skin care, hair care, and fragrance. The company is committed to supporting rising brands, businesses, and talent in India through innovative programs and its strategic investment in Mountain Valley Springs India Private Limited, the parent company of Forest Essentials, India’s foremost luxury Ayurvedic skin care brand. Through BEAUTY&YOU India, ELC, and partners including Nykaa and Startup India, continues to champion innovation, elevate entrepreneurship, and shape the future of beauty.
