The Launchpad For Emerging Beauty & Wellness Entrepreneurs Enters Its Fourth Year With Stellar Advisory Board, Program Additions, Grants And Mentorship Opportunities
NEW YORK, July 9, 2026 — Maesa, an industry leading beauty brand incubator, is doubling down on its commitment to the next generation of beauty brand founders announcing the opening of applications for the 2027 Maesa Magic Incubator. The program, now in its fourth year, was created to support beauty and wellness entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities in transforming ambitious ideas into thriving businesses.
Developed to harness the same entrepreneurial ethos that has launched and grown Maesa itself, the Maesa Magic Incubator has become a launchpad for brands.
“It is exciting to see the compounding impact of the program that makes the beauty industry more inclusive and representative; this is exactly what we set out to do. We develop, mentor, and grow brands at Maesa. It is rewarding to extend that energy to the Maesa Magic Incubator community, paralleling our day to day with a bridge to the next generation,” said Piyush Jain, CEO of Maesa.
Since its launch in 2023, the program has supported underrepresented emerging founders who face barriers to capital, mentorship, and industry access. Through a combination of grant funding, tailored education, executive guidance, and unparalleled networking opportunities, the program equips entrepreneurs with the tools, connections, and confidence needed to accelerate growth and build lasting brands. To date, the Maesa Magic Incubator has awarded $315,000 in funding and supported nine founders in their quest to build the future of beauty and wellness.
“I’m most proud of the community we’ve built over the past four years, and it continues to grow with every new cohort,” said Jain. “We are seeing long-lasting relationships form – not just between founders but with Maesa and our employees as well. Our alumni continue to thrive and show up for one another, lifting each other as they grow. The way Maesa team members work with the entrepreneurs both through the program and beyond is truly inspiring. It is their spirit of paying it forward and sharing a little bit of the #maesamagic that makes the program special.”
A hallmark of the Maesa Magic Incubator is its Advisory Board, a curated group of founders and industry leaders who provide the cohort with direct access to the expertise shaping today’s beauty industry. Through mentorship, fireside chats, workshops, and capstone presentations, founders gain practical guidance from leaders who have successfully built and scaled category-defining businesses.
The 2027 Advisory Board welcomes:
- Brian Bordainick (Co-Founder, Starface & Julie)
- Brian Sugar (Founder, Sugar Capital & POPSUGAR)
- Olamide Olowe (Founder & CEO, Topicals)
- Shai Eisenman (Founder & CEO, Bubble)
- Tomi Talabi (Founder, The Black Beauty Club)
These new additions will support alongside returning advisors:
- Liraz Evenor (Managing Director, Bain Capital Private Equity Portfolio Group)
- Kelly Kovack (Founder & CEO, BeautyMatter)
- Molly Kennedy (SVP of Brand Marketing, Maesa)
- Piyush Jain (CEO, Maesa)
- Scott Kestenbaum (Co-Founder, Maesa)
Designed for beauty and wellness brands generating less than $1 million in annual sales, the program is open to founders who identify as women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, differently abled, seniors (65+), and/or from low-income backgrounds.
2027 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Funding
- $35,000 in grant funding awarded to each winner
Tailored Learning & Mentorship
- Personalized mentorship and hands-on support to help founders navigate real-world business challenges
- Custom learning tracks focused on specialized (“Major”) and complementary (“Minor”) areas of business development
- Fireside chats and educational sessions with leaders from across the beauty and consumer industries
Industry Access & In-Person Experiences
- Executive Education at Emerson University’s “Winning the Agentic Consumer” Program – An exclusive executive education experience hosted at the Harvard Faculty Club, where Harvard Business School faculty and leading industry experts will explore how AI is transforming consumer commerce, retail, and brand growth. Through immersive workshops, real-world case studies, and collaborative discussions, founders will gain practical strategies for navigating the rapidly evolving future of consumer behavior and business innovation.
- Cosmoprof North America Miami Experience – A fully funded opportunity to attend Cosmoprof North America Miami. The experience includes access to exclusive networking opportunities, educational programming, a dedicated panel discussion, and the prestigious Entrepreneur Academy, connecting founders with industry leaders and fellow innovators from across the beauty ecosystem.
The program culminates in a capstone presentation by the cohort to the advisory board.
Applications for the 2027 Maesa Magic Incubator are open now through August 7th, 2026.
Eligible entrepreneurs can learn more and apply at:
maesamagicincubator.awardsplatform.com
The Maesa Magic Incubator 2026 Cohort
The 2026 cohort recognized Jeanine Mojum (Amoureux Beauty), Jeffrey Stewart (Rizo Radiance), and Christal Alert (TONAL Cosmetics), with Alert’s brand launching at Violet Grey this summer—just months after completing the program.
About Maesa
Maesa is the Next-Gen Beauty Company, transforming the industry by incubating and growing meaningful, innovative brands and making prestige beauty accessible. Maesa believes beauty ignites inspiration, creativity, imagination, and connection, sparking new ideas and possibilities, and meeting unmet consumer needs. Through best-in-class design, formulation, brand creation and marketing capabilities, Maesa delivers new, better and different products with an unsurpassed speed to market. Maesa works with a variety of retailers to create and launch brands across beauty and wellness categories. The current portfolio includes Kristin Ess, Hairitage by Mindy McKnight, Fine’ry, Being Frenshe and MIX:BAR among other brands. For more information, visit www.maesa.com.
SOURCE Maesa
