Beginning today, Sephora is accepting applications for its 2025 Accelerate Program, its longstanding brand incubator aimed at building a community of innovative, inspirational brand founders of color in the beauty space.
Since its inception, the Sephora Accelerate Program has been committed to nurturing a new generation of beauty brands, providing them with the tools, mentorship, and resources they need to grow and succeed. In 2021, the program was revamped to focus exclusively on supporting BIPOC founders, reflecting Sephora’s commitment to the 15 Percent Pledge and cultivating a more diverse and inclusive beauty industry. Since then, 33 founders have completed the program, and more than half of the brands have now launched at Sephora, with offerings spanning the makeup, skincare, hair care, and fragrance categories.
Through the Accelerate program, founders are offered a 360-degree, six-month curriculum that includes mentorship, merchandising support, access to grants, investor connections, and more. This year, Sephora will continue assigning a dedicated advisory team to each program participant – including a financial and investment expert, a legacy industry partner, and a current brand founder from within the Sephora portfolio of brands – enabling personalized support for all. Importantly, the Accelerate program also serves a potential pathway for founders to launch their brands at Sephora.
Finalists will be announced in December, with the 2025 Sephora Accelerate program beginning in January and culminating in June 2025. Eligible applicants are required to be at least 18 years old, have a North American-incorporated company, and be in the early stages of development (i.e., not yet widely distributed by others). In selecting finalists, Sephora also considers each brand’s vision, innovation, and current product development. To learn more and apply, please visit sephoraaccelerate.com.
Accelerate brands currently available to shop at Sephora include:
