Indian Startups Join L’Oréal’s Global Programme

L’Oréal has selected two Indian startups, Without and Nexus (Felis Leo Widgets), for the second cohort of its global L’AcceleratOR sustainability innovation programme.

The new cohort includes 13 companies from eight countries, bringing together startups developing technologies focused on climate action, nature protection and circularity. The programme is backed by a €100 million fund aimed at identifying, testing and scaling innovative solutions that can address environmental challenges.

The inclusion of two Indian companies highlights the growing presence of Indian startups in global sustainability and deep-tech initiatives.

Without Tackles Hard-to-Recycle Packaging

Indian climate-tech startup Without is working on solutions for one of the major challenges in packaging waste: flexible materials that are difficult to recycle through conventional processes.

The company focuses on recycling hard-to-recycle flexible packaging and converting it into durable materials. Its participation in L’AcceleratOR builds on earlier recognition through L’Oréal’s SAPMENA Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program.

Through the new programme, Without will have an opportunity to further develop and test its technology within a global corporate ecosystem.

Nexus Converts Agricultural Waste into Battery Technology

The second Indian participant, Nexus, operated by Felis Leo Widgets, is developing circular technology for producing energy-storage batteries using agricultural waste.

By exploring agricultural residue as a resource for battery production, the startup is working at the intersection of circular economy principles, waste utilisation and energy-storage technology.

Its selection places an Indian innovation focused on agricultural waste within an international cohort working on sustainability challenges across different industries.

From Pilot Projects to Global Scale

The 13 selected companies will now enter an acceleration phase led by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. The programme will focus on helping startups prepare their technologies for pilot deployment.

Selected companies will gain access to L’Oréal’s global resources and work toward launching six-to-nine-month pilot projects. Technologies demonstrating potential could subsequently be considered for wider implementation across L’Oréal’s international operations.

This pilot-led approach gives participating startups an opportunity to test their solutions in real-world business environments while exploring possibilities for future scale.

Expanding the Sustainability Innovation Pipeline

The second cohort represents a broader geographical footprint and includes the programme’s first water-technology selection. Other participating companies are developing solutions across next-generation packaging and materials, innovative ingredients, industrial processes and data intelligence.

L’Oréal has also launched Entering L’AcceleratOR, a docuseries documenting the experiences of three startups from the programme’s first cohort.

India’s Role in Global Climate Innovation

The selection of Without and Nexus reflects the range of sustainability challenges being addressed by Indian entrepreneurs, from packaging waste to agricultural residue and energy storage.

As global businesses increasingly seek practical technologies for climate and circularity challenges, programmes such as L’AcceleratOR are creating pathways for startups to move from innovation and testing toward broader commercial applications.

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