Nourie closed a $2.5 million seed round to launch the braiding hair brand. Founder Osahon Ojeaga joins a small circle of Black female founders who have raised over $1 million in venture capital.
WHO: Founded by Osahon Ojeaga and Mary Moore, Nourie was created to disrupt and reimagine Black haircare, undoing the narrative that hair braiding is harmful with a patent-pending, plant-sourced hair extension that delivers nutrients to the hair and scalp. Led by a brilliant team of Black women scientists and developed in conjunction with North Carolina State University, Nourie's next-generation extensions are circular and sustainable. By creating braiding hair that supports hair and scalp health, they empower professionals to provide braid service in a way they have never been able to.
WHY: The capital will fund the launch of the brand.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Nourie founder Osahon Ojeaga said, "The synthetic braiding hair industry is one that is intentionally unknown and underground. The target consumer is the most neglected group in American society. Who is actually paying attention? Who is looking out for them? Today with Nourie Hair, we are. We've taken it upon ourselves to make something with the wearer's well-being at its core."
She continued, "Hair has become a status symbol for women everywhere. Black women have been subjected to some of the lowest quality materials by way of fashion and beauty products, leading to irritation and contamination. We are championing a new future, in which sustainability and wellness are paramount."
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Nourie co-founder and CEO Osahon Ojeaga said, "Mary [Moore, co-founder and Chief Science Officer] and I have the perfect balance of experience and overlapping passion for the space. Mary's technical background in materials, her interest in scalp wellness, and being the mother of a daughter who has sensitivities to nearly everything on the market today, coupled with my passion for the preservation of humankind, my experience in the startup scene, and my personal trauma with hair extension products marketed for braiding, created the perfect storm to fuel the vision for Nourie.”
Westley Dang, Program Director at IndieBio, Principal at SOSV, said, "We don't think we can find a better founder-market fit than with the team at Nourie. They are historically and culturally embedded into the problem they are solving, and using cutting edge science and product development to hone their craft. Nourie's vision proves that identity and self-expression can be done with biologically expressed materials, not toxic chemicals and plastics. The future of fashion and beauty is the congruence of natural beings expressing themselves with natural accessories, and Nourie is our path towards that future, while not compromising on performance."
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