Joshua Britton founded Debut in 2019 as a graduate student at the University of California, Irvine Department of Chemistry. While working in his professor’s lab, Joshua developed an efficient and green method of synthesizing molecules found only in trace quantities in plants. Specifically, he invented a way to accelerate enzymes, the machines that make life possible by catalyzing chemical transformations.
He knew he had reached a breakthrough when he began creating novel bioactive ingredients that could only be created with his platform. Additionally, when he tested these ingredients, he found that in some cases they had a 1,000% improvement in critical functions for beauty such as skin barrier protection, antioxidant activity, and even senescence.
This research inspired Joshua to build a biotech beauty company. Joshua’s vision was to manufacture rare—but highly useful—molecules found in nature through a much more sustainable approach than current technologies allow. The approach sidesteps the need for cultivating plants, leading to decreased carbon emissions, requiring infinitely less land and less water, and preserving the earth’s precious natural resources.
Four years later, in June 2023, Debut announced its groundbreaking partnership with L’Oréal. Like Tesla and Apple, Debut’s vertical integration is the key to making impactful, tangible products with biology, ensuring the company’s technology enters and transforms global supply chains. Its proprietary Bio2Consumer platform is an end-to-end process for discovering, validating, testing, creating, and producing novel, proprietary bioactive ingredients for commercialization, leaving the R&D phase firmly behind. With its vertical structure, Debut is innovating bioactive ingredients in a way that is built for globalization, impact, and longevity.
Today, Debut holds over 70 patents in ingredients and formulations, and Joshua leads a rapidly growing multidisciplinary team of 100 people executing an aggressive commercialization strategy and delivering on the promise of biomanufacturing by vertically integrating into product.
BeautyMatter caught up with Joshua Britton, Founder & CEO of Debut and BeautyMatter 2024 NEXT Innovator of the Year finalist.
What does innovation mean to you?
Innovation is about pushing boundaries and redefining the status quo. It’s not just tweaking existing ideas or products but fundamentally questioning and reinventing what’s possible and asking how beauty products can be reimagined to discover better, more effective solutions. All the biggest innovations in history have been from outsiders. In beauty that means blending insights from science, engineering, new product development, and manufacturing, and creating something so novel that consumers may not yet even realize they need it.
What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?
Bringing groundbreaking products from the lab into people's homes is what is most meaningful to me. Unlike many scientific endeavors that remain confined to research facilities, Debut has successfully developed biotechnology products that are actively enhancing lives across the globe. This accomplishment is especially significant given that we’ve done so with a lean team of just 100 people, achieving results that surpass those of much larger companies with 2,000 employees. Another major milestone is our partnership with L’Oréal. Debut is playing a key role in L’Oréal’s global transformation to biotechnology, demonstrating the profound impact and potential of our innovations on an international scale. We are very focused on 95% bio-based formulations and products that can provide heightened levels of sustainability while also being best in class. From the beginning, we took a bold risk by choosing to become fully vertically integrated. By ignoring conventional advice to adopt a horizontal model and embracing a more ambitious, vertically integrated approach, we have set ourselves apart in the biotech industry and solidified our position as a biotech company with a robust and scalable business model.
Innovation is about trying new things and taking risks, making failure inextricably tied to the process. Everyone wants to be innovative but they fear the consequences of failure. What is your relationship with "failure"?
When I started Debut, I only had $1,000 to my name, which meant that failure wasn’t an option. This reality shaped my view of the innovation process. To me, failure is not a setback, but a valuable opportunity for learning and growth. It’s a sign that we’re pushing boundaries and exploring new frontiers. The best kind of failure is where we quickly learn, iterate, and refine our approach to make a better product. It’s through this cycle of failing and learning that we drive innovation forward. If you’re not encountering failure frequently, it’s likely that you’re not challenging the status quo enough or pushing the envelope. Failure is, in essence, the evidence that you are daring to try new things. Without a strong team that understands and embraces this philosophy, navigating failure and leveraging it for growth would be impossible. Each failure brings us closer to groundbreaking achievements.
True innovation often spurs imitation. How do you ensure you maintain the competitive edge your innovation provided?
Maintaining our competitive edge hinges on our commitment to advanced science and rigorous validation. At Debut, we only release an ingredient or product when we can confidently assert that it represents the best in the marketplace. We begin our product development process with a focus on quantitative science and data. We ask ourselves whether we have the robust scientific testing and mathematical support needed to substantiate our claims. This ensures that our innovations are not just novel but genuinely superior. Our commitment to this rigorous process helps us stay ahead and ensure that our innovations continue to deliver exceptional value and performance.
It is easy to be disruptive in the early stages of a business, but organizational culture often resists change and innovation. How have you built a culture that will continue to support innovation as you scale?
Thriving at Debut requires an ability to embrace change. If change upsets you, then this isn't the right environment for you. Our culture is deeply rooted in scientific testing, validation, and experimentation. As such, our team is accustomed to the cycles of experimentation and the months of iterative failure that lead to breakthrough successes. This resilience and willingness to push through setbacks is a core part of our DNA. We view innovation as a constant, evolving journey—one that requires ongoing adaptation and learning.
What advice would you give to the next generation of innovators?
My advice is to embrace struggle and resilience. True innovation rarely happens within the comfort of a 40-hour workweek or with a safety net. At Debut, we constantly face challenges and setbacks, and that struggle is part of what drives us forward. If you're aiming to make a real impact and drive meaningful change, be prepared to work hard and push through adversity. Welcome the word “no” and keep pushing forward.
What excites you about the future of the industry?
What excites me is the profound shift towards biotechnology and science as core differentiators. When we started five years ago, biology and biotech were considered niche elements in the beauty and dermatology sectors. Fast-forward to today, and we’re witnessing a dramatic transformation where biotechnology is becoming a key driver of product differentiation. Brands that start their journey with a strong foundation in science and biotech are setting themselves apart and leading the charge. The future of the industry is clearly heading towards a model where science-backed, dermatologically tested products are not just an advantage but a baseline expectation. It’s a future where science and technology are shaping a new era of industry standards and opportunities.
Where do you find your inspiration?
I find my inspiration primarily in my team. I’m fortunate to work with some of the best minds in the industry. Their dedication and drive are evident every day of the week, fueling our collective pursuit of innovation. Additionally, the forward-thinking mindset and willingness of our investors to take real venture risks, rather than just following trends, provide a strong foundation for our work. This combination of a passionate team and supportive backers creates an environment where we can rise above challenges and maintain momentum, even on the toughest days. It’s this dynamic synergy that keeps us all striving for excellence.
