London-based beauty tech firm YUV, which creates a smart system for custom professional hair color, has raised $12 million in a Series A funding round led by Nineyards Equity, with participation from Founder Francisco Gimenez, existing investor VNV Global, and a network of strategic angel investors.
- Established in 2021 by Francisco Gimenez, YUV develops a digital platform for professional hair coloring that integrates hardware, software, and patented formulations.
- Its flagship product, the yuv® Lab, enables salons and freelance colorists to create and reproduce custom hair color formulas with precision.
- The system uses refillable cartridges and an app interface to control measurements, pH, and tonal adjustments, while an AI-powered inventory tracks usage and automates restocking.
- A compact label printer organizes color bowls, and the platform supports permanent, demi-permanent, semi-permanent, and bleach products developed with Swiss research and professional validation.
- YUV’s platform reduces waste, lowers costs, and streamlines salon operations, providing stylists with repeatable, customizable results efficiently.
Details of the deal
- YUV aims to use the $12 million Series A funding to accelerate growth in the UK, expand into the US market in 2026, and scale its digital hair color platform, including its hardware, software, and sustainable refillable cartridges, while supporting salons and freelance stylists with improved efficiency, creativity, and reduced waste.
"YUV is reshaping how the professional color market operates, and we’re thrilled to partner with Francisco and the team as they scale across the UK and accelerate into the US during 2026 and beyond," claims Eric Sävendahl, Partner at Nineyards Equity.
