Paris startup Innerskin has just closed a €12.8 million Series A funding round to bolster its chain of aesthetics centres and integrated skin-health services. Founded in 2022 by Chrystelle Eid, the company has already unveiled 19 centres across France. This fresh capital injection, led by IRIS Ventures and supported by Label Capital, positions Innerskin to expand its footprint beyond its home country.
If you’ve kept an eye on the beauty and wellness industry, you’ll have noticed how our approach to self-care is shifting. The days of static, one-size-fits-all models are fading. In their place, new companies are emerging, offering personalized, science-driven solutions. Innerskin, with its hybrid approach to beauty and health, is a perfect example.
Breaking Down Innerskin’s Strategy and Appeal
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Integrated Service Model
Innerskin’s business model is all about bridging the gap between medical-grade treatments and consumer-facing beauty services. Customers not only access in-clinic care but can also purchase quality skin-health products tailored to their needs. This seamless combination of clinical precision and lifestyle appeal caters to a growing segment of consumers looking for results-driven yet accessible solutions. -
Market Fit and Expansion Potential
Consumer demand for non-invasive cosmetic procedures and medically-informed skincare has swelled in recent years. The global obsession with skin health isn’t just a trend, it reflects deeper behavioral changes. People increasingly associate beauty with wellness. As such, Innerskin’s branding hits the mark by addressing both. This fresh round of funding anticipates not just deeper saturation within France but also entry into new European markets. -
The Power of Preventative Solutions
Innerskin’s combined focus on preventative care for face and body aligns beautifully with what customers now value: longevity and maintaining health, rather than quick fixes. Their clinics’ reliance on premium technology and highly trained staff reinforces trust and drives results.
The Funding: Why €12.8 Million Is Significant
IRIS Ventures, the lead investor, has staked its name on backing forward-thinking beauty and wellness startups. Chrystelle Eid’s track record as a strong founder with operational rigor helped seal the investment. Montse Suárez, managing partner at IRIS Ventures, noted Innerskin’s ability to deliver “care and sophistication at scale.” This scale isn’t just about physical footprints, it’s about setting a high standard across each facility.
While this round falls short of massive ceiling-shattering deals, its context in Europe is worth highlighting. Many consumer-focused wellness businesses have hovered in the €4 million to €8 million range over the past two years. By comparison, Innerskin’s €12.8 million signals growing investor interest in integrated-service operators, not merely technology providers or ingredient developers that stay behind the scenes.
How Founders Can Learn From Innerskin
Every entrepreneur in wellness, or any service-oriented business, should study this funding success story. Here’s what stood out:
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Knowing Your Niche Matters
Innerskin went after a well-defined market: people seeking premium but attainable skin-health services. Rather than stretch themselves trying to appeal to every demographic, they carved deeply into their segment. -
Clarity of Vision Helps Close Deals
Investors don’t just back brands; they back leaders. Chrystelle Eid articulated a clear plan that went beyond numbers. She demonstrated why Innerskin stood out from competitors and how long-term expansion could sustain itself. -
Adaptable Models Reign Supreme
The fusion of clinical-grade care with retail-friendly options adds flexibility and scalability. Entrepreneurs relying solely on one stream (e.g., clinics alone or product-only models) might limit their growth trajectory. Blending them opens new pathways.
Most Common Mistakes in Similar Industries
Let’s talk pitfalls. Many startups eager to dive into beauty or health-tech repeat the same errors, such as:
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Overcomplicating Solutions
Sophisticated tech is useful, but if users can’t understand your services or products upfront, trust erodes. Innerskin kept it simple, clinics for results, products for upkeep. Nothing convoluted. -
Ignoring the Local-Global Balance
Startups often barrel into international expansion without solid local foundations. Innerskin spent its first three years fine-tuning its services in France, creating replicable success before eyeing further growth. This patience pays off. -
Copycat Strategies
Mimicking competitors is easy but risky. Instead, focus on being distinct. Merging aesthetic care with wellness wasn’t vaguely tapped into when Innerskin launched. Think about how your startup could address overlooked intersections.
Stats Worth Chewing Over
The global aesthetic medicine market is forecasted to grow to €30 billion by 2029. A significant chunk of this demand will emerge from non-invasive and minimally invasive treatments. Pair this with consumers’ increasing shift to products tied to transparency, medical backing, and proven efficiency, Innerskin’s model couldn’t have come at a better time.
More locally, Europe contributes nearly a third of the global market, underpinned by strong beauty culture in regions like France, Spain, and Italy. This makes Innerskin’s dominance within French borders even more critical, it sets a blueprint for how they might fare abroad.
My Thoughts as a Founder
As someone who has also spent years building startups, I see this round as much more than a win for one particular founder or one investment fund. It's about leadership in a specific niche. By doubling down on connecting health with beauty, Innerskin proves what every founder should internalize: specificity wins markets.
If you’re working within saturated sectors, don’t shy away from narrowing your target. Then, over-deliver in that space. Investors aren’t more likely to fund generalists, they prefer visionaries.
The earlier you identify your startup’s counterpart to Innerskin’s "integrated service model," the better grounded your pitch will be.
Final Takeaway
Innerskin’s story magnifies how startups can succeed by not trying to do everything but excelling in what truly matters. If you're a business owner pondering how to scale, the lesson is clear. Nail down your niche. Build systems that allow you to replicate and evolve. And when you’re ready to pitch for funding? Make sure your expansion plan is grounded in real, localized success, just like Chrystelle Eid's has been.
If you want more examples of great founders, check resources like EU Startups and explore how other businesses have positioned themselves as leaders.
FAQ
1. What is Innerskin and what does it specialize in?
Innerskin is a Paris-based startup founded in 2022 by Chrystelle Eid. The company specializes in integrating medical-grade skin-health services and non-invasive aesthetic treatments with retail-friendly skincare products. Learn more about Innerskin
2. How much funding did Innerskin raise in its Series A round?
Innerskin raised €12.8 million during its Series A funding round to expand its network of aesthetics centers and advance its skin-health offerings. Read more on this funding round
3. Who led Innerskin’s Series A funding?
The funding round was led by IRIS Ventures, alongside existing investor Label Capital. IRIS Ventures focuses on supporting beauty and wellness startups with a strong market potential. Discover IRIS Ventures’ investment in Innerskin
4. What is the scope of Innerskin's current operations?
As of 2025, Innerskin operates 19 aesthetics centers across France, providing integrated services for skin and body care, combining clinical-grade precision with consumer appeal. Learn more about their scope
5. What markets is Innerskin planning to expand into?
The company intends to use its recent funding to expand beyond France into other European markets, adapting its hybrid skincare model to a broader audience. Check out Innerskin’s expansion plans
6. What makes Innerskin’s business model unique?
Innerskin combines preventive medical aesthetics and clinical-grade skincare services with retail solutions. This hybrid approach merges wellness with beauty to meet growing consumer demand for holistic self-care. Understand Innerskin’s business model
7. Who are the key stakeholders and executives involved with Innerskin?
Chrystelle Eid, the founder and CEO, was pivotal in the funding success. Montse Suárez, managing partner at IRIS Ventures, praised Eid's operational rigor and strategic vision. Discover key executives at Innerskin
8. What inspired investor confidence in Innerskin?
Innerskin impressed investors with its clarity of vision, niche specialization in skin-health services, and a scalable business model combining in-clinic care with retail offerings. Learn more about investor confidence in Innerskin
9. How does Innerskin address market demand?
Innerskin aligns with modern trends by offering non-invasive, results-driven solutions that merge clinical-grade precision with a focus on wellness and aesthetics, addressing consumer interest in holistic self-care. Understand more about market demand in this sector
10. How does Innerskin fit into the larger aesthetics and wellness market?
The aesthetics and wellness market is booming globally, with Europe contributing significantly. Innerskin’s model taps into this market shift by aligning skin care with preventative wellness. Explore the market context for Innerskin
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.