Oxygen is brought to skin cells by the hemoglobin in our red blood cells. As we age, more and more oxygen is brought to our vital organs and less to skin cells, causing capillaries to dry and disappear. In fact, 60% of the skin’s oxygen levels are lost by age 40. This depletion of oxygen is a leading cause of the appearance of aging with breakdown in collagen and elastin and the appearance of wrinkles, lines, and discoloration. Element Eight is an anti-aging oxygen-infused skin care brand to combat these effects. Developed for use in spine surgeries to promote healing, the company’s topical hemoglobin solution brings liquid oxygen directly to skin cells while also stimulating the body’s natural ability to deliver oxygen. Element Eight offers two 8-day transformation starter therapy regimens that retail at $90, focused on firming, hydration, and repairing skin.
AlleyWatch caught up with Element Eight CEO and Founder Gerard Camme to learn more about the business, the company’s strategic plans, latest round of funding, and much, much more…
Who were your investors and how much did you raise?
This was a SAFE Round of funding, with $2.5M of investment from existing investors, and an additional $3.5M from new investors. 45% of the round came from surgeons, dermatologists, and PhD scientists, demonstrating scientific acumen of the brand. 34% of the round came from Private family offices with experience in beauty investing. Another 14% of the round came from management, employees, and members of the company’s board of directors, demonstrating the excitement about the Company’s progress from the inside.
Immediately upon closing this SAFE funding, ELEMENT EIGHT announced it will proceed on to a new $6.25M Series A Round to continue to accelerate the growth of potent skincare products.
Tell us about the product or service that Element Eight offers.
Founded in 2022, ELEMENT EIGHT is bringing the latest advances in oxygen-infusing medicine to skincare. Developed by a world-renowned team of spine surgeons, biomaterial engineers, dermatologists, clinical researchers, and systems group engineers. Collectively they hold 16 MD-PHDs, 120 medical patents, and over 100,000 uses of technologies they have developed. The team spent over a decade developing the brand’s proprietary OATH™: Oxygen Amplified Therapy technology mimics the function of hemoglobin to deliver 20x more oxygen directly to skin cells up to 700 microns deep, counteracting the key signs of aging, all of which are caused by oxygen depletion in the skin.
What inspired the start of Element Eight?
ELEMENT EIGHT was inspired by the transformative power of oxygen, which has been used in spine surgery to accelerate healing processes.
How is Element Eight different?
ELEMENT EIGHT is distinct from its competitors because it is bringing the highest level of biomedicine to skin care to address the skin’s biological function as a means to address common skincare concerns such as anti-aging. With this unique approach and the cutting-edge technology of the brand’s proprietary OATH™, the brand is able to deliver unparalleled results.
What market does Element Eight target and how big is it?
ELEMENT EIGHT targets the luxury skincare market. According to Market Statistics and Industry Insights, as of 2022, the global Luxury Skincare market was estimated at $21.8B, and it’s anticipated to reach $35.8B in 2028, with a CAGR of 8.64% during the forecast years.
What’s your business model?
Our mission is to remain true to our science-leaning roots while continuing to revolutionize the delivery of liquid oxygen with OATH. We are happy to be in the very dynamic luxury and efficacious segment of the skincare market and we have a mission to lead in this area.
How are you preparing for a potential economic slowdown?
You sort of always have to be aware of what’s happening economically from a global and domestic perspective. But we continue to plan with a focus on providing our core target client with innovative, efficacious products and allow outside forces to distract us. Over the course of time, the economy will remain cyclical.
What was the funding process like?
Our brand is spinoff technology developed for spine surgery. That company was funded by 70 or so surgeons and derms and scientists…with other participation from family offices connected to the group. We have a very engaged group who believes in our strategy.
What are the biggest challenges that you faced while raising capital?
As we enter into this next round, we are focused on demonstrating the traction we have gained in just one year including curated global distribution partnerships, client validation, digital awareness, and steady growth. Our challenge will be to stand out as there are so many emerging brands …but our concept is unique, fills a white space, and fits perfectly into the segment of the market that has outpaced the category for growth for the past 10 years +.
What factors about your business led your investors to write the check?
Our DNA is well defined, our target customer represents 30% of the skincare market, we have strategic partnerships secured internationally, and we fill a white space in a very crowded market.
What are the milestones you plan to achieve in the next six months?
We have innovative new product launches. We will shortly announce the partnerships we secured.
What advice can you offer companies in New York that do not have a fresh injection of capital in the bank?
Focus on your strength and leverage it. If you do it well, the capital will follow. Just don’t give up!
Where do you see the company going now over the near term?
We are hyper-focused on two things – innovative new product development and flawless execution with the role out of our new distribution.
What’s your favorite fall destination in and around the city?
I’m a runner so Central Park at sunrise during peak fall foliage is the best! But then again, Central Park is always amazing and a great escape from the hustle and bustle whenever needed.
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