This article was posted on the ChosunBiz MoneyMove (MM) site at 3:09 p.m. on Sep. 18, 2025.
Bio-beauty brand Arocell, which uses stem cell culture fluid in cosmetics, has raised 4 billion won in new investment. Institutional investors such as venture capital firms betting on the expansion of functional cosmetics amid K-beauty's popularity participated.
On the 18th, according to the VC industry, Arocell operator FIC C recently conducted a Series B fundraising and raised 4 billion won in new capital. Hanwha Investment & Securities' new technology finance division led the investment, investing 2 billion won.
FIC C's latest fundraising came about a year after it raised 2 billion won in a Series A in May last year, and in addition to Hanwha Investment & Securities, Capstone Partners and Time Works Investment were identified as new investors.
FIC C started with the goal of making functional cosmetics based on biotechnology. The company was founded in 2019 by CEO Park Eui-hoon, a former senior researcher at the technology research institute of a leading domestic cosmetics corporation and a former pharmaceutical company researcher.
The flagship product is the Arocell Super Collagen Mask, a sheet mask using human umbilical cord blood-derived stem cell culture fluid. Human umbilical cord blood-derived stem cell culture fluid is classified as a "skin conditioning agent" among cosmetic ingredients and is known to have skin-moisturizing enhancement effects.
Recently, the company also released a sheet mask that uses the botulinum ingredient, the raw material of Botox. It is characterized by improved absorption through the application of a bio drug delivery system, and it has also registered a patent for a wrinkle-improving cosmetic containing botulinum as an active ingredient.
Investors were said to have focused on the potential expansion of K-beauty demand for functional cosmetics. The Super Collagen Mask gained popularity after entering Olive Young last year, ranking first in online sales in the sheet mask category.
The fact that shares of APR, a beauty tech company that makes beauty devices, have been soaring every day also had a positive impact. APR's market value exceeded 8 trillion won as it posted strong quarterly results driven by the popularity of home beauty devices after going public with a valuation of 2 trillion won.
A VC industry official said, "If APR moved cosmetic medical devices used in dermatology clinics to home use, FIC C makes home-care cosmetics using bio ingredients," adding, "Customer satisfaction is also high, with repurchase rates exceeding 35%." According to industry sources, the typical repurchase rate for cosmetics is around 15%.
Meanwhile, FIC C plans to use the funds raised for media marketing. The company intends to increase brand awareness and product exposure by leveraging media content, and it is understood to be planning to secure new logistics hubs.