Unilever Ventures backs India's Secret Alchemist as brand lands BoF 2026 finalist slot

Clean perfume label Secret Alchemist, co-founded by actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu with Ankita Thadani and Akash Valia, closed a minority round led by Unilever Ventures and is one of 15 finalists from 27 countries in BoF's Global Beauty Awards Emerging Track for early 2026.

— Source publishedTue, 19 May, 2026, 17:30 IST·First seen Tue, 19 May, 2026, 17:46 IST·Source Business of Fashion · Retail

What happened

India's Secret Alchemist, a clean perfume brand co-founded by Ankita Thadani, Akash Valia and actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu, is a finalist in BoF's 2026 Global

Key facts

  • $16
  • 100 applications
  • 27 countries
  • 15 finalists

Why this matters

Strategic corporates should map India's clean beauty founders earlier—Unilever just locked in optionality on a globally-recognized emerging brand before competitors could engage.