Formial Labs raises $347K pre-seed to take custom prescription skincare beyond the shelf

Formial Labs, a Bengaluru-based, doctor-led personalised prescription skincare startup, has raised $347K in a pre-seed funding round led by Zeropearl VC. Angel investors joined the round: Aarti Gill, founder of OZiva and Giga Capital; Arvind Radhakrishnan, director of partnerships at Social Alpha; and Dr Sushil Selvarajan, Dr Ashok Ray Chaudhury, Dr Shekhar Neema and Dr Dipti Thakur.

The company said it will use the fresh capital to expand its clinical team and consultation capacity, strengthen its technology for diagnosis, personalisation and follow-up, broaden its formulation portfolio across skin and hair care, and grow distribution through its own platform, dermatologist clinics and pharmacy partners.

At Formial Labs, skincare is not selected off the shelf; it is formulated from the ground up for each individual in the company's own lab. The startup was founded by Dr Jeet Patel, a physician trained in skin cancer, and combines bespoke formulation with a digital-first, clinician-led care model.

That sets it apart from conventional skincare brands built around standardised products. Formial develops custom-made formulations for each customer's specific skin concerns, from acne and pigmentation to signs of ageing. The personalisation extends beyond the formulation itself: digital consultations and ongoing clinical reviews allow treatment plans to be refined as individual needs evolve.

The startup has distributed more than 5,000 formulations across more than 87 SKUs and reports 40% month-on-month growth, with repeat customers contributing 40% of its business. It has also undertaken two peer-reviewed clinical studies, including a randomised controlled trial involving one of its formulations, and its clinical approach is supported by proprietary base vehicle technology and quality assurance frameworks.

Formial also holds LegitScript certifications for pharmacy and telehealth. LegitScript is the standard platforms such as Google and Meta use to verify that healthcare businesses operate legally and safely.

By bringing together in-house formulation, clinical expertise and continuous digital care, the company is pitching a distinctive approach to making personalised dermatology more accessible. As it moves into its next phase, Formial Labs aims to shape how prescription skincare is experienced by consumers, bringing greater consistency and continuity to the treatment journey. Its long-term vision is a care model in which personalised dermatological treatment becomes a more integrated part of everyday skin and hair health management.