⚡ How this Skincare Start-Up is going Deeper than the Surface

Morning Innovators ⚡ In less than 5 minutes, we’ll cover…

🥳 The best funding opportunities, events and jobs in the Start-Up world this week
📰 This week’s biggest news stories in the Start-Up world
🧴 How is this Skincare Start-Up going deeper than the surface?
⛽️ How fake petrol pumps can get you in front of tens of thousands of customers
⭐️ A tool that helps you keep on top of reviews with ease

✨ Last weeks most clicked link was a draw, we had this link taking you through to Kevin Jiang’s post about writing 8x $500k cheques into bold, category defining ideas AND this link taking you through to the fresh $4.6bn Founders fund!

Happy hustling,

Rich

🎤 Opportunities + Events

♻️ Vinted have launched their own fund, looking to invest €500,000 - €10,000,000 is recommerce companies between Series A and Series C - get in touch here!

💰 EWOR have raised a $68m fund to find the next billion dollar Founders in Europe, you can apply here!

🧠 I’ll include this one again as I added the wrong link last week - James Roycroft-Davis is looking to write 10 cheques of up to $250k into Start-Ups in Wellness, Behavioural health, mental performance and brain health - find out more here!

💳 Volution have raised a new $100m fund to invest in UK FinTech companies Series A and up, you can submit your deck here!

📣 HubSpot are hosting their emerging AI pitch competition, the winner gets $6,000 in cash and over $100,000 in software freebies - apply here!

We now have a community of thousands of Start-Ups and Founders, here are the hottest Start-Up job opportunities from the Innovators Uncensored community on our very own Start-Ups Job Board!

💼 Start-Up Jobs

♟ Head of Operations, PerfectTed
💻 Software Engineer, &Dine
🥤 Ecommerce and Digital Marketing Manager, PerfectTed

☁️ Trump tariffs threaten cloud price hike for European Start-Ups. Sifted

🤝 a16z acqui-hires VC Tech Podcaster Erik Torenberg, who joins as partner. TechCrunch

🧐 Mysterious Financier asks judge to stop Canoo asset sale. TechCrunch

🤺 Monzo inches towards high street rivals with major user milestone. UKTN

Planning a trip for business or pleasure?

Finalrentals, a pioneering car rental fintech headquartered in Wales, has revolutionised the industry with its innovative approach and product-centric strategy. By addressing key challenges within the car rental sector, Finalrentals has experienced remarkable growth, increasing its size sixfold in the past 12 months. The company's expansion is not limited to growth metrics alone; it has also successfully established a robust global presence, extending its footprint across the EU and the Caribbean.

Book your rental here!

Last weekend saw the London Marathon take place, and Puresport gave a lesson on going where your customers are!

Puresport are a high performance hydration brand, so when tens of thousands of people are running the London marathon, they knew they had to be there. They came up with a genius way to give out their hydration products through their ‘Refuelling Station’, passing it out to passing by runners via their Puresport petrol pumps. With tens of thousands of athletes running, even more people watching from the side, and millions watching on TV, this was a great way to showcase what their brand is all about.

I imagine they had a pretty sizeable budget to do this, which most Start-Ups don’t have. However, is there a way you can build a version of the refuelling station for your business on a budget and take it to where your customers are?

Each week we highlight our favourite tools - either something we’ve been using in our businesses, or tools that our innovator community have recommended.

Fullreviews allows you to reply to Google Reviews automatically with AI and boost your local SEO. Start for free.

Clear For Men: Skincare with Purpose, More Than Skin Deep

Clear For Men is a skincare brand on a mission to break down stigmas and spark open conversations, one bottle at a time. Founded by Louis, Clear For Men was born from his personal mental health journey, serving as a daily reminder for men to Take Five and to see vulnerability as a true mark of strength.

The brand's flagship product, the ‘Take Five Facial Cleanser’, is designed specifically for normal and combination skin, offering deep hydration and helping to minimise pore appearance - all with just one simple daily step. For every sale, 15% of profits are donated to CALM and MIND via Work for Good, embedding mental health support into the very fabric of the business.

A Solo Journey: Resilience in Action

Louis has built Clear For Men entirely on his own, and he’s honest about the highs and lows that come with being a solo founder. The path has often been lonely, filled with moments of self-doubt, but it has also fostered immense resilience. Over four years of growth, Louis has discovered a deep well of capability within himself, surprising even his own expectations.

Running the business solo has also taught him the value of community—reaching out for support and connecting with others has been a crucial lifeline throughout the journey.

First Customers: The Power of Organic Advocacy

Clear For Men’s earliest customers came through thoughtful influencer outreach. Louis gifted products to select influencers, allowing their authentic experiences to drive organic social proof. Their genuine endorsements brought in new customers - many of whom remain loyal today.

Rather than relying heavily on ads, Louis chose to focus on improving the brand’s organic social media presence, building a trusted, relatable voice that resonated more deeply with his audience.

Scaling Through Connection

The breakthrough in scaling came through TikTok livestreams. These sessions allowed Clear For Men to reach new audiences in real-time, offering a direct, personal way to engage potential customers who had never encountered the brand before. Live-streaming not only expanded reach but strengthened community, a core part of Clear For Men’s ethos.

Lessons Learned: Authenticity Over Agencies

Louis learned some hard but invaluable lessons along the way. One of his biggest setbacks was investing scarce funds into agency work early on. In hindsight, he realised no agency could tell the Clear For Men story as authentically as he could. Moving forward, he would have directed those resources into product development instead, doubling down on what makes Clear For Men truly unique.

Funding the Mission

Clear For Men has been primarily self-funded. Louis secured a business loan to purchase his first stock order, but beyond that, he bootstrapped the brand, investing approximately £25,000 to £30,000 to reach its current stage. Every penny has been spent carefully and intentionally, allowing the business to grow sustainably without external investment pressure.

Growth Through Vulnerability

Clear For Men isn’t just about skincare; it's about shifting perceptions. Louis’s biggest personal and professional growth came when he embraced vulnerability. One of his major lessons was to trust the process, believe in his own capability, and seek support when needed.

If he could start again, Louis says he would worry far less about the opinions of others. It took him over six months to post his first TikTok - a hesitation he now sees as an unnecessary delay. Today, he encourages aspiring founders to take risks earlier and to recognise that most limitations are self-imposed.

More Than a Brand: A Movement

For Louis, Clear For Men is much more than a business; it’s a movement aimed at redefining masculinity and empowering men to take better care of themselves, inside and out. Every cleanser sold is not just about better skin; it’s a small step towards better conversations, stronger mental health, and a world where men are encouraged to embrace, not hide, their true selves.

Next week I’ll be highlighting another awesome Start-Up, as well as sharing all the usuals including funding opportunities, Start-Up news, plus plenty of awesome tips, tricks and tools.

P.S. Connect with me on LinkedIn…