Trautec, a Chinese manufacturer of synthetic recombinant human collagen (SRHC) for beauty and healthcare products, has secured RMB200m (US$27m) in funds, led by investment firm L Catterton.
The series B fundraise will go towards the company’s international expansion, amid the broadening use of SRHC in skin care products, as well as medical dressings and aesthetic treatments, said Trautec.
According to the Guangzhou-located company, the SRHC market is expected to expand at an annual rate of 30% globally to reach $186bn in 2028.
Trautec, which specialises in the large-scale production of high-quality type I, II, III and XVII SRHC with a low carbon footprint, entered into the US market last year.
It has partnered with more than 30 cosmetic and pharmaceutical giants, including Shiseido, Winona, Proya, Jala and Sinopharm.
And, according to Trautec, there are several more in the pipeline.
“Trautec aims to be a world leading biotechnology platform for the intelligent and sustainable production of synthetic recombinant human collagen with an unwavering commitment to product safety and efficacy,” said Trautec founder Qian Song.
“SRHC is gaining more and more traction in the cosmetics market and field of regenerative medicine, creating incredible scope for our solutions to be applied to many consumer products.
“We are thrilled that L Catterton has joined us on our journey as the firm’s extensive experience, expertise and network in the global beauty and personal care industry will enable us to embark on a new phase of exciting growth.”
Scott Chen, a managing partner in the RMB fund of L Catterton, added: “Trautec has demonstrated that it is able to develop technologies that are at the forefront of the SRHC industry and also commercialise them for practical use in products that consumers value.”
Trautec marks L Catterton’s third investment in the beauty space in September alone.
Last week, the firm announced it had acquired a minority stake in luxury Californian skin care brand Eighth Day.
This followed news of it purchasing a ‘significant minority stake’ in Maria Nila, a Swedish professional hair care label.