Ruka Secures $4.5 Million to Scale Lab-Grown Hair Fibre Technology

Ruka, the biotech beauty start-up, has closed a $4.5 million funding round co-led by Freedom Trail Capital and Henkel Ventures. The investment will help grow the brand’s retail footprint, bolster production, and support its 2026 expansion into the US.

The round saw participation from Big Issue Invest, Backed VC, and a number of strategic angel investors, including Olympic athlete Dina Asher-Smith, supply chain specialist Knut Alicke, and M&A expert Sophia Dennis.

Founded by Tendai Moyo and Ugo Agbai during the 2020 lockdown, Ruka has positioned itself at the intersection of material science and the textured hair market. The brand offers a broad portfolio spanning human hair extensions, wigs, styling products, hair perfumes, and tools.

However, the latest investment will primarily support the scaling of Synths², a synthetic hair fibre developed using collagen protein technology. Unlike traditional synthetic hair extensions, which often rely on plastic polymers, or human hair, which faces ongoing transparency challenges in its supply chain, Ruka’s fibre is biodegradable, hypoallergenic, and designed specifically to mimic the performance of curls, coils, and kinks.

“Our community has always been at the centre of everything we do,” said Moyo. “People shouldn’t have to choose between what looks good, what feels safe, and what aligns with their values. We’re building something that finally delivers on all three.”

The involvement of Henkel Ventures, the venture arm of the conglomerate behind Schwarzkopf and Got2b, signals a high level of corporate interest in the clean hair extensions category. For Freedom Trail Capital, the investment further expands a portfolio centred on culturally driven consumer brands.

“Ruka Hair exemplifies what we look for: founders solving a real problem with genuine commitment, building through community rather than hype,” said Samyr Laine, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Freedom Trail Capital. “Tendai and Ugo built this brand during one of the most challenging periods for consumer businesses, scaled through an authentic community and are now pioneering biotech innovation that could reshape an entire category.”

As the beauty industry faces growing scrutiny around sourcing, sustainability, and material transparency, Ruka’s collagen-based fibre technology points towards a future where the hair extensions market moves beyond both ethically complex human hair sourcing and plastic-heavy synthetic alternatives.