There are numerous AI platforms on the rise, but only a few tend to cater to the wide pool of skin shades that are available. At roboMUA, the company has built an AI algorithm that considers various skin shades. One of the areas where we focus on is helping people find the right match for beauty products.
Finding the perfect foundation shade for numerous individuals who use makeup can feel like a challenging quest to uncover a precious gem. Even if you find something suitable for your skin tone, you're likely to stick with it rather than risk spending additional money on shades that might ultimately disappoint. But now, tech-focused inclusive-AI company roboMUA has developed an effective shade-matching algorithm that can find your perfect foundation tone simply by uploading a photo. Beyond foundations, roboMUA offers the ideal tones for concealers, setting powders, shape/bodywear, tights, lipsticks, and more. Additionally, they present you with the perfect product-shade match across over 60 different beauty brands.
Emmanuel Acheampong, an ESTEEM alumnus, founded roboMUA in 2019 and worked with Rofy, another ESTEEM alumnus, after recognizing the unexplored opportunity on how AI could help users find and explore beauty products. Following the discovery, they developed the skin-shade-matching algorithms for five shades which have now grown into over 100 different skin shades.
How roboMUA Works (For Individuals):
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Download the mobile app from the App Store or Google Play.
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Users choose the category and upload a photo, including live photos, to the app.
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The AI analyzes the uploaded photo and generates the exact skin shade from the image considering the user’s undertones.
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Based on the generated skin shade of the user, the AI algorithm provides recommendations for various products that match the skin shade enabling users to explore and try out different products and brands.
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All the recommendations come with a direct purchase link to the matched beauty product and tailored tutorial videos for each one.
“Our objective is to provide an inclusive AI platform that offers solutions for all skin shades. What sets our platform apart is its ability to accurately match and identify suitable shades of beauty products while providing recommendations,” said Emmanuel. “Furthermore, we believe the competitive advantage lies in the digital delivery of results. Regardless of location, users can obtain results and access a broad range of recommendations anytime and anywhere if they have a device.”
During the spring season, roboMUA achieved recognition for their AI platform's triumph by securing the 2023 ‘Technology of the Year Award' at the SmartRetailTech Expo held in Las Vegas. This conference is renowned for revolutionizing the retail industry in the United States and stands out as the foremost B2B exhibition with a key focus on "New Retail & Technology." It allows businesses to enhance the customer journey, ensuring a personalized, customized, and delightful shopping experience for online and in-store customers.
Currently, roboMUA has not sought funding as they have been bootstrapped. But, they received financial support from programs within the Notre Dame network, such as the IDEA Center's Pre-Accelerated program in Fall 2021. However, their goal is to raise their first round of funding in Q3 of this year. By the end of Q3, the company aims to achieve 10,000 downloads of their platform by users and concentrate on fundraising efforts to expedite platform growth. They are also actively working on expanding their B2B partnerships to 20 businesses and increasing the number of beauty brands associated with their platform.
“We feel immense gratitude for the opportunity to assist individuals of diverse ethnicities in discovering their ideal skin shade-product match. This experience has enlightened me on the essential role that AI can play in intersecting technology & innovation and the beauty industry, bridging previously unimaginable gaps,” says Rofy.