Samantha Ruth Prabhu co-founded secret Alchemist raises $3 million in seed funding to scale clean fragrance brand

Samantha Ruth Prabhu co-founded secret Alchemist raises $3 million in seed funding to scale clean fragrance brand

• Secret Alchemist raised $3 million in seed funding led by Unilever Ventures.
• Funds to expand clean fragrance line, enhance R&D, team, and distribution.
• Brand plans to create India's first global clean fragrance label with transparency.

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Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s clean fragrance venture Secret Alchemist has raised $3 million in a seed funding round, marking a significant milestone in the brand’s growth journey. The round includes a mix of primary and secondary capital and saw participation from existing and new institutional investors, reflecting strong confidence in the company’s long-term vision and category-building potential.

The brand had earlier received backing from IPV, and the latest investment further underlines sustained investor belief in Secret Alchemist’s differentiated approach to fragrance. Rooted initially in aromatherapy and essential oils, Secret Alchemist started with ailment-led wellness solutions before gradually evolving into a fragrance-first brand. Today, it sits at the intersection of science-backed aromatherapy and contemporary perfumery, creating clean, lifestyle-led fragrances that focus on emotion, self-expression, and everyday use.

The fresh capital will be deployed across multiple strategic areas. Secret Alchemist plans to expand its clean fragrance portfolio, deepen formulation expertise, and strengthen its research and development capabilities. A portion of the funding will also go towards building leadership and core teams, while scaling brand visibility and distribution. The broader ambition, the founders say, is to build an India-first fragrance brand with global relevance.

Commenting on the fundraise, Ankita Thadani, Co-Founder of Secret Alchemist, said that globally, “clean” has already become a baseline in beauty and personal care, and fragrance is naturally moving in the same direction. She highlighted that the brand focuses on ingredient-led, well-formulated perfumes without compromising on quality. Thadani also noted that Secret Alchemist is among the first Indian fragrance brands to publish full ingredient and allergen disclosures, reinforcing its commitment to transparency.

Actor and entrepreneur Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who co-founded the brand, described the fundraise as timely. She said the investment allows the team to build more deeply on what truly matters to the brand: clean ingredients, thoughtful formulations, and fragrances that people genuinely enjoy using every day.

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Akash Valia, Co-Founder, added that clean fragrance is gaining traction globally and that India is now ready for brands built with this mindset from day one. He said the funding will help scale Secret Alchemist as a fragrance-first, ingredient-led brand while eventually taking Indian perfumes to the global market.

The round was led by Unilever Ventures, with participation from DSG Consumer Partners. Investors echoed confidence in both the founding team and the largely under-penetrated fragrance category in India, expressing optimism about the brand’s long-term growth potential.