K-beauty startup Praun raises pre-Series A for its Mocres brand
What's the deal? Praun, a South Korean K-beauty startup behind the "easy classic" brand Mocres, said on 13 July 2026 it has raised an early-stage pre-Series A round. Mark & CompanyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and Solid One Partners took part; the amount was not disclosed.
What's the endgame? Praun was founded by chief executive officer Yang Chae-won, who built brand strategy, product planning, and marketing experience at beauty and lifestyle firms including BrayDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, FastFive, and Freshcode. Its first brand, Mocres, launched around the philosophy that "the most classic is the most elegant," aimed at older customers with settled tastes rather than fast-moving trends.
Why now? Mocres previewed on 29 May 2026 and began official sales through its own online store on 12 June 2026. Its debut lineup is a hybrid lip range — eight "Easy Stunning Tinted Lip Duo" products combining care and colour, plus two dedicated cases.
What's the money for? Praun plans to spend the funding on product development, brand content, distribution channels, and preparation for overseas expansion. It has filed trademark applications in the US, Japan, and the EU, and intends to enter global markets — starting with Japan — in stages.
The company says early demand has been strong, with some goods selling out two days into its grand-opening promotion and first buyers posting reviews from day 10 of sales. Praun aims to grow Mocres into a repeat-purchase brand rather than "simply a colour brand."
An investor involved in the round said Mocres's "easy classic beauty" direction "can create new customer segments and usage contexts within the fast-changing K-beauty market." Yang said she wants to build "a timeless beauty brand that domestic and overseas customers can use for a long time."
The signal: Investor appetite for K-beauty remains healthy, but this round bets on a counter-trend — targeting mature buyers in a market known for chasing what is younger and faster.
Read more: WowTale
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
