Luum raises $6M convertible round from Ulta Beauty for robotic lash tech
What's the deal? Luum, an Oakland-based robotics startup automating eyelash extensions, has raised a $6 million convertible round backed by Ulta BeautyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The financing lifts the company's total funding to $36 million as it builds what it calls "intelligent beauty services."
What's the endgame? Luum's robotic arm uses computer vision to isolate and apply lash extensions on both eyes at once, completing a full set in about an hour. Trained on roughly 150 terabytes of session data, the company aims to cut appointment times to about 30 minutes as its systems process more volume.
Why now? The push comes as robotics moves beyond factories and clinics into personal care. Chief technology officer Nathan Harding, who co-founded exoskeleton maker Ekso BionicsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, brings medical-robotics rigour to the hardware; chief executive officer Jo Lawson, a former Apple and PayPal leader, took the top job in 2024.
By the numbers: McKinseyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → projects the core global beauty market — skincare, cosmetics, haircare, and fragrances — to reach $590 billion by 2030, up from $441 billion in 2024. Adjacent wellness and aesthetic services add another $820 billion in global spending.
The product: Luum's model aims to increase salon throughput rather than replace staff, employing three to four human lash artists per robotic unit for consultations, prep, and final styling. Safety features include magnetic wands that detach instantly if a client flinches, and an arm calibrated to never touch closed eyelids. It runs studios in Oakland, Newport Beach, and Dallas, plus units inside select NordstromDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and Ulta Beauty locations.
What could go wrong? The concept faces skepticism from practitioners who cite the variety of human facial anatomy. "I'd be holding my breath the whole time," said veteran lash artist Julianna Crisafuli, citing worries about "all the mistakes that could possibly be in there, and the lack of personalization to it."
The signal: Luum's $6 million convertible round sits in the 91st percentile for such deals in US wellness beauty, a sign investors are willing to fund automation in high-touch service sectors long thought resistant to it.
Read more: nile1.com
Image credit: LUUM
