What SEQUENTIAL does

Sequential (legally Sequential Skin Ltd) is a London-headquartered skin microbiome testing company founded in 2019 that operates end-to-end clinical research services for the dermocosmetics, pharmaceutical, clinical research organization (CRO), and ingredient manufacturing industries. The company's core offering is a multi-omics platform combining microbiome sequencing (16S, ITS, shotgun metagenomics), proprietary qPCR Smart Probes, and bioinformatics to characterize the impact of skincare and therapeutic products on the human skin microbiome in vivo, supported by a proprietary database of 50,000+ skin microbiome samples linked to 4,000+ ingredient interactions and a non-invasive patch-based sample collection system (Sequential Patch). Modular add-ons include biophysical clinical assessments, condition-specific targeted panels (e.g., Sun/UV Panel), ingredient testing, participant recruitment, and white-label consumer test kits for commercial partners.

The business generates revenue primarily through professional services B2B contracts for clinical studies, supplemented by hardware/white-label consumer test kit partnerships (e.g., Gallinée) and consumer product lines such as the Biome Mask. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, reflecting enterprise sales motion targeting large dermocosmetics brands, pharma therapeutics developers, CROs, and ingredient suppliers. The company operates labs in Cambridge (UK), New York City (US, via J&J JLABS Innovation NYC residency), and Singapore (supported by A*STAR and Enterprise Singapore), giving it a tri-regional UK-US-APAC footprint. Named commercial partners include Johnson & Johnson, Curive Healthcare, Gallinée, and Symbiome, with 100+ industry partners and 10,000+ study participants cumulatively enrolled across clinical studies. Sequential has raised approximately $7.5M in cumulative equity and grant funding, including a $1.65M seed round (October 2021), Innovate UK and A*STAR grants, a $1.8M UK-Singapore R&D grant (February 2025), and a $3.5M equity round (March 2026) co-led by Corundum Systems Biology and Sparkfood, with the most recent capital earmarked for an AI-Powered Discovery Engine launched alongside the financing.

Name

SEQUENTIAL

Legal name

Sequential Skin Ltd

Website

https://sequential.bio

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sequential is a London-based skin microbiome testing company that provides B2B multi-omics clinical research services, including microbiome sequencing, qPCR Smart Probes, and bioinformatics, to dermocosmetics brands, pharmaceutical companies, CROs, and ingredient manufacturers across the UK, US, and Singapore.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microbiome Testing & Clinical Research Services

NAICS

Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (62151), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical Biomarker Testing Services (central labs, trial enrollment/monitoring assays) (HLAAAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Precision Clinical Trials Enablement (patient matching, site matching, adaptive trials) (HLAAANAI), Dermocosmetics & Medical-Grade Skincare (CRABAAAF)

Keywords

• Skin microbiome testing
• Clinical research services
• Multi-omics analysis
• Dermatology clinical trials
• Ingredient validation testing

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. B2B Clinical Testing Services: Sequential generates revenue primarily through providing contract clinical testing services to dermocosmetics brands, pharmaceutical companies, CROs, and ingredient manufacturers. Services include microbiome analysis, biomarker testing, and multi-omics characterization of skin health outcomes from product usage in human clinical studies.
2. White-Label Consumer Testing Kits: Sequential offers white-label at-home skin microbiome test kits to commercial partners, enabling brands to provide direct-to-consumer microbiome analysis services under their own brand.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sequential (operating as Sequential Skin Ltd) provides end-to-end in-vivo clinical testing and multi-omics analysis services for the personal care, pharmaceutical, and clinical research industries, specializing in skin microbiome characterization. The company integrates study design, participant recruitment, non-invasive sample collection, laboratory analysis (microbiome sequencing, qPCR, genomics, proteomics), and claim-ready reporting for dermocosmetics brands, pharma therapeutics developers, CROs, and ingredient manufacturers.

Product overview

Sequential operates a unified end-to-end clinical research platform for skin, scalp, oral, and intimate care, combining human in-vivo testing with a multi-omics analysis engine to quantify product and ingredient impact on skin and the microbiome. The platform is organized as a core testing platform supported by modular services: Microbiome Testing and Multi-Omic Studies form the analytical foundation, Clinical Assessments and Biophysical Measurements serve as add-on testing modules, Ingredient Testing Services and Targeted Microbiome Panels (including the Sun/UV Panel with Smart Probes qPCR) extend to specific use cases, and Consumer Kits and the Skin Health Tracker App address the direct-to-consumer segment. The Biome Mask is a separate consumer product line. The company also announced an AI-Powered Discovery Engine (March 2026) leveraging 50,000+ samples and 4,000+ ingredients to power predictive ingredient discovery. Labs are located in Cambridge, New York City, and Singapore.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sequential Bio: The company's testing and discovery platform serving consumer goods, biotech, and pharmaceutical companies for skin microbiome analysis.
• Sequential Patch
• Biome Mask
• Smart Probes
• Skin Tracker App

Products and services

• Sequential End-to-End Clinical Testing Platform Sequential's core platform delivers end-to-end clinical research for skin, scalp, intimate, and oral care, combining human clinical testing, biomarker discovery, and next-generation formulations powered by a multi-omics platform. The platform integrates study design, participant recruitment, non-invasive sample collection, in-house laboratory analysis, and claim-ready reporting for consumer goods, biotech, and pharmaceutical companies.
• Microbiome Testing In-vivo microbiome testing service that quantifies the impact of raw materials and products on the skin microbiome and host-derived biomarkers, measuring 20 key microbes and providing full reports on microbiome balance for personal care and pharmaceutical companies.
• Multi-Omic Studies Comprehensive analysis combining microbiome sequencing, host genomic analysis, multi-omics technologies, and biophysical assessments to deliver a complete molecular picture of skin health and product impact for consumer goods and pharmaceutical clients.
• Clinical Assessments Biophysical testing add-ons including hydration measurement (corneometry and TEWL), elasticity measurement (elastometer), skin pH measurement, high-resolution imaging, dermatologist assessment (SCORAD, PASI), and perception questionnaires to supplement clinical studies.
• Ingredient Testing Services Clinical testing service for ingredient manufacturers that evaluates active ingredients within controlled base formulations, assessing biological impact through active vs. control comparison and dose-response evaluation to generate claim-ready evidence.
• Targeted Microbiome Panels Condition-specific microbiome target panels including the Sun/UV Targeted Panel featuring 23 Smart Probes for analyzing UV-exposed microbiota and skin conditions. Uses qPCR Smart Probes technology for absolute quantification of key microbial markers.
• White-Label Consumer Testing Kits White-label at-home skin microbiome testing kits for commercial partners to offer end-consumers at-home skin microbiome testing with full reporting and personalization under their own brand.
• Biome Mask Biodegradable sheet mask line with five formulas targeting different skin traits, infused with prebiotic and postbiotic serums. Made from semi-gel Tencel (100% cellulose), tested in-vivo. Designed to maintain the skin microbiome while targeting dehydration and sensitivity.
• AI-Powered Discovery Engine AI-powered discovery platform leveraging Sequential's clinical dataset of 50,000+ skin microbiome samples, 4,000+ ingredients, and 10,000+ participants to predict, optimize, and discover next-generation active ingredient complexes for skin health using computational modeling and systems biology.
• Maintains the Microbiome Certification Certification program for products tested in-vivo using qPCR Smart Probes, awarding a 'Maintains the Microbiome' certification seal backed by quantifiable data and scientifically significant markers for use in marketing communications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Database of 50,000+ skin microbiome samples
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• J&J JLABSmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Sequential is a resident company at JLABS Innovation NYC, Johnson & Johnson's life sciences incubator. This partnership provides access to the J&J ecosystem, mentorship, and networking opportunities within the pharmaceutical and medical device industry.
• Johnson & JohnsonmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Sequential entered a collaboration agreement with Johnson & Johnson for genomic-based skin test development, leveraging the company's multi-omics platform for pharmaceutical applications.
• AMILIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMILI is a partner in Sequential's UK-Singapore R&D project, collaborating on microbiome research and development initiatives that span both regions.
• GallinéecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerGallinée partnered with Sequential for at-home skin microbiome test kits, enabling the dermocosmetics brand to offer consumer-facing microbiome analysis services under their own brand through white-label arrangement.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• S-Biomedic: Belgium-based skin microbiome company developing live bacterial therapeutics and skin microbiome diagnostics for acne and other skin conditions. Direct peer as both companies focus on commercializing skin microbiome science for personal care and clinical applications.
• CosmosID: Microbiome sequencing and bioinformatics services company serving consumer goods, clinical research, and industrial customers. Direct peer given overlap in microbial identification, bioinformatics, and B2B services to dermocosmetics and pharma clients.
• Complife Group: Testing services provider for the cosmetics, personal care, and medical device industries, offering clinical efficacy and safety testing. Direct peer as both serve dermocosmetics brands with clinical testing for product claims and regulatory support.
• Labskin (RISE)': Skin testing laboratory providing clinical testing services for cosmetics, personal care, and dermatology products. Direct peer given overlap in skin-focused clinical testing services for product development and claim substantiation.

Emerging players

• Second Genome: Microbiome drug discovery company with both therapeutic and microbiome analytics capabilities. Comparable in applying microbiome science to pharma and consumer health, though more therapeutics-focused than Sequential's testing-services model.
• Zymo Research: Microbiome-focused life sciences company providing sample collection devices, DNA extraction kits, and microbiome analysis services. Comparable in the microbiome tooling and services value chain, though more product-focused than Sequential's service-led model.
• Phylagen: Microbiome data analytics company using environmental and human microbiome sequencing for product and facility applications. Comparable as a microbiome analytics platform applying large datasets and bioinformatics to commercial use cases.
• Eligo Bioscience: Microbiome-focused biotech combining synthetic biology with microbiome analytics for therapeutic and consumer applications. Comparable given overlap in microbiome science applied to skin and consumer health, though more therapeutics-oriented.

Broad incumbents

• Charles River Laboratories: Large, established CRO offering clinical and preclinical testing services to pharma, biotech, and consumer health companies. Broad incumbent that competes for the same enterprise testing budgets Sequential targets, though not specialized in microbiome science.
• Eurofins Scientific: Global testing services group with deep footprint in cosmetics, personal care, and pharma testing including microbiome analysis capabilities. Broad incumbent offering comparable end-to-end analytical services with significant scale advantage.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sequentialbio
• Instagraminstagram.com/sequential.skin/?hl=en
• Xx.com/Sequential_Skin

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds9 records

Investors10 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SEQUENTIAL