K-beauty Worldwide

What K-beauty Worldwide does

K-beauty Worldwide (rebranding to K-B) is a South Korea-headquartered K-Beauty brand accelerator and OEM manufacturer founded in 2019 in Incheon. The company operates an integrated B2B platform built around three core service pillars: K-B Studio (co-creation lab for bespoke brand development), K-B Atelier (ready-to-launch curated brand and product concepts), and K-B Insight (market analytics and trend forecasting). Underpinning these services is a dedicated R&D laboratory that has produced 7,000+ unique formulations, plus a network of manufacturing partners, with MAKEBB serving as the OEM business unit launched in 2020.

The commercial model combines OEM/ODM manufacturing fees (subscription-recurring), professional-services revenue from end-to-end brand partnerships, transaction fees from the CONNECTBB K-to-Vietnam distribution platform, and product sales from proprietary brands including NEXT FORMULA (NMN slow-aging) and TrendMix. K-B serves brands seeking to launch or expand in the K-Beauty category, addressing pain points around formulation R&D, manufacturing access, regulatory and customs complexity, and international distribution. Distribution is anchored by the K-Beauty World retail concept on Ulta Beauty Marketplace in the U.S. and the CONNECTBB platform plus MAKEBB SQUARE networking space in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; K-B claims 100+ brands brought to market since inception.

The company is privately held, with cumulative revenue of KRW 5 billion (~$3.6M) reported as of 2026 and a small 1–10 employee footprint. Co-CEOs Wee Daesung and Lee Seokjoo lead the business, with capital from Company B (seed, 2020), Kimgisa Lab, Megastudy, Yoonmin, and Mark&Company (2023), and government support through the TIPS Program.

Name

K-beauty Worldwide

Legal name

K-Beauty Worldwide Corporation

Website

https://kbeautyworldwide.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

K-beauty Worldwide (rebranding to K-B) is a South Korea-based K-Beauty brand accelerator and OEM manufacturer serving 100+ beauty brands with co-creation (K-B Studio), ready-to-launch concepts (K-B Atelier), trend analytics (K-B Insight), manufacturing, and distribution into Vietnam and the U.S.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Beauty Brand Acceleration Services

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)

akta.pro primary industry

K-Beauty/J-Beauty & Global Skincare Regimens (CRABAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

K-Beauty/J-Beauty & Imported Beauty Distribution (CRAOAEAN)

Keywords

• Beauty brand acceleration
• K-beauty OEM manufacturing
• Cosmetic formulation development
• Beauty data intelligence
• Cross-border brand distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Incheon

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. OEM/ODM Manufacturing Services: K-B provides original equipment manufacturing services for K-Beauty brands, developing formulations and producing products for brand partners. Revenue is generated through manufacturing fees and product supply contracts.
2. Brand Acceleration Partnership: End-to-end brand partnership from initial concept and strategic marketing to daily operations. Services include co-creation (K-B Studio), ready-to-launch brand concepts (K-B Atelier), and market analytics (K-B Insight).
3. Distribution Platform (CONNECTBB): K-to-V distribution platform enabling brands to access Vietnam market through MAKEBB SQUARE networking space and CONNECTBB platform.
4. Own Brand Products: Launched proprietary brands including NEXT FORMULA (NMN slow-aging brand) and TrendMix (beauty data intelligence platform).

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

K-beauty Worldwide (K-B) is a K-Beauty brand accelerator that provides end-to-end partnership services to brands and startups, covering concept development, formulation creation, manufacturing through MAKEBB OEM services, marketing strategy, and cross-border distribution. The company operates K-B Studio (co-creation), K-B Atelier (ready-to-launch concepts), and K-B Insight (data intelligence), supported by a dedicated R&D laboratory with 7,000+ unique formulations and a manufacturing partner network. Distribution reach extends to Vietnam through the CONNECTBB platform and to the United States through the Ulta Beauty Marketplace partnership.

Product overview

K-B (K-Beauty Worldwide) is a strategic brand accelerator offering an integrated platform of three core services: K-B Studio (co-creation lab for collaborative brand development), K-B Atelier (ready-to-launch curated brand and product concepts), and K-B Insight (data intelligence hub for market analytics and trend forecasting). The ecosystem is supported by MAKEBB (K-Beauty OEM business for formulations and manufacturing), MAKEBB SQUARE (beauty networking space in Vietnam), CONNECTBB (K-to-V distribution platform), and proprietary brands including NEXT FORMULA (NMN slow-aging) and TrendMix (beauty data intelligence). With 100+ brands brought to market, K-B provides end-to-end partnership from concept development through global distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MAKEBB: K-Beauty OEM Business launched in 2020, providing original equipment manufacturing services for beauty brands.
• MAKEBB SQUARE
• CONNECTBB
• NEXT FORMULA
• TrendMix

Products and services

• K-B Studio Co-Creation Lab service that turns unique client ideas into premium K-Beauty brands. Provides end-to-end brand development from initial concept through formulation, manufacturing, marketing, and launch, while ensuring the partner retains 100% brand ownership.
• K-B Atelier Ready-to-Launch Curations service offering curated, high-potential K-Beauty brand and product concepts that are pre-developed and ready to be customized and launched under the partner's brand name.
• K-B Insight Data Intelligence Hub service providing market analytics and trend forecasting for the beauty industry, helping K-Beauty brands make data-driven decisions to stay on-trend and in-demand.
• MAKEBB (K-Beauty OEM / Virtual Studio) K-Beauty OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) service that develops unique formulations and manages manufacturing for beauty brand partners, leveraging an R&D laboratory with 7,000+ formulations and a manufacturing partner network.
• CONNECTBB (K-to-V Distribution Platform) K-to-V distribution platform enabling K-Beauty brands to reach Vietnamese consumers with integrated logistics, customs clearance, and compliance support, operated through the K-Beauty Worldwide Vietnam JSC entity in Ho Chi Minh City.
• MAKEBB SQUARE (Beauty Networking Space) Beauty networking space in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam that facilitates connections between K-Beauty brands, manufacturing partners, and industry stakeholders in the Vietnamese market.
• NEXT FORMULA Proprietary NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) slow-aging brand produced and sold by K-B as part of its in-house brand portfolio in the wellness and anti-aging category.
• TrendMix (Beauty Data Intelligence Platform) Beauty Data Intelligence Platform that delivers market analytics, trend forecasting, and competitive intelligence reports for K-Beauty brands and industry participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Some brands debut in as little as nine weeks via Ulta Beauty Marketplace

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Landing InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Landing International partnered with Ulta Beauty to create K-Beauty World retail concept, expanding Korean beauty brands' access to U.S. market via Ulta Beauty Marketplace with 17 viral Korean beauty brands.
• K-StartupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKorean startup support organization listed as a partner organization.
• TIPS (Tech and Innovation Promotion Program)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSelected for the TIPS Program by Ministry of SMEs and Startups, a government startup acceleration program providing investment and support.
• SBA (Seoul Business Agency)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSeoul Business Agency listed as a partner organization supporting the company's growth.
• SBW (Seoul Beauty Week)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSelected as Top 9 Company at Seoul Beauty Week Business Meetup, an industry event partner.
• Incheon Center for Creative Economy & InnovationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional innovation support organization listed as a partner.
• Sungkyunkwan UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected for Startup Leap Package Program by Sungkyunkwan University's entrepreneurial program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Tonymoly: Korean mass-market K-Beauty brand with global retail presence across Asia and selective Western markets. Comparable to NEXT FORMULA as a Korean-developed proprietary brand that K-B's accelerator clients compete against for retail shelf space, providing market context for K-B's brand strategy.

Direct peers

• Stylevana: Online beauty retailer distributing Asian (primarily K-Beauty) brands to global consumers via e-commerce. Comparable to CONNECTBB and Ulta Marketplace in distributing K-Beauty brands internationally, serving as a competing international channel for the same brand roster.
• Yesstyle: Hong Kong-headquartered online retailer specializing in Asian beauty, skincare, and fashion products with a curated K-Beauty assortment. Comparable to K-B's CONNECTBB platform in enabling K-Beauty brand access to international consumers, though Yesstyle operates a direct-to-consumer marketplace model.
• Landing International: K-Beauty brand operator and distribution partner that collaborated with K-B on the Ulta Beauty Marketplace K-Beauty World concept. Directly comparable as a K-Beauty-to-U.S. distribution accelerator, making it the closest peer and a partner/competitor simultaneously.
• Glow Recipe: U.S.-based K-Beauty-inspired skincare brand and retailer with proprietary product lines and a strong Sephora retail presence. Comparable to K-B's NEXT FORMULA proprietary brand play and K-B Atelier ready-to-launch concepts in translating K-Beauty innovation for Western consumers.

Emerging players

• Peach & Lily: K-Beauty-inspired skincare brand and digital retailer that curates and develops Korean beauty products for the U.S. market. Comparable to K-B in bridging Korean formulation expertise with U.S. consumer brand-building, though Peach & Lily focuses on a single-house brand rather than an accelerator model.

Broad incumbents

• Kolmar Korea: One of the largest K-Beauty OEM/ODM manufacturers globally, offering formulation, manufacturing, and turnkey brand services across cosmetics, skincare, and wellness. Comparable to K-B as a contract manufacturer and brand accelerator, but at vastly larger scale with global Fortune 500 brand clients.
• Amorepacific: Korea's largest K-Beauty conglomerate with proprietary brand portfolio (Sulwhasoo, Laneige, Innisfree), in-house R&D, and global retail. Comparable to K-B in K-Beauty formulation mastery and brand acceleration capabilities, but as a Fortune 500 incumbent with its own accelerator-like brand-incubation programs.
• Cosmax: Leading Korean cosmetics ODM/OEM with extensive R&D, manufacturing, and private-label capabilities serving global brands. Comparable business model to K-B's MAKEBB OEM business and brand-partnership offering, but operates at multibillion-dollar scale across multiple continents.
• Incospharm: K-Beauty OEM/ODM specializing in skincare, makeup, and personal care products with proprietary formulation IP. Comparable to K-B's MAKEBB OEM and co-creation services but with established mass-market manufacturing scale and global distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 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 K-beauty Worldwide