Elm Biosciences

What Elm Biosciences does

Elm Biosciences is a New York–based, privately held clinical skincare company co-founded by lifestyle entrepreneur Martha Stewart and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali, with Natalie Sperling as founding CEO and Chase Harrow as CMO. The company develops and sells a premium skincare line built around its patent-pending A3O™ Complex — a triple-pathway anti-senescent molecule combining Acetyl Zingerone, Bakuchiol, and a fatty acid ester that targets cellular senescence, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Its three core offerings are the A3O™ Elemental Serum, the A3O™ Elemental Night Cream (which includes trifarotenyl caprylate), and the Inner Dose™ Daily Skin Supplement, supported by an advisory board the company describes as the largest in skincare at 350+ dermatologists and researchers.

Elm's commercial launch occurred in September 2025 following roughly five years of development. Products are priced at premium positioning ($50–$315 SKUs and bundles) and sold primarily through a direct-to-consumer Shopify storefront at elmbiosciences.com, with a subscription program offering 20-30% off recurring monthly orders. A parallel wholesale channel (wholesale.elmbiosciences.com) sells to dermatologists and skincare professionals at preferential pricing, supplemented by a Replika-powered affiliate program for advisors who earn commission via unique referral links without holding inventory.

Revenue is generated from three streams: DTC subscriptions and one-time purchases, wholesale orders from practitioners, and affiliate commissions. The customer base is fragmented across individual consumers in the U.S. and the dermatology practitioner channel, with no disclosed logos or enterprise contracts. The company has received venture investment from Red Sea Ventures and Lerer Hippeau (specific amounts undisclosed), operates with 11-50 employees, and is registered as Elm Biosciences, Inc. in New York.

Name

Elm Biosciences

Legal name

Elm Biosciences, Inc.

Website

https://elmbiosciences.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Elm Biosciences is a New York–based clinical skincare company co-founded by Martha Stewart and dermatologist Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali that sells premium anti-aging serums, night creams, and ingestible supplements direct-to-consumer and through a dermatologist wholesale channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical Anti-Aging Skincare

NAICS

Health and Personal Care Retailers (456)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Dermocosmetics & Medical-Grade Skincare (CRABAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sensitive Skin & Barrier Repair (CRABAAAG)

Keywords

• Anti-aging skincare
• Clinical dermatology products
• Topical antioxidant serum
• Skin health supplements
• Retinoid night cream

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Products sold directly to consumers through the company's e-commerce website (elmbiosciences.com). Offers both one-time purchases and subscription options with approximately 20-30% savings on subscription. Includes bundled product systems at discounted prices compared to individual items.
2. Wholesale to Practitioners: Dermatologists and skincare professionals can purchase Elm products wholesale to offer in their practices. Professionals receive preferential pricing on all products, tester units, and access to collateral materials for patient discussions.
3. Affiliate Program: Practitioners and advisors can earn commission by sharing unique referral links and codes without holding inventory. Commission-based revenue share model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Elm Biosciences designs, manufactures, and sells a clinical skincare line centered on its patent-pending A3O™ Complex, offering a topical antioxidant serum, a retinoid-based night cream, and a dermatologist-formulated ingestible supplement marketed individually and as bundled systems. Products are sold primarily direct-to-consumer through the company's own e-commerce storefront with a subscription option, supplemented by a wholesale program for dermatologists and an affiliate referral program.

Product overview

Elm Biosciences is a clinical skincare platform co-created by Martha Stewart and dermatologist Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali, backed by an advisory board of over 350 dermatologists and scientists. The company's flagship technology is the patent-pending A3O™ Complex, a triple-pathway anti-senescent molecule featured across its core product line. The product portfolio centers on three main offerings: A3O™ Elemental Serum (topical antioxidant treatment), A3O™ Elemental Night Cream (retinoid-based overnight renewal), and Inner Dose™ Daily Skin Supplement (ingestible capsules targeting internal aging drivers). These are sold individually and bundled together in various system configurations (Complete Skin Renewal, Dual Pathway Skin System, Skin Longevity System, Elemental Reset) that combine topical and ingestible approaches for comprehensive inside-out skin health. The brand emphasizes a dual-pathway approach to skin aging, addressing both external/topical and internal/supplemental needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• A3O™ Elemental Serum Patent-pending topical antioxidant serum (40ml) powered by the A3O™ Complex triple-pathway anti-senescent molecule, formulated to improve firmness, texture, and skin tone without the irritation associated with Vitamin C. Targets consumers seeking clinical anti-aging skincare, including those with sensitive skin.
• A3O™ Elemental Night Cream Restorative overnight treatment designed to smooth the appearance of fine lines, support firm-feeling skin, and provide deep hydration during sleep. Contains trifarotenyl caprylate, the A3O™ Complex, ectoin, and carnosine. Targeted at consumers seeking retinoid-grade renewal without prescription-strength irritation.
• Inner Dose™ Daily Skin Supplement Dermatologist-formulated ingestible capsules (60 capsules, 1-month supply) containing Polypodium Leucotomos, Organic Turmeric, Vitamin D3, Astaxanthin, and Holy Basil/Tulsi, designed to target internal drivers of skin aging such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and hormonal imbalance. Starter kit includes a reusable jar; refills ship in pouches.
• A3O™ Complete Skin Renewal Bundle Bundle that combines the A3O™ Elemental Serum, A3O™ Elemental Night Cream, and Inner Dose™ Daily Skin Supplement into a single regimen for multi-layered support, priced at a discount versus individual items ($315 one-time / $252 subscription).
• Dual Pathway Skin System Bundle combining A3O™ Elemental Serum and Inner Dose™ Daily Skin Supplement, marketed as a streamlined inside-out system for skin clarity, barrier strength, and long-term resilience, priced at a discount versus individual items ($166.50 one-time / $133.20 subscription).
• Skin Longevity System Bundle combining A3O™ Elemental Night Cream with Inner Dose™ Daily Skin Supplement to support surface renewal and internal balance for long-term skin health, priced at a discount versus individual items ($193.50 one-time / $154.80 subscription).
• The Elemental Reset Duo combining A3O™ Elemental Serum and A3O™ Elemental Night Cream for around-the-clock topical support, targeting moisture barrier function, hydration, and surface renewal, priced at a discount versus individual items ($270 one-time / $216 subscription).
• Elm Gift Card Digital gift card redeemable exclusively at elmbiosciences.com, available in denominations of $50, $100, $150, $185, $300, and $500, with no expiration date.
• Practitioner Wholesale Program Enrollment program that allows dermatologists and skincare professionals to purchase Elm product inventory at preferential wholesale pricing, with tester units and patient-discussion collateral materials provided. Accessed through wholesale.elmbiosciences.com.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clinical study showed image-assessed skin age was 4.14 years younger than comparator (p=0.019) at week 8
• +7 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SkinMedica: Allergan Aesthetics-owned clinical skincare brand with a strong dermatologist dispensing channel. Comparable focus on clinically proven anti-aging actives and professional endorsement.
• Tatcha: Premium skincare brand (Unilever) with cult-following positioning, clinical credibility, and a now-incumbent scale Elm aspires to. Comparable premium pricing and DTC-led origin.
• SkinCeuticals: L'Oréal-owned derm-grade skincare brand built on antioxidant and retinoid science. Sets the category standard Elm is positioning against, with deep physician-channel presence.
• Drunk Elephant: Established clinical/clean skincare brand (now Shiseido) built on biocompatible actives and dermatologist trust. Comparable clinical narrative at much larger scale and retail footprint.

Emerging players

• Hum Nutrition: Ingestible beauty and wellness brand formulated with dermatologists. Comparable inside-out approach to skin health, overlapping with Elm's Inner Dose™ supplement.
• Allies of Skin: Clinical-grade skincare brand focused on multifunctional actives and clinical validation. Comparable premium positioning and DTC + selective retail distribution.
• Codex Beauty: Clinically validated, biotech-forward skincare brand with patented complexes. Similar emphasis on third-party clinical testing and dermatologist-friendly formulations.

Direct peers

• Dr. Barbara Sturm: Celebrity dermatologist-founded premium skincare brand built around proprietary anti-inflammatory and anti-aging actives. Comparable premium positioning, clinician-led R&D, and high AOV.
• The Outset: Celebrity + dermatologist co-founded clinical skincare brand (Scarlett Johansson with Dr. Mark Jensen). Closely comparable founding-team structure, premium DTC positioning, and clinical narrative.
• Veracity: Premium clinical skincare brand built on patented, dermatologist-developed technology. Directly comparable model of patent-pending actives marketed through premium DTC and professional channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/elmbiosciences
• Instagraminstagram.com/elmbiosciences
• TikToktiktok.com/@elmbiosciences
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elm-biosciences

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 Elm Biosciences