K-Beauty Brand Builder BiTELAB Raises $6.9M to Fuel Global Expansion and Product R&D

BiTELAB, a South Korean brand commerce startup, has closed its first-ever external funding round, raising over $6.9 million (KRW 10 billion). Atinum Investment participated as a financial investor (FI), while H&B platform CJ Olive Young joined as a strategic investor (SI).

Founded in 2020, BiTELAB grew entirely on the strength of its own brands for five years without any outside capital. The company, including its subsidiaries, recorded annual revenue of approximately $41.4 million (KRW 60 billion) in 2025, making this fundraise its first since inception.

The company operates a portfolio of proprietary brands: haircare label lilyeve, skincare brand Saekdong Seoul, and lifestyle brand Baruner. Its flagship brand, lilyeve, has gained notable traction in the haircare category on Amazon in the United States and is expanding its footprint across North America, Asia, and the Middle East.

BiTELAB plans to deploy the proceeds toward R&D for next-generation products, strengthening its business infrastructure, and talent acquisition. The company aims to bring on more than 30 additional hires — both domestically and internationally — by the second half of this year.

“Over the past five years, we built our brand competitiveness and growth foundation entirely without external investment, and this round validates that potential,” said Yonghoon Cho, CEO of BiTELAB. “We will continue to nurture K-consumer brands with global appeal and establish ourselves as a world-class brand builder.”