This young startup is taking on a fragrance industry that hasn’t changed in almost half a century
Fragrance tech startup Patina has raised $2 million in funding to innovate in the fragrance industry. The company aims to create new scent molecules using advanced technology and machine learning, addressing a market that has seen little change in decades. Patina's approach allows for the development of custom scents while reducing reliance on natural ingredients and their associated environmental impacts.
- ▪Patina has raised $2 million in funding from investors like Betaworks and True Ventures.
- ▪The company focuses on creating new scent molecules using advanced molecular design and machine learning.
- ▪Patina aims to replicate scent receptors biologically, allowing for the creation of unique scent molecules.
- ▪The startup is already in talks with top fragrance houses and fashion brands for custom scent development.
- ▪AI is helping Patina to innovate faster and reduce the need for animal testing in scent development.
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| Original publisher | Startups | TechCrunch |
| Canonical URL | https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/21/a-new-fragrance-company-raises-2-million-to-find-new-scent-molecules/ |
| Publication time | Thu, 21 May 2026 16:00:00 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-21T16:01:31.036Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-21T17:50:57.746Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Fragrance tech company Patina says it has raised $2 million in funding investors, including Betaworks and True Ventures. The company focuses on creating new scent molecules using advanced molecular design, machine learning, and scent research. Today, most of the scent molecules used in consumer products are created by a small number of specialized labs, which then sell those molecules to fragrance houses or cosmetics companies — the brands that ultimately turn them into perfumes, candles, or flavored products. Patina is trying to shake that up, entering an area that has seen little innovation in the past half century. The company was founded by Sean Raspet and Laura Sisson.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Startups | TechCrunch.
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