Sequential, a genomic testing company focused on non-invasive human clinical samples, announced it has raised $3.5 million in its first equity funding round, bringing its total funding to $7.5 million, including both dilutive and non-dilutive capital.
The round was co-led by Sparkfood and Corundum Systems Biology, with participation from Dermazone Holdings, SOSV, Scrum Ventures, an ex-general partner at Index Ventures, and continued backing from Innovate UK.
Sequential specializes in advancing skin health innovation by measuring how ingredients and products affect microbial and host biomarkers. Its proprietary testing platform integrates microbial and molecular analyses to convert complex biological data into actionable insights for consumer, biotech, and pharmaceutical applications.
The company has built a large clinical dataset that includes more than 50,000 samples, over 4,000 ingredients, and participation from more than 10,000 individuals globally. The new funding will be used to develop an AI-powered discovery engine built on this dataset, aimed at predicting, optimizing, and discovering next-generation bioactive ingredients and active complexes.
Sequential is positioning itself at the intersection of systems biology, clinical research, and computational modeling to enable more scientifically validated and data-driven product development in personal care and adjacent health categories. The company plans to expand its biomarker discovery programs and global partnerships as it scales its platform.
Founded by a team of PhD experts, Sequential operates in the skin microbiome field with labs in Cambridge, New York City, and Singapore. Its research has applications in inflammatory skin conditions such as acne, atopic dermatitis, and rosacea.
KEY QUOTES
“Our mission is to bring pharmaceutical-grade evidence and computational precision to personal care. By applying artificial intelligence to one of the world’s largest clinical datasets in dermatological health, we can both discover new skin biomarkers, and move beyond incremental formulation improvements and instead systematically design and validate breakthrough ingredient combinations. This investment allows us to scale that vision.”
Oliver Worsley, PhD, CEO And Co-Founder Of Sequential
“Sequential has built a unique bridge between biology, clinical validation, and consumer product development, linking molecular and microbial biomarkers to real-world product performance. We believe their AI-driven platform will reshape how next-generation personal care products are developed and differentiated. This investment also aligns with Sparkfood’s connected innovation strategy, opening the door to co-development opportunities and commercial synergies in the personal care space.”
Anouk Veber, Ventures Business Unit Leader At Sparkfood
“Sequential’s mission aligns with ours: to transform human health with the power of large datasets, the microbiome, and artificial intelligence. Our continued support in this round reflects our confidence in their vision and our shared commitment to redefining the future of personal care.”
Hidehiko Otake, CEO Of Corundum Systems Biology
