Sequential™ Raises $3.5M to Build AI-Powered Discovery Platform for Multi-Omic Testing and Next-Generation Skin Health Ingredients
CAMBRIDGE, England, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sequential, a leader in genomic testing from non-invasive human clinical samples, today announced the successful close of its first equity round, securing $3.5 million.
The round was co-led by Sparkfood and Corundum Systems Biology (CSB), with participation from Dermazone Holdings, SOSV, Scrum Ventures, an ex-General Partner at Index Ventures, alongside continued support from Innovate UK. With this raise, Sequential has secured a total of $7.5M in dilutive and non-dilutive funding to date.
Sequential advances innovation in skin health by quantifying how ingredients and consumer, biotech, and pharmaceutical products alter microbial and host biomarkers, using their proprietary non-invasive testing platform. Its testing platform helps to transform complex biological data into clear, actionable insights. By integrating microbial and molecular analyses, Sequential enables the development of credible, effective, and trustworthy products and claims.
The company has built one of the most comprehensive clinical datasets in the industry, comprising over 50,000 samples, 4,000+ ingredients, and 10,000+ participants worldwide. The newly raised capital will support the development of an AI-powered discovery engine built on Sequential's proprietary real-world clinical dataset, enabling the prediction, optimisation and discovery of next-generation active complexes and novel bioactive ingredients.
"Our mission is to bring pharmaceutical-grade evidence and computational precision to personal care," said Oliver Worsley, PhD, CEO and Co-Founder of Sequential. "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."
Anouk Veber, Ventures' Business Unit Leader in Sparkfood, commented: "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."
Hidehiko Otake, CEO of Corundum Systems Biology, stated: "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."
By combining systems biology, clinical research infrastructure, and advanced computational modelling, Sequential aims to set a new standard for data-driven innovation in personal care and adjacent health categories. The company will continue expanding its biomarker discovery programs and global partnerships as it builds a scalable discovery engine designed to unlock the next generation of scientifically validated complexes.
About Sequential
Sequential is a global leader in the skin microbiome field, a team of PhD experts in testing products and their effect on human health. An Innovate UK- and Enterprise Singapore-backed company, with labs in Cambridge, New York City and Singapore. Awarded the title "Most Significant" Testing Solution in the Industry - (C&T, 2022). To date, Sequential has amassed over 50,000 human skin microbiome samples and corresponding formulations tested in vivo on the skin. With this vast genomic dataset, Sequential is innovating in inflammatory disease areas, for example – acne, atopic dermatitis and rosacea. They have been previously supported by Innovate UK, Enterprise SG, A*STAR (Genome Institute of Singapore), SOSV, Corundum Systems Biology and other leading organisations.
www.sequential.bio
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SOURCE Sequential
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