EIT
MeNow, a deep-tech startup founded by two women scientists, is leveraging artificial intelligence to reinvent ingredient innovation across industries like cosmetics and food tech.
Their rise has been strongly fueled by the support of the EIT Community, through the NEB Catalyse programme, a flagship initiative of the EIT European Institute of Innovation and Technology.
A cross-sector game changer
MeNow is not a typical software startup. The company has developed a powerful SaaS platform that simulates the behavior of over 2 million nature-based compounds without needing to step inside a lab. Using a proprietary database of more than 60,000 organisms, it predicts how ingredients interact at a molecular level, their efficacy, safety, and potential synergies.
What once took years of R&D and extensive trial-and-error in cosmetic labs can now be done with a click. Cosmetic manufacturers use MeNow to create safer and more effective products, while cutting development time by up to 75%. Sellers can also recommend products more accurately to consumers, thanks to AI-powered personalization.
But the technology isn’t limited to beauty. It’s also being applied to functional food, nutraceuticals, and wellness solutions, identifying bioactive compounds in plants that can boost health outcomes. This cross-sector potential is what makes MeNow such a game changer.
Accelerating Client Success
Their platform has consistently enabled clients to move from problem to validated solution in record time, without compromising quality.
Take our recent collaboration with Colgate. We identified an optimal plant combination for treating gingivitis, cutting their development time by 75%
Dr. Hilla Ben-Hamo Arbel, CEO of MeNow
Another impacted results example in the haircare sector: One partner approached the company with an urgent mission: discover a bioactive compound to repair damaged hair, fast. In just six weeks:
- 200+ potential ingredients analyzed in silico
- 28 shortlisted based on safety, bioactivity, and regulatory standards
- 3 prototypes generated before entering the lab
The outcome? Six weeks from brief to lab validation. “A 70% reduction in resource use, and a fivefold cut in formulation costs. This is the power of virtual chemistry plus real-world performance,” Hilla explains.
Empowering Innovation, Powered by Women
Behind MeNow are two pioneers: Dr. Hilla Ben-Hamo Arbel (CEO) and Dr. Coralie Ebert (CTO), whose backgrounds in neuroscience, chemoinformatics, and molecular modeling bring both scientific rigor and a deeply human-centered vision.
As a biotech engineer, I’ve always been fascinated by how compounds interact with the human body. But what sparked MeNow was something personal, a realization that many products are still developed without real scientific insight into how ingredients interact. We wanted to change that
Dr. Hilla Ben-Hamo Arbel, CEO of MeNow
Their leadership also reflects a new kind of innovation culture. MeNow’s team is predominantly women, but also includes colleagues of diverse backgrounds, nationalities, and abilities.
We’re not just pushing the frontiers of science, we’re also reshaping the leadership model behind it. This diversity is a strength. It allows us to build technology that’s more human-centered, more creative, and ultimately more impactful
Dr. Coralie Ebert, CTO of MeNow
This inclusive approach has led to more intuitive applications of their tech, such as identifying natural compounds that reduce skin inflammation or allergens, and tailoring food supplements for women’s health using plant-based ingredients. It’s a perspective that blends scientific expertise with lived experience.
A Catalytic Boost from the EIT Community
In 2025, MeNow joined the EIT Catalyse NEB programme, a transformative step that connected them with a multidisciplinary network and helped propel their technology and market positioning.
We joined the EIT Catalyse NEB programme because we saw it as a unique opportunity, not just for funding, but for surrounding ourselves with a network that shares our values. The NEB programme offered exactly that: a multidisciplinary ecosystem of innovators, mentors, and thought leaders across sectors
Dr. Hilla Ben-Hamo Arbel, CEO of MeNow
Throughout the programme, MeNow’s team engaged with a wide range of experts, gaining perspectives that would shape the trajectory of their platform. A key turning point came during one of the NEB co-creation workshops, where the broader potential of their AI technology came into focus.
We had the chance to sit down with people from very different industries: architecture, biodesign, even circular economy. Someone looked at our AI model and said, ‘You’re not just predicting ingredients; you’re mapping nature’s intelligence.’ We realized we weren’t just solving a cosmetic problem, we were building technology that could change how we use nature’s resources across sectors. That insight, combined with the validation and mentorship we received, helped us fully grasp and articulate MeNow’s broader potential.
Dr. Hilla Ben-Hamo Arbel, CEO of MeNow
The EIT Community, through the Catalyse NEB programme, also provided crucial European-level validation, reinforcing MeNow’s credibility across the continent and opening doors to key partners.
Following our recognition by EIT, we initiated go-to-market activities in Austria and were invited to special programs. Both customers and investors have been highly impressed by the program, viewing our collaboration with EIT as a strong mark of credibility
Dr. Hilla Ben-Hamo Arbel, CEO of MeNow
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