STRAAND, a hair care business that improves the scalp microbiome, has secured a $2M pre-Seed. Unilever Ventures, the venture arm of consumer goods multinational Unilever, led the round.

Unilever has large consumer brands under its umbrella, including Dove and Sunsilk. STRAAND was founded in 2022 and challenged conventional hair care products with its prebiotic scalp-balancing products. STRAAND is Australian-made, vegan and cruelty-free. Its primary differentiation is a trademarked element called Defencescalp tries to fix dry and itchy skin, which can cause dandruff. The capital will be used to expand into new markets like the US, UK, Europe and China.