Dr. Lada Rasochova (middle), CEO of Dermala
Dermala utilizes the human microbiome, data analytics, and consumer engagement to develop the next generation of over-the-counter dermatology treatments for the most prevalent skin diseases and conditions, such as acne, eczema, and aging.
The company is developing treatments that aim to deliver better outcomes and lasting results without the side effects associated with traditional therapies. Backed by IP exclusively licensed from a university, as well as independently developed research, Dermala uses prebiotic, probiotic, and postbiotic formulations to improve skin health naturally. Leveraging an AI-driven mobile app solution, Dermala delivers personalized treatments to further optimize outcomes.
Dermala products are based on cutting-edge science and incorporate the latest advances in microbiome research and data science to optimize skin health for everyone.
More about Dermala, Inc.:
“Skin Deep Secret” – Triton Magazine 5/7/18
“They have been amazing. [Sara and Kerry] have backgrounds in tech-based science AND consumer products, so they have great insights on next steps. Their connections to the right people have also been helpful on our journey. They celebrate our successes, but also are there when we need to figure out how to get to the next stage. It’s great to know you’re supported.” – Dr. Lada Rasochova
Founder: Dr. Lada Rasochova
Headquarters: San Diego, CA
Meet Lada Rasochova:
Background: Dr. Lada Rasochova is the founder and CEO of Dermala Inc. She spent more than 15 years in the biotech and pharma industries, where she held various leadership positions. She was the director of new business development and R&D leader of vaccine technologies in the Dowpharma division of the Dow Chemical Company, where she built and managed the human vaccine business unit, and led the development of novel vaccines, immunotherapeutics and microbial expression platforms. Prior to Dow, she was with Mycogen, a biotechnology startup that was acquired by Dow Chemical for $1B+.
Lada came back to academia and joined the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego in 2009. She founded the California Institute for Innovation and Development (CIID), which serves as an entrepreneurship hub; the Rady Venture Fund, a VC fund that invests in early stage technology companies and where she is the managing director; StartR accelerator, which provides support to emerging startups; and the award-winning mystartupXX accelerator, which supports the next generation of female founders and female-led technology startups.
Lada has a PhD in MCDB with focus in Microbiology and Virology from Iowa State University, and an MBA from UC San Diego. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Athena Pinnacle Award (2014), Most Innovative Thinkers Award (2016), the San Diego Woman of the Year finalist award (2017), and the San Diego 500 Influential Business Leaders Award (2018 and 2019) ).
Why start Dermala? “Dermala, Inc. was spun out in 2014 from the University of California, San Diego, where I was working to increase commercialization outcomes through mentorship, education, and training. I founded Dermala because of my passion for translating scientific discoveries to market to improve the lives of millions of people around the world.”
Why seek venture capital? “Venture capital is not for all companies; the companies need to be scalable and able to grow fast. We had research funding while we were in the research stage developing the underlying tech and building product prototypes at UCSD and JLABS, the Johnson & Johnson Innovation incubator. Once we knew we have a proof of concept, validated prototype, and customer traction, we needed funding to fuel the company growth.”
Why True Wealth Ventures? “Three reasons: (1) They understood our brand. Sara and Kerry understood our market and our customer, and they understood the problems and the needs for solutions. (2) True Wealth Ventures funds diverse companies with female founders. We are a diverse company and Sara and Kerry appreciate diversity. (3) As investors, they’re going to be involved with our company for some time, so interpersonal chemistry was also very important. They have been amazing. [Sara and Kerry] have backgrounds in tech-based science AND consumer products, so they have great insights on next steps. Their connections to the right people have also been helpful on our journey. They celebrate our successes, but also are there when we need to figure out how to get to the next stage. It’s great to know you’re supported.”
Have you seen women general partners (GPs) bring a different perspective to the table? “Women General Partners definitely bring a different perspective to the table. They bring different life experiences, alternative viewpoints, and new creativity compared to male General Partners. They see new opportunities where others may not notice. I believe that diversity in venture capital is an “unfair advantage” that will translate into better financial performance of the firm.”
Do you think a woman’s perspective is valuable to this market? “Definitely. Women spend more time researching the skincare products and more money on buying the products compared to men. They are our target customer. Moms make the most purchasing decisions when it comes to acne treatments for their teenage kids. More women continue to have acne as they age. Women understand what products are available on the market and know that most of the available products don’t work very well and cause side effects. So they also understand the gap, the unmet need that exists in the market.”
Words of Wisdom: “Do it. Think bigger, too. You need a big potential to attract investors. Step back and think about how you can make your company fantastic. Investors look at risk vs. opportunity; if the opportunity is not big, it’s not worth the risk.”