Founded in 2023 by David Suissa, Byome Labs is a startup specializing in the analysis of the external human microbiome. It aims to make bacterial ecosystem profiling a routine practice, helping cosmetic and dermocosmetic brands recommend products tailored to each individual’s microbiome.
“Each person carries around 100 trillion microorganisms on and within their body. The microbiome — found on the skin, scalp, and mucous membranes — forms a measurable interface between the body and the products applied to it,” says David Suissa. “With Byome Derma, our goal is to make microbiome analysis a routine tool for better understanding individual skin needs.”
The technology is designed for cosmetic and dermocosmetic brands, which can offer the test to consumers through multiple channels: at home, in-store with the assistance of a beauty advisor, in pharmacies, or in healthcare practitioners’ offices.
“Byome Derma is a co-branded technology platform that can be customized to each brand’s objectives,” Suissa explains. “An anti-aging skincare brand, for example, will focus on different microbiome markers than a brand targeting younger skin.”
A two-minute test
Inspired by rapid antigen tests, Byome Derma enables skin microbiome analysis in just a few minutes. The process begins with a facial swab using a pre-moistened cotton applicator, which can be used even over makeup. The sample is then analyzed through a combination of biological testing and artificial intelligence via a mobile app.
“It’s like a Covid antigen test, but for the skin,” states founder David Suissa. “We’re leveraging a testing method that people already know and trust.”
The collected sample is mixed with a liquid reagent in a flexible vial, after which three drops are dispensed onto a test cassette containing biological markers selected according to each brand’s objectives. Within two minutes, the test strips develop color intensities that reflect the presence of the targeted markers. The user then photographs the strips through the mobile app, which uses AI to interpret the results and generate an individualized microbiome profile based on pre-selected parameters.
“We generally recommend limiting the analysis to five or six markers,” Suissa explains.
The results are compared to a database of the brand’s products, previously analyzed in the laboratory and indexed by Byome Labs. “We look at how the finished product performs in relation to the microbiome, the real impact of the finished formulas on ten bacterial and yeast species common to all skin types,” the CEO continues.
The app then recommends the most compatible beauty routine with the best-suited products in each category—cleanser, serum, day cream, or other—from the brand’s range. Repeated use also allows users to track the evolution of their microbiome over time, for example, to assess the effectiveness of a treatment for acne-prone skin.
A factory and new applications
With a team of 17 engineers and technicians specializing in microbiology, immunology, genetic engineering, and artificial intelligence, Byome Labs is currently developing its first Byome Derma kits at its Clermont-Ferrand site, in France. Fueled by a second round of funding currently underway, the young company plans to open a factory by the end of 2026 to accelerate its growth. It also aims for international expansion, with initial clients in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, and ambitions in the Korean and Chinese markets.
Finally, Byome Labs aims to expand its technology into additional applications, including the scalp (Byome Scalp), the oral mucosa (Byome Oral), and the vaginal mucosa (Byome Vaginal), as well as into the pharmaceutical sector.
“The demand for microbiome-specific products is strong. According to a study conducted by one of our shareholders, 70% of consumers surveyed would like skincare tailored to their microbiome. In addition, the European Union has allocated EUR 100 million in 2026 to research the cosmetic microbiome, confirming it as a strategic priority for the coming years. It is a very real issue,” concludes David Suissa.
