Fragrance tech company Patina has secured $2 million from investors like Betaworks and True Ventures. The company aims to innovate the scent molecule industry using molecular design, machine learning, and scent research. Traditionally, scent molecules are developed by a few specialized labs for fragrance houses or cosmetics companies. Patina seeks to revolutionize this industry, which has seen little change in 50 years.
Established by Sean Raspet and Laura Sisson, the company combines Raspet’s artistic background in perfumery and Sisson’s expertise in food and software engineering. They met in 2024 at a New York scent art gallery and shared an interest in human senses. Their collaboration led to the foundation of Patina, focusing on biological-level scent understanding.
Patina introduced Sense1, a foundational model simulating scent receptors and creating a universal code of smell and taste. Traditional scent descriptions like “floral” are imprecise, causing inconsistencies. Raspet states this receptor-level work allows the creation of unique molecules and reconstruction of rare natural ingredients.
Patina is in discussions with top fragrance and fashion brands for custom scents. Increasing demand for innovative and environmentally friendly perfumes, alongside supply-chain challenges for natural ingredients, aligns with Patina’s goals. Their synthetic molecules can replicate scents like rose oil without plant extraction, reducing carbon and resource use.
The company competes with startups like Osmo and giants Givaudan and Symrise. Patina’s use of AI makes scent development faster and cheaper, allowing smaller firms to create custom ingredients. While patenting fragrance molecules is possible, formulas aren’t patent-protected, leading to easy replicas. Patina’s expanding palette aids perfumers and flavorists in developing unique styles.
AI advancements are phasing out animal testing by accurately predicting human-skin reactions. Patina is uncovering molecular-level scent breakthroughs using AI. The new funding has allowed them to establish a Brooklyn office, expand their team, and fund new collaborations.
Raspet envisions a “Pantone for scent,” a universal system of primary scent molecules for building any smell or flavor. He believes the required knowledge was always available, waiting for the right technology and expertise. Patina aims to be the intelligence driving this innovation.