Bio-tech start-up Nuritas scooped the top prize at an event staged by personal care giant Johnson & Johnson at In-Cosmetics Global last week, according to a report published by Chemical & Engineering News.

The newcomer was awarded US$5,400, business mentoring and a potential deal after a three-minute Dragon’s Den-style pitch.  Some 10 other entrepreneurs were also gunning for the prize, including Cambridge Biolabs, Corum and Sibelius. John Bell, Vice President External Innovation R&D at J&J revealed as he announced the winner that the US FMCG manufacturer plans to ‘continue the dialogue’ with up to seven of the companies involved.

Nuritas integrates DNA analysis and artificial intelligence to discover new peptides with applications in health care, personal care and cosmetics as well as dietary supplements.