Patina is a new firm run by Sean Raspet and Laura Sisson. We expect it to revolutionize the fragrance industry, which has decidedly stuck in the mud for close to half a century. 2024 is when Patina was officially founded, after the two connected at a fragrance art gallery in New York City. Since we launched last year, we have accomplished numerous exciting developments in olfactory technology. Their cutting-edge work employs artificial intelligence (AI) to understand the molecular mechanisms of how we perceive odor. This puts Patina at the very center of what could be an industry-wide revolution.
At the core of Patina’s mission is the creation of an innovative foundation model specialized for transportation—a model we call Sense1. This groundbreaking initiative aims to replicate scent receptors in the human nose, ultimately working towards the creation of “the first universal code of smell and taste.” The team imagines a nearly limitless palette for perfumers and flavorists with this modular model. This will give them the tools and leverage to better create and defend their distinctive styles.
On their first in-person visit, Raspet introduced them to his new scent molecules. In parallel, Sisson had been building models of olfactory learning and they began to envision what their combined efforts could accomplish.
“We think by expanding the palette, perfumers and flavorists at all scales will be able to develop and protect their signature style.” – Sean Raspet
Patina’s proprietary process delivers a substantial reduction in the time and cost needed to develop an entirely new custom scent ingredient. What used to take years with traditional methods, Patina’s innovative process enables these ingredients to be produced in just weeks. That efficiency is matched by an equally robust dedication to environmental stewardship. Compared to conventional plant extracts, their molecular replications require significantly less water and petrochemicals, resulting in a vastly lower carbon footprint.
“These replications are less carbon-intensive than the original plant extract, consuming significantly less water and petrochemicals.” – Sean Raspet
By using innovative technology, the startup is changing the industry by creating molecules that smell just like nature. They achieve this feat without needing plant extraction, which makes them unique. For example, Patina has developed AI to effectively create molecules that mimic the scent of rose oil at a cellular level. This new capability opens up all kinds of new fragrances. It aims to tackle the mounting sustainability pressures facing the industry.
Patina has undoubtedly captured the interest of investors since it landed on the market. It then raised $2 million in capital from such well-known firms as Betaworks and True Ventures. This funding will increase their research capacities and continue to advance their technological capabilities.
Raspet told us that data was central to their development process. He noted how critical it was to engage with startups and academic labs. These government–industry partnerships have been critical for acquiring receptor activation data, which is needed to train their predictive models.
“All models need data to learn from, and we’ve been able to fund collaborations with startups and academic labs to gather this receptor activation data.” – Sean Raspet
The development of know-how Patina marks an incredible step ahead in beginning to understand scent at a biological degree. Raspet was hopeful about the timing of their new venture, saying,
“The timing was right to finally build the tools to understand scent at the biological level.” – Sean Raspet
As Patina continues its journey, it stands as a beacon of innovation in an industry that has long relied on traditional methods. The combination of AI technology and a commitment to sustainability positions Patina not just as another startup in the fragrance sector, but as a transformative force that could redefine how scents are created and experienced.
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