Naama

There are one billion tattoos globally, and 47% of millennials have ink. As tattoos become commonplace, so does "tattoo regret": surveys put it anywhere between 8% to 27% of people.

Sometimes this is a simple change in someone's relationship to self and style. At other times, tattoos carry traumatic associations, and removing them is a step toward healing that stays difficult with an inked reminder. Unwanted tattoos can be tied to forced labor and trafficking, or to violent pasts, as gangs or criminal organizations use them to mark membership or a particular act.

Yet tattoo removal today leaves much to be desired. Laser methods like Pico and Q-switch are slow, painful and cause well-documented effects, from blistering and crusting to lasting pigmentary changes and scarring. Long unregulated, the practice often meant shady studios with little regard for the patient.

In addition to tattoo removal, NAAMA now offers permanent makeup removal — treating microblading, eyebrow tattoos and eyeliner with the same gentle, effective LightSense® approach.

Errol Damelin, Naama's founder, had known Sofia since her Index Ventures days and reconnected while fundraising. We had never imagined investing in tattoo removal, but we were struck by the team, the scale of the problem, and the impact removal could have on millions. Naama was founded with one objective: rebuild tattoo removal to make it pain-free and carefree.

Errol acquired Princeton University patents for a laser using ultra-fast pulse speeds. Where traditional lasers brutalize the skin, Naama's transfers light at exceptional speed and uses 150x less energy to break down ink, with no pain, no lasting damage, and faster treatments. The technology rests on seven foundational patents and more than 100 novel claims across a dozen jurisdictions. Today, LightSense® is FDA-cleared, CE-certified, and backed by a clinical advisory board of leading dermatologists and ophthalmologists.

Naama also built a full-stack company controlling experience and brand, with an analytics layer drawing on skin, tattoo and treatment data to personalize care, reflected in five-star reviews and strong unit economics. Its Second Chances program gives 5% of studio capacity to pro-bono removal for former gang members and recovering addicts.

With the tattooed population set to exceed a billion by 2030, Naama, now led by CEO Briony Garbett, has the technology and depth to lead. It has completed over 20,500 treatments and is preparing its US expansion, having closed a Series B led by Future Positive Capital alongside OMERS Ventures, Lux Capital, Ken Moelis, Alex Chesterman, Jeremy Coller and Taavet Hinrikus.

In addition to tattoo removal, NAAMA now offers permanent makeup removal, treating microblading, eyebrow tattoos and eyeliner with the same gentle, effective LightSense® approach.

Since its London launch, NAAMA has completed over 35,000 successful treatments. In September 2024, NAAMA opened a second studio in New York City — bringing its technology to the world’s most competitive aesthetics market. Permanent makeup removal has since been added as a second service line, extending NAAMA’s addressable market.

NAAMA’s treatments are overseen by a clinical advisory board including Dr. Fiona Worsnop (consultant dermatologist), Dr. Steven Hubert (senior surgical dermatologist) and Dr. Annie Negrin (ophthalmologist).