Ruka Hair, an ethically-sourced hair extension brand co-founded by UK based Zimbabwean entrepreneur Tendai Moyo, has raised $4.5 million in a new funding round.
According toThe Business of Beauty, the round was co-led by Henkel Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of German conglomerate Henkel, and Freedom Trail Capital. The raise brings the company’s total funding to $10 million.
The capital injection is set to be used to support research and development for Ruka’s alternative hair extensions, along with further investment into toxicology and safety testing — an area that brand co-founder and chief executive Tendai Moyo believes has been overlooked, while some of the investment will also go towards expansion into the US market, where Ruka is scheduled to enter a major retailer later this year.
Founded in 2020, the company has built a following through its focus on textured hair extensions and education-led community building. In 2025, it was honoured at The Global Beauty Awards at The Business of Fashion Global Beauty Forum.
Its latest innovation, Synths 2, is a patent-pending collagen-based fibre designed to mimic the look and feel of human hair while avoiding the plastic fibres and sourcing concerns associated with traditional extensions.
Moyo says the aim of Ruka fibres is "to essentially eradicate the need for human hair on the extensions market."