Brazilian Beauty Giant Grupo Boticário and CESAR Innovation Hub Secure the Prestigious "People's Choice" Award for Its Revolutionary Inclusive Technology
AUSTIN, Texas, March 12, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The R&D project "Engineering the world's first Smart Lipstick®" has earned Brazilian beauty powerhouse Grupo Boticário and CESAR Innovation Hub the prestigious SXSW Innovation Award in the "People's Choice" category at Monday's gala ceremony in Austin, Texas. The groundbreaking AI-powered lipstick application prototype, which debuted at CES 2025 in January, was recognized for its transformative approach to beauty industry inclusivity.
"Our Smart Lipstick® was inspired by Grupo Boticário's desire to make the beauty market more diverse and inclusive, thereby positively influencing society," explained Gustavo Dieamant, R&D executive director at Grupo Boticário. "The project began in 2018, in partnership with CESAR Innovation Hub, Neurobots and EMBRAPII. After more than seven years of development across five phases, it's incredible to see our work recognized on this global stage."
The revolutionary Smart Lipstick® combines artificial intelligence, computer vision, and robotic technology to provide precise, automated lipstick application for individuals with motor disabilities and visual impairments. The system uses advanced computer vision to photograph the user's face, precisely map their lips, and distinguish between lip and facial tones. A robotic arm then applies the lipstick with exceptional accuracy, completing the entire application process in just two minutes.
"Winning a SXSW Innovation Award—essentially the Oscars of technological innovation—is a profound validation of our seven-year research and development journey," said Eduardo Peixoto, CEO of CESAR. "Just as Walter Salles' 'I'm Still Here' showed the world the artistic brilliance of Brazilian cinema at the Academy Awards, this recognition shines a spotlight on Brazil's technological ingenuity on the global innovation stage."
This award-winning project emerges from the same entrepreneurial spirit that has transformed Brazilian startups into global tech leaders, demonstrating how the country's distinct approach to innovation combines technological sophistication with practical problem-solving to create solutions that resonate worldwide.
Dieamant added, "Entering this competition was an opportunity to amplify our mission of inclusivity and demonstrate how technology can transform lives. It's a testament to Grupo Boticário's innovative spirit and commitment to social impact."
"The Smart Lipstick® represents the pinnacle of what's possible when global brands commit to long-term, purpose-driven innovation partnerships," said Peixoto. "At CESAR, we've spent nearly three decades applying cutting-edge technologies to solve real human challenges, and I couldn't be prouder to represent our team of brilliant minds who, alongside Grupo Boticário, reimagined what inclusive beauty can look like in the 21st century."
In a country where necessity often mothers invention, the Smart Lipstick® stands as a testament to Brazil's rising prominence as a hub for inclusive design and technological excellence.
The SXSW Innovation Awards recognize the most exciting creative developments in the connected world, celebrating technological advancements and discoveries across multiple categories. The awards are widely regarded as one of the tech industry's highest honors. The winners are selected by a panel of expert judges after careful evaluation at the Innovation Awards Finalist Showcase.
Developed through a painstaking collaboration between Grupo Boticário and CESAR Innovation Hub in Recife, Brazil, the winning project involved a team of 42 professionals—including engineers, product designers, UX experts, and diversity specialists—who worked tirelessly to create a technology that empowers people with disabilities to experience the joy and confidence that comes with applying and wearing lipstick independently.
The technology was successfully implemented in select showcase stores and events across Brazil in mid-2024 before making its international debut at CES 2025 in Las Vegas in January 2025.
This recognition comes at a pivotal time for the beauty industry, as inclusivity has become a "2025 imperative for beauty brands," according to industry reports. Research shows that inclusive beauty brands are demonstrating 1.5X faster growth compared to their less inclusive counterparts.
South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. People attend SXSW to gain exposure to cutting-edge ideas across the tech, film, and music industries, network with professionals from around the world, discover new trends, and experience live showcases.
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About Grupo Boticário
Grupo Boticário is a Brazilian company that operates in 40 countries and is one of the largest beauty groups in the world. It owns the brands O Boticário, Eudora, Quem Disse, Berenice?, Vult, O.u.i, Dr. JONES, Tô.que.tô, Truss and the marketplace Beleza na Web, besides working with licensed products such as Australian Gold, Bio Oil, Nuxe and Pampers, and its division for the B2B market, called MultiB. Learn more at https://www.grupoboticario.com.br/en/home-en/
About CESAR
CESAR is a world-renowned innovation center and advanced technical school based in Porto Digital, Recife's thriving technology district on Brazil's northeastern coast. With more than1,400 highly skilled professionals, CESAR specializes in cutting-edge technologies including AI, cybersecurity, computer vision, IoT and quantum computing. Learn more at www.cesar.org.br/web/english.
Media Contacts:
CESAR Innovation Hub (U.S. PR Lead)
Chris Knight
Based in San Francisco, Calif.
(415) 786-9226 m ... (on WhatsApp)
Grupo Boticário (Brazil)
Media Contact
Chris Knight, Divino Group, 1 4157869226, [email protected], www.divinogroup.net
SOURCE Divino Group
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