A startup that focuses on bees – and beauty – to rebuild biodiversity.
In ecological maps, bees are a discreet but decisive indicator: where they thrive, the environment is in balance; when they decline, ecosystems begin to suffer. This awareness led to the creation of Bee It, an Italian company that has chosen a direct and concrete approach: creating natural and eco-friendly cosmetics as “manifesto products,” capable of communicating and supporting the Save the Bees mission, in order to finance dedicated areas where pollinating insects can find safe spaces to feed and reproduce.
Founded by Nicola Iacopelli, who has extensive managerial experience in the professional cosmetics and pharmaceutical sectors, the company has created five oases in various regions in less than three years: Rovigo, Milan (with an educational apiary), Cuneo, Besana in Brianza, and Manduria.
The way it works is simple: by purchasing everyday products—shampoo, creams, body treatments—you finance the recovery of land taken away from intensive agriculture and converted into habitats favorable to bees. Each oasis is entrusted to professional beekeepers, who select and cultivate plant species that are useful for biodiversity, improve soil quality, and guarantee a constant source of nutrition.
A fundamental aspect is the link with the local areas: the proceeds generated from sales are reinvested in the same geographical area, creating a virtuous circle involving local shops, consumers, and beekeepers.
Environmental sustainability is at the heart of the project: recyclable and certified packaging, natural formulations, and fully traceable ingredients.
But what really sets Bee It apart is its desire to make the impact of purchasing choices tangible, highlighting the direct relationship between the product and environmental protection. This is why real beehives are displayed in stores, recovered and restored, transformed into narrative objects and participatory tools: each store can customize them for contests and dedicated initiatives. At the end of the season, the beehives return to the oases, “signed” by the customers who purchased the products, completing a symbolic gesture of returning to nature.
The project has attracted attention far beyond the world of beauty: Bee It was awarded at the Venice Film Festival as “Best Italian company dedicated to sustainability” and won the Bio Award in the Charity category at SANA in Bologna. Collaborations such as the one with Maestro Iginio Massari have further increased visibility, extending the story of biodiversity conservation to the pastry sector and food supply chains.
In addition to cosmetics, Bee It is developing a line dedicated to children, accompanied by audiobooks and educational materials, with the aim of introducing families and children to the topic of biodiversity through simple and engaging tools.
A suncare line is also on the way, alongside swimwear made from materials recovered from plastic in the sea, along with other projects aimed at financing new oases. These include an initiative dedicated to honey: the excess honey produced in the oases—usually left to the bees or discarded—will be bottled and sold to support further conservation efforts.
The startup is also ready to become a Benefit Corporation, a step consistent with the philosophy behind the project.
At the root of Bee It is not the claim to offer definitive solutions, but the desire to build a replicable model, made up of concrete actions, real spaces, and direct participation by people.
Not a grand abstract plan, but a series of measurable steps that, over time, can contribute to the creation of stronger and more resilient ecosystems.
