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Exclusive: Waycool to raise $13 Mn debt from Grand Anicut

EntrackrEntrackr · 6m ago
Exclusive: Waycool to raise $13 Mn debt from Grand Anicut
Medial

Exclusive: Waycool to raise $13 Mn debt from Grand Anicut B2B food and agritech platform Waycool raises Rs 110 crore (approximately $13 million) in debt from Grand Anicut. This will be the second debt round for the Chennai-based company in the last four months. The board at Waycool has passed a special resolution to issue 1,100 non-convertible debentures at an issue price of Rs 1,00,000 each to raise Rs 100 crore or $13 million, its regulatory filing accessed from the Registrar of Companies shows. The debt investment will come with an annual coupon rate of 18% and a tenure of 18 months. In addition to the 18% interest, an additional 4% interest, mutually agreed upon by the company and the lender, will also be applied, according to the explanatory statement filed by the company. According to the filings, Waycool plans to use the funds for general corporate business purposes. These back-to-back loans with high interest rates indicate that the company is facing challenges in securing an equity round and urgently needs capital. Waycool has raised around $160 million in funding to date from Lightrock, International Finance Corporation, FMO, and 57 Stars, among others. It was also negotiating for more than $50 million which could have propelled its valuation in the range of $900 million to $1 billion. However, the talks did not go through. The firm was valued at $700 million in its last equity round. Founded by Karthik Jayaraman and Sanjay Dasari, Waycool buys fresh produce, including dairy products, from farmers and sells them to retailers and restaurants. It also runs private label brands and handles distribution for fast-moving consumer goods or FMCG companies. Waycool registered 62% growth in its operating revenue to Rs 1,251 crore in FY23 whereas losses of the firm surged 89% to Rs 685 crore during the same period. The company has yet to file its annual report for FY24.

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Exclusive: Waycool raises $12 Mn debt from Grand Anicut

EntrackrEntrackr · 9m ago
Exclusive: Waycool raises $12 Mn debt from Grand Anicut
Medial

Waycool, the Chennai-based agriculture supply chain firm, has raised Rs 100 crore (about $12 million) in debt financing from Grand Anicut. This is the first major infusion in the company in the last two years. The board at 1,000 Series B6 debentures at an issue price of Rs 10,00,000 each to raise Rs 100 crore or $12 million, its regulatory filing accessed from the Registrar of Companies (RoC) shows. The debt carries a coupon rate (interest) of 18% per annum with a tenure of 18 months. The company plans to use the funds for ongoing business operations, according to the filings. This debt round is a significant breakthrough for Waycool, as the company has been struggling to raise an equity round. Founded by Karthik Jayaraman and Sanjay Dasari, Waycool buys fresh produce, including dairy products, from farmers and sells them to retailers and restaurants. It also runs private label brands and handles distribution for fast moving consumer goods or FMCG companies. Waycool has raised around $160 million in funding to date from Lightrock, International Finance Corporation, FMO, and 57 Stars, among others. It was also negotiating for more than $50 million which could have propelled its valuation in the range of $900 million to $1 billion. However, the talks did not go through. The firm was valued at $700 million in its last equity round. To cut costs, the firm also laid off 200 employees across departments as the company was eyeing profitability by July this year. Waycool registered 62% growth in its operating revenue to Rs 1,251 crore in FY23 whereas its losses surged by 89% to Rs 685 crore during the same period. It’s yet to file an annual report for FY24. The debt funding for Waycool highlights the scarcity of equity capital for agritech startups. Notably, three companies—Waycool, Dehaat, and Ninjacart—have been close to achieving unicorn status for the past couple of years. However, the sector has yet to produce its first unicorn. According to startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, agritech remains one of the least funded segments in 2024, with over 30 startups raising only $150 million by September. This follows a challenging trend, as last year saw just $178 million in agritech funding, a steep decline from $772 million in 2022 and $636 million in 2021. On Monday, agritech firm Greenikk shut down its operations due to operational challenges.

Exclusive: BharatPe receives $10 Mn debt from Trifecta and InnoVen

EntrackrEntrackr · 11m ago
Exclusive: BharatPe receives $10 Mn debt from Trifecta and InnoVen
Medial

Fintech firm BharatPe has raised Rs 85 crore (approximately $10 million) in debt through non-convertible debentures. This is the second debt infusion in the Peak XV and Coatue-backed company in 2024. The board at BharatPe has issued 500 Series E1 debentures at Rs 10,00,000 each and 3,500 Series F1 debentures at Rs 1,00,00 each to raise Rs 85 crore, its regulatory filing with the Registrar of Companies shows. Trifecta Venture debt pumped in Rs 50 crore while Innoven Capital participated with Rs 35 crore, shows filing. As per Entrackr’s sources, BharatPe completed its $100 million debt round early this year. InnoVen Capital was expected to pump in $60-70 million in BharatPe whereas Credit Saison invested the remaining capital in the Delhi-based company’s NBFC arm Trillion Loans. Debt from Innoven could be a part of the above amount. We have reached out to BharatPe to confirm if their investment is new or existing. Sources close to the fintech firm added that BharatPe chose debt as it is close to break-even and didn’t want to dilute equity. BharatPe raised its last equity round in August 2021 when it also checked into the unicorn club. It has raised over $650 million in equity and debt from the likes of Tiger Global, Dragoneer Investment Group, Steadfast Capital, Coatue Management, Ribbit Capital and others. According to TheArch report, BharatPe’s operating revenue increased by 16%, reaching Rs 1,370 crore in FY24, up from Rs 1,029 crore in FY23. The six-year-old company also reported a 70% reduction in losses, bringing them down to Rs 270 crore in the last fiscal year.

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