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Beauty brand Asaya raises $1.5 Mn from OTP Ventures and others

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Beauty brand Asaya raises $1.5 Mn from OTP Ventures and others
Medial

Premium skincare brand Asaya has raised Rs 12 crore ($ 1.5 million) in Seed funding round led by OTP Ventures and Huddle Ventures, with additional investments from Eternal Capital. The funds will be allocated towards melanin-centric research and developing more products that cater to melanin-specific needs, the company said in a press release. Part of the funding will also be utilised to enhance market reach. Launched in September 2023 by Neeraj Biyani (former Co-founder of Paper Boat), Mandeep Bhatia, and Eeti Sharma, Asaya has rapidly expanded its sales and customer base, retailing through its website and online retail platforms like Nykaa, Amazon, Flipkart, and Myntra. Currently, it claims to have more than 11 products and 23 SKUs. According to Biyani, this funding will help us go from 20,000 to over 250,000 consumers in the next 12 months. Suhail Sameer, who is the former CEO of BharatPe, is serving venture capital firm OTP Venture as managing partner. As per a media report, OTP Ventures is also looking to close its debut fund at Rs 400 crore by June. The firm recently led $1 million round in CirclePe.

Asaya raises $3 Mn in pre-Series A round led by RPSG Capital

EntrackrEntrackr · 28d ago
Asaya raises $3 Mn in pre-Series A round led by RPSG Capital
Medial

Asaya, a research-backed skincare brand focused on hyperpigmentation, has raised Rs 28 crore (around $3 million) in a pre-Series A round led by RPSG Capital. Other investors include Suyash Saraf and Anisha Agarwal Saraf, co-founders of Dot & Key, alongside existing backers OTP Ventures and Huddle Ventures. The proceeds will be used to set up a state-of-the-art innovation center, accelerate product development, and expand distribution. Founded by Neeraj Biyani, Anupam Sinha and Ritu Malhotra, Asaya’s current product line includes serums, creams, face masks, and treatments for hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, and related concerns. The firm follows a direct-to-consumer (D2C) model, selling via its own online channels, quick-commerce platforms, and select offline retail. This approach allows it to control pricing, maintain transparency, and bring research-driven solutions directly to consumers. Asaya claims to have grown 400% year-on-year, driven by its proprietary patented molecule MelaMe™, which delivers clinically proven results in 14 days and has consistently outperformed global beauty brands in tests on Indian skin types. Asaya plans to launch six new products in the next 12 months, including a line featuring another patented molecule targeting a major Indian skin concern after 1.5 years of research. Asaya competes with both multinational giants like L’Oréal, P&G, and Unilever and homegrown digital-first brands such as Mamaearth, Minimalist, and Dot & Key.

Paper Boat posts Rs 585 Cr revenue in FY24; cuts losses by 48%

EntrackrEntrackr · 10m ago
Paper Boat posts Rs 585 Cr revenue in FY24; cuts losses by 48%
Medial

Hector Beverages owned Paper Boat, which manufactures soft drinks and beverages, saw its operating scale grow by a modest 16% year-on-year growth in the fiscal year ending March 2024. However, the A91 Partners-backed firm improved its bottom line by cutting its losses by 48% in the same period. Paper Boat’s revenue from operations increased to Rs 585 crore in FY24 from Rs 504 crore in FY23, its financial statement sourced from the Registrar of Companies (RoC) shows. In the previous fiscal year, it recorded more than 50% jump in its scale. Launched by former Coca-Cola executives Neeraj Kakkar and Niraj Biyani, Paper Boat sells packaged juices, coconut water, traditional Indian snacks, and dry fruits. Trade (manufactured by third-parties) of these products formed 52% of the operating revenue which increased by 16% to Rs 304.3 crore in FY24 from Rs 261.8 crore in FY23. Its own manufactured products accounted for the remaining 48% of operating revenue. This income also grew 15.7% to Rs 278 crore in FY24. The 11-year-old company earned additional Rs 10 crore from interest income which took its total revenue to Rs 595 crore in FY24. On the expense side, cost of materials dominated by accounting for 63% of the expense. This cost increased by 6.4% to Rs 404 crore in the last fiscal year from Rs 380 crore in FY23. Employee benefit expenses grew by 22% to Rs 66.70 crore in FY24. Advertising, finance and other expenses added another Rs 171 crore. Overall, Paper Boat’s total expense increased 7.2% to Rs 642 crore in the last fiscal year. In the end, Paper Boat managed to decrease its losses by 48% to Rs 47 crore in FY24 from Rs 90.5 crore in FY23. Its ROCE and EBITDA margin stood at -15.45% and -5.63%, respectively. On a unit basis, it spent Rs 1.1 to earn a rupee of operating revenue in FY24. The Bengaluru-based company reported cash and bank balances of Rs 168 crore along with current assets of Rs 305 crore in FY24. According to TheKredible, Paper Boat has raised Rs 1,030 crore ($143 million) in funding so far, with key investors including GIC (Lathe), Peak XV, Sofina Ventures, and A91 Partners. GIC holds over 25% of the company’s stake, while Sofina and Peak XV each control more than 18%. Paper Boat, which entered the market with a fresh approach and offerings, has struggled to convert that initial promise into results. Even as it has continued to innovate and adapt, the search for profitability even 11 years after it started operations is a reason to worry, even as it has come close now. The other worrying aspect of the business is the complete change in market dynamics in the form of quick commerce, modern trade, e-commerce and more, which should affect margins at Paper Boat much more. The firm has done well to survive even as many other startups in the space struggled and folded up or were acquired. Could Paper Boat surprise skeptics once again? One has to wonder, consider the unbelievably high clutter in the market today, and the much more demanding valuations from the category per se.

Paper Boat posts Rs 668 Cr revenue in FY25; narrows losses by 24%

EntrackrEntrackr · 6d ago
Paper Boat posts Rs 668 Cr revenue in FY25; narrows losses by 24%
Medial

Paper Boat posts Rs 668 Cr revenue in FY25; narrows losses by 24% Hector Beverages Pvt Ltd, maker of Paper Boat drinks, saw steady growth in FY25, with a 16% year-on-year rise in operating scale and a 24% reduction in losses to under Rs 50 crore. Hector Beverages Pvt Ltd, maker of Paper Boat drinks, pursued steady growth in the fiscal year ending March 2025. The company recorded a modest 16% year-on-year increase in operating scale in the last fiscal year, while narrowing its losses by 24% to below Rs 50 crore. Paper Boat’s operating revenue rose to Rs 668.28 crore in FY25 from Rs 574.48 crore in FY24, its financial statements sourced from the Registrar of Companies (RoC) shows. Founded by former Coca-Cola executives Neeraj Kakkar and Niraj Biyani, Paperboat offers packaged juices, coconut water, traditional Indian snacks, and dry fruits. Products traded through third-party manufacturers contributed 66% of its operating revenue. Collection from this spiked 45% to Rs 441.43 crore in FY25 from Rs 304.32 crore in FY24. In contrast, revenue from its own manufactured products, which made up 33.78% of the total, declined 16% to Rs 225.72 crore during the fiscal year. Paper Boat also earned a non-operating income of Rs 14.2 crore, mainly from interest on bank deposits, taking its total income to Rs 682.44 crore. On the expense side, the cost of materials remained the largest component, which accounted for 62% of total expenses at Rs 444 crore in FY25. Employee benefit expenses rose 32% to Rs 90.35 crore, while selling and distribution costs stood at Rs 58.47 crore, and depreciation, travel, and other overheads pushed overall expenses to Rs 716.53 crore. The Peak XV-backed company cut its losses by 24% to Rs 48.25 crore in FY25, with ROCE at -14% and EBITDA margin at -3.86%. On a unit basis, it spent Rs 1.07 to earn a rupee of operating revenue in FY25. As of March 2025, the company’s current assets stood at Rs 276.17 crore, including cash and bank balances of Rs 42.39 crore. According to startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, Paperboat has raised $143 million to date from investors including GIC, Peak XV, Sofina Ventures, and A91 Partners. GIC holds a 25% stake in the company, while Sofina and Peak XV each own over 18%.

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