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KisanKonnect raises Rs 72 Cr led by Bajaj Finserv Group

EntrackrEntrackr · 12d ago
KisanKonnect raises Rs 72 Cr led by Bajaj Finserv Group
Medial

KisanKonnect raises Rs 72 Cr led by Bajaj Finserv Group Farm-to-fork company KisanKonnect has raised Rs 72 crore (around $8 million) in a pre-Series B funding round led by Bajaj Finserv Group, with participation from Mistry Ventures, Desai Foods, Dhanuka Agritech, and Action Tessa Family Office. In May, KisanKonnect raised $4.5 million in a Series A funding round led by Mistry Ventures. The fresh proceeds will be used to scale its fresh produce supply chain intelligence and omni-channel D2C model. Co-founded in 2020 by Vivek and Nidhi Nirmal, KisanKonnect sources directly from farmers and delivers to over 1 lakh customers in Mumbai and Pune through its app and farm stores. It works closely with farmer communities to grow food sustainably while leveraging proprietary technology to deliver fresh vegetables and fruits. Vivek Nirmal, co-founder, said, “We have built proprietary tech tools and strong farmer partnerships that transform perishables logistics into a predictable, scalable, and consumer-friendly model. This fundraise will help us expand our technology stack, deepen our farmer network, and scale both our digital and offline presence.” KisanKonnect has developed supply chain intelligence tools covering IoT and RFID-based traceability, AI-driven demand forecasting, a farmer advisory app, and real-time dashboards, allowing it to handle over 650 SKUs of temperature-sensitive produce while reducing wastage. Its digital app caters to younger customers with 60-minute delivery across Mumbai and Pune, while KisanKonnect Farm Stores serve those who prefer to shop offline.

Men’s ethnicwear brand Kisah secures Rs 13 Cr to expand offline and D2C biz

EntrackrEntrackr · 3m ago
Men’s ethnicwear brand Kisah secures Rs 13 Cr to expand offline and D2C biz
Medial

Men’s ethnicwear brand Kisah secures Rs 13 Cr to expand offline and D2C biz Co-founded in 2018 by Yash Sarawagi and Yashwi Ladasaria, Kisah offers high-fashion ethnicwear for Gen Z and millennials at accessible prices. Men’s ethnicwear brand Kisah Apparels has raised Rs 13 crore (1.52 million) in a pre-Series A funding round led by Wow! Momo founder Sagar Daryani, along with participation from Apoorv Salarpuria, Rahul Todi, Vinod Dugar, and Inflection Point Ventures. The proceeds will be utilized towards expanding its offline presence, scaling up direct-to-consumer (D2C) operations, and investing in brand-building, Kisah said in a press release. The Kolkata-based brand began with a marketplace-first model and is now evolving into an omnichannel brand. It currently operates two offline retail stores, with three more outlets planned across key Indian cities. “E-commerce gave us pan-India reach and deep customer insights, which are now fueling our D2C and offline growth—backed by data, customer pull, and positive cash flow at the company level,” said Yash Sarawagi, co-founder and CEO of Kisah Apparels. Kisah added that it has built internal systems to analyze data from its marketplace and D2C operations, which inform product design, sourcing decisions, supply chain efficiency, and marketing campaigns. The brand claims to have grown from Rs 40–45 crore to a run rate of over Rs 100 crore, with positive operating cash flow and PAT.

Zolostays sells college accommodation biz to Good Host Spaces for Rs 108 Cr

EntrackrEntrackr · 6m ago
Zolostays sells college accommodation biz to Good Host Spaces for Rs 108 Cr
Medial

In October 2023, Alta Capital is said to have acquired the entire 100% stake held by Goldman Sachs and Warburg Pincus in Good Host Spaces for a reported $320 million. Co-living and home rental startup Zolostays has sold its student housing business, which manages accommodation for colleges and universities, to Good Host Spaces, as part of the firm’s move to focus on its core offerings. The board of Zolo Stays has approved a special resolution to sell the undertaking through a slump sale valued at Rs 107.8 crore (approximately $12.5 million), according to regulatory filings sourced from the Registrar of Companies. Of the total consideration of Rs 107.8 crore, Rs 97.02 crore (90%) will be paid in cash, while the remaining Rs 10.78 crore will be settled through debentures issued by Good Host Spaces to Zolo Stays. Good Host Spaces owns and operates third-party, purpose-built student accommodations located within leading university campuses such as Manipal University, OP Jindal Global University, and Shoolini University. “The sale will enable the company to focus on its core business operations and pursue growth opportunities in those areas. The lump sum consideration will improve the company’s liquidity position and strengthen its balance sheet,” the company added in the filings. Zolostays also raised Rs 20 crore debt by issuing non-convertible debentures to VentureSoul Managers India LLP for business expansion, meeting working capital and others, a separate resolution shows. Zolostays has secured over $110 million in funding to date, including a $56 million Series C round led by Investcorp and Mirae Asset. According to the startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, Nexus Ventures is the largest external stakeholder, followed by Investcorp and Mirae Asset. Zolo Stays recorded an 11.4% year-on-year growth in revenue to Rs 204.4 crore during the fiscal year ended March 2024, while its losses narrowed by 17.4% to Rs 57 crore in the same period. The sale is an interesting development in the segment, where Good Host Spaces has stolen a march over competition in more ways than one. From funding to significant tie-ups with fast-expanding University campuses, it has built a strong business that might have convinced existing ZoloStays stakeholders to opt out. The distinct approaches taken by the acquired and the acquirer, in terms of offering independent PG accommodation versus captive campuses, is a good indicator of where the market has shifted, and it should be interesting to see how GHS handles the acquired business now.

Ice cream brand Hocco raises Rs 115 Cr at Rs 2,000 Cr valuation

EntrackrEntrackr · 9d ago
Ice cream brand Hocco raises Rs 115 Cr at Rs 2,000 Cr valuation
Medial

Ice cream brand Hocco raises Rs 115 Cr at Rs 2,000 Cr valuation Premium ice cream brand Hocco has raised Rs 115 crore (around $13 million) in a fresh funding round led by existing backer Sauce.vc, taking the company’s valuation to Rs 2,000 crore. The funding comes less than three months after the firm raised $10 million in its Series B round led by Chona Family Office and Sauce.vc. It had also raised $12 million in its Series A round from the same investors at a valuation of Rs 600 crore ($70 million) in June last year. The fresh proceeds will be used towards expanding manufacturing capacity, strengthening cold-chain and logistics, scaling new product innovation, and extending its footprint across India and select global markets. By summer 2026, Hocco plans to reach 3 lakh litres in daily production capacity, making it one of the largest and most advanced ice cream manufacturing setups in the country. Founded by the Chona family, Hocco offers products across retail stores, quick commerce platforms, and out-of-home touchpoints. Its product line includes various flavours, formats, and packs designed for everyday use and modern retail channels. Hocco has built traction among consumers across retail, quick commerce, and travel-linked outlets through its ingredients, flavours, and distribution models. Hocco recently said it closed FY25 with revenue of Rs 220 crore. However, it did not comment on its loss numbers. According to startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, the company reported revenue of Rs 32.38 crore in FY24 with a Rs 20.23 crore loss. Besides legacy players such as Amul, Vadilal, and Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Hocco competes with new-age ice cream brands such as Walko Foods’ NIC, Hangyo, Go Zero, NOTO Ice Cream, among others.

Travel accessories brand EUME raises Rs 25 Cr in Series A

EntrackrEntrackr · 4m ago
Travel accessories brand EUME raises Rs 25 Cr in Series A
Medial

Travel accessories brand EUME has raised Rs 25 crore ($3 million) in its Series A equity round led by investor Ashish Kacholia. Existing backers including Pradeep Rathod of Cello Group and Prithviraj Kothari of Arvog Financial also participated. Earlier in June last year, the Mumbai-based startup had raised Rs 15 crore ($1.7 million) in a new round led by Ashish Kacholia. The proceeds will be used to scale physical retail, strengthen operations, invest in marketing, and support working capital needs. Founded by Naina Parekh and Pranay Parekh, EUME began as a design-forward luggage brand and has built awareness through associations with events like the Tata Mumbai Marathon and SulaFest. EUME plans to open three flagship stores within 45 days in Bengaluru (Mall of Asia), Mumbai (Oberoi Sky City), and Hyderabad (Sarath City). These new locations are part of the firm’s strategy to grow its offline presence and tap into metro markets. The brand aims to position itself as a premium luggage player, combining retail expansion with product innovation. The brand is set to expand its portfolio across travel categories and focus on premium-priced offerings. It also continues to grow its presence in both B2C and B2B segments, including corporate gifting partnerships.

Peak XV-backed TrueFoundry secures $19 Mn in Series A funding

EntrackrEntrackr · 8m ago
Peak XV-backed TrueFoundry secures $19 Mn in Series A funding
Medial

TrueFoundry, an AI deployment and scaling platform, has raised $19 million in Series A funding, led by Intel Capital. Existing investors Eniac Ventures and Peak XV’s Surge, along with new investor Jump Capital and several angel investors, including Gokul Rajaram, Mohit Aron, Cyan Banister, and executives from Fortune 1000 companies, also participated. Avi Bharadwaj, the investment director at Intel Capital, will join TrueFoundry’s board of directors. The Bengaluru and San Francisco-based startup had previously raised $2.3 million in its seed round, led by Peak XV’s Surge, in September 2022. The new funding round will enable TrueFoundry to advance its mission of creating a universal platform for building and deploying AI applications without infrastructure challenges, the company said in a press release. The investment will also support key growth initiatives, such as expanding the team and enhancing go-to-market strategies to drive customer acquisition and business expansion. TrueFoundry offers a cloud-native platform designed to simplify machine learning (ML) training and deployment, enabling enterprises to efficiently manage AI applications. By collaborating with prominent companies such as Games 24x7 and Whatfix, TrueFoundry improves ML scalability and maximizes infrastructure efficiency. “Enterprises using TrueFoundry have built and launched their internal AI platforms in as little as two months, achieving ROI within four months—a stark contrast to the industry average of 14 months,” said Nikunj Bajaj, CEO and co-founder of TrueFoundry. According to the company, its platform integrates with multiple clouds, models, and frameworks, preventing vendor lock-in and ensuring deployments are prepared for emerging AI trends such as RAGs and Agents. This funding round comes after a year of strong growth for TrueFoundry, including a 4X year-over-year increase in customers, the deployment of more than 1,000 ML clusters, and partnerships with global companies like Siemens Healthineers, ResMed, Automation Anywhere, and NVIDIA.

PV Sindhu-backed Better Nutrition nets Rs 10 Cr in seed round

EntrackrEntrackr · 6m ago
PV Sindhu-backed Better Nutrition nets Rs 10 Cr in seed round
Medial

Biofortified food brand Better Nutrition has raised Rs 10 crore in a seed funding round from family offices, high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), and angel investors such as Namita Thapar, Shantanu Deshpande, PV Sindhu, Aclr8.vc, Apurva Chamaria, Karan Jindal, and Akshay Ghulati. This round saw reaffirmation from early investors, with nearly 30% of the total funding coming from existing backers. Greenday, the parent company of Better Nutrition, had raised Rs 3.1 crore in 2022 in a round led by IIM Ahmedabad Ventures. The fresh funds will be deployed to expand product offerings in biofortified food categories, strengthen distribution across quick commerce, offline retail, and direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels, scale farmer training programs and sustainable sourcing initiatives, and invest in R&D, Better Nutrition said in a press release. Co-founded in 2023 by Prateek Rastogi and Aishwarya Bhatnagar, Better Nutrition aims to address the nation's nutritional challenges by offering biofortified grains that are naturally enriched with essential nutrients such as zinc, iron, protein, and calcium. The Lucknow-based company collaborates with over 15,000 farmers and, by fostering a growing network of rural micro-entrepreneurs, strives to make nutrient-rich grains accessible to every Indian household, thereby enhancing energy, immunity, and overall health without necessitating significant dietary changes. The company plans to scale its products across pulses, oilseeds, and other foundational crops. Its next line of products will be foods made from its own crops, retaining their nutrient density, low-GI profile, and pesticide-free integrity. Better Nutrition states that it has witnessed a 3X growth in both revenue and valuation. It was also featured on Shark Tank India and achieved a 5X increase in revenue, a 10X surge in website traffic, fulfilled over 25,000 orders, and expanded across major quick commerce platforms, including Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket.

Agritech startup Superplum raises $15 Mn in Series A round

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Agritech startup Superplum raises $15 Mn in Series A round
Medial

Agritech startup Superplum has raised $15 million in its Series A financing round led by Erik Ragatz, former partner and current senior advisor of private equity firm Hellman & Friedman. Ragatz joins a group of Superplum’s current investors including Mark Siegel, Dan Rose, Steve Jurvetson, Rick Kimball, Binny Bansal, and Kabir Misra. The Noida-based startup closed its pre-Series A round of $3.8 million in June 2021 and has raised close to $22 million to date. The funds will enable Superplum to continue to build out its infrastructure and accelerate its journey to transform produce supply chains in India, the company said in a press release. Started in 2019 by Shobhit Gupta, Superplum has built a direct-from-farm produce supply chain, using proprietary technology and cold-chain infrastructure to improve how produce is grown and brought to market. The company extends shelf lives and enhances fruit quality, reducing food waste and improving farmer incomes. It claims to be India’s first premium fruit brand that provides consumers with superior quality and healthier produce—across mangoes, litchis, apples, grapes, cherries, and plums, among others. The company works with farmers across 22 states in India including Bihar, Kashmir and Karnataka and runs modern sourcing and supply chains for 25 fruits across the year. Superplum sells its produce through Amazon Fresh, Zepto, Swiggy, and Blinkit. Its premium fruits are also available at major retailers such as Spar, Metro, Lulu, Modern Bazaar, More, and Trent as well as grocery stores in NCR and Bengaluru. According to startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, agritech startups saw a sharp fall in investment to $182 million in 2023 from $773 million in 2022 and $635 million in 2021.

DOBRA raises Rs 1.5 Cr in seed round from D2C Insider Super Angels Fund

EntrackrEntrackr · 1m ago
DOBRA raises Rs 1.5 Cr in seed round from D2C Insider Super Angels Fund
Medial

DOBRA raises Rs 1.5 Cr in seed round from D2C Insider Super Angels Fund DOBRA, a food and beverage brand, has raised Rs 1.5 crore in its seed funding led by the D2C Insider Super Angels Fund. The round saw participation from D2C founders and operators, marking the brand’s first institutional raise. The proceeds will be used to scale across modern retail outlets, food service channels, quick commerce platforms, and direct-to-consumer sales. Founded by Oxbow Brands, DOBRA is known for playful products such as pop goli soda, artisanal cotton candy, and tapioca crisps, which blend nostalgia with premium quality. Rahul Johar, co-founder of Oxbow Brands, said the funding is more than capital, it is an endorsement from entrepreneurs who have built category-defining consumer brands in India. “D2C Super Angels bring battle-tested insights that will help us scale faster,” he added. The brand aims to tap into India’s $170 billion FMCG market by offering differentiated, experience-led products that appeal to young, urban consumers. With this raise, DOBRA will strengthen operations, expand its product line, and deepen consumer trials, while laying the groundwork for international growth. D2C Insider provides funding and support to early-stage D2C startups and has a network of over 10,000 founders. The Super Angels Fund, introduced in October last year, focuses on investments in consumer-focused startups.

Palmonas raises Rs 55 Cr in Series A round led by Vertex Ventures

EntrackrEntrackr · 1m ago
Palmonas raises Rs 55 Cr in Series A round led by Vertex Ventures
Medial

Demi-fine jewellery startup Palmonas has raised Rs 55 crore (around $6.2 Mn) in a Series A funding round led by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India (SEAI). The proceeds will be used to expand Palmonas’ 9kt gold demi-fine collection, open 100 new stores in the next 12 months, and foray into newer categories. Founded in 2022 by Pallavi Mohadikar and Amol Patwari, with Shraddha Kapoor later joining as cofounder, Palmonas specialises in demi-fine jewellery crafted from surgical stainless steel and sterling silver with 18K gold vermeil finish, spanning necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, and mangalsutras. Palmonas follows a D2C-first business model, generating sales primarily through its online store, while also leveraging marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart, along with offline retail outlets. Since launch, the startup has processed over 6.5 lakh orders and built a strong base of repeat customers. The brand was valued at Rs 126 crore earlier this year, following an investment of Rs 1.26 crore by Namita Thapar and Ritesh Agarwal on Shark Tank India Season 4. Prior to this, it had raised Rs 6 crore in an angel round in 2023. Palmonas competes with D2C jewellery players like GIVA, BlueStone, CaratLane, Melorra, and Firefly Diamonds, all of which are capitalising on India’s shift towards digital-first jewellery shopping. The Indian jewellery market, still dominated by offline players with nearly 85% share, is witnessing rapid digital adoption. The country’s online jewellery market is projected to reach $3.7 billion by 2025, creating opportunities for new-age brands like Palmonas.

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