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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.

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.

Agritech firm Waycool lays off more than 200 employees

EntrackrEntrackr · 11m ago
Agritech firm Waycool lays off more than 200 employees
Medial

Agriculture supply chain firm Waycool has laid off over 200 employees across departments as the company eyes profitability. This is the third round of layoffs at the Chennai-based company. “Each of WayCool’s businesses is executing their plans to get to profitability. As part of this, roles and structures are further simplified and automated. This will be a continual process,” said a Waycool spokesperson. The company did not comment on the number of employees being fired. The previous two firings took place in July 2023 and February this year in which more than 370 employees were given pink slips. Moneycontrol, which reported the development first, said that the layoffs have impacted employees across Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, and its two subsidiaries: CensaNext and BrandNext. As per Entrackr sources, Waycool was negotiating a fresh round to the tune of 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. Waycool has raised around $160 million in funding to date from Lightrock, International Finance Corporation, FMO, and 57 Stars, among others. Earlier this week, Entrackr had highlighted Waycool’s struggle to scale and failing to raise a new round. While the company is yet to file its annual report for FY24, it registered 62% growth in its operating revenue to Rs 1,251 crore in FY23 from Rs 772 crore in FY22. The firm continued to bleed as its losses surged by 89% to Rs 685 crore in FY23. 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 FMCG companies. This is the second major layoffs in the agritech space after ReshaMandi which sacked almost 80% of its workforce. Agritech was one of least funded segments during the first half of 2024. As per data compiled by TheKredible, agritech startups raised only $94 million across 22 deals, accounting for only 1.34% of the overall fundraise during H1 2024.

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