D2C Weekly Buzz | Edition 150
India's consumer ecosystem is accelerating through profitable growth, omnichannel expansion, AI-led innovation, and the next generation of category-defining founders. 🚀
National Disruptors:
1.Open Secret has raised ₹50 crore in funding led by Desai Brothers Group to expand its offline presence, scale its product portfolio, and strengthen its omnichannel business. Having crossed ₹200 crore ARR and achieved EBITDA profitability, the brand is targeting ₹1,000 crore ARR within three years while accelerating growth across India’s healthy snacks market.
2. E3 Electric.Ai has raised ₹100 crore in Series A funding led by BluVenture Holdings to launch its AI-powered electric scooter, E3 TRION. Founded by former TVS Motor EV head P. Sanjeev, the startup is investing in proprietary technology, AI-driven software, and nationwide expansion across 90 markets as India’s electric mobility ecosystem continues to grow rapidly.
3. Aukera has raised ₹90 crore (over $10 million) in a funding round led by Alteria Capital, with participation from InnoVen Capital and Lighthouse Canton. The lab-grown diamond jewellery brand will use the capital to expand stores, strengthen omnichannel operations, invest in product development and talent, after growing its retail network from 13 to 35 stores in the past year.
Business Boost:
1.Asaya has crossed 15 lakh customers after delivering 5X revenue growth over the past year. Driven by science-backed skincare, quick commerce, and an expanding omnichannel strategy, the D2C beauty brand is investing in R&D, proprietary technology, offline retail, and new product innovation. Asaya had previously raised ₹28 crore in a Pre-Series A round led by RPSG Capital Ventures to support its long-term growth.
2. Luxury D2C mithai brand Khoya has signed a deal for Atelier Expressions, the premium lifestyle platform of TVS VENU, to acquire a majority stake. Founded by Sid Mathur in 2016, Khoya will continue under its existing leadership while leveraging the partnership to scale across India, strengthening its position in the premium handcrafted sweets and gifting category.
3. Naturis Cosmetics has raised ₹33.74 crore in its first institutional funding round to strengthen manufacturing for India’s fast-growing D2C beauty ecosystem. The company partners with leading consumer brands including Nykaa, Plum, Pilgrim, Purplle, Bare Anatomy, and Ustraa, providing product development and manufacturing capabilities that help beauty brands scale faster across online and omnichannel markets.
Founders funded:
1.BUILT has raised $2 million in a pre-seed round led by Tanglin Venture Partners to scale India’s natural movement footwear category. The D2C footwear startup will invest in R&D, proprietary manufacturing, product innovation, and inventory expansion while growing its performance footwear portfolio. With a website-first strategy and planned offline expansion, BUILT is creating a differentiated category in India’s premium footwear market.
2. Promom has raised ₹30 crore in a funding round led by Fireside Ventures to accelerate product innovation and expand its maternal and baby care portfolio. Founded in 2023, the brand develops thoughtfully designed products for feeding and early parenting, combining quality, functionality, and affordability while strengthening accessibility for modern Indian families across the country.
3. Anmasa has raised ₹30 crore in a seed round led by Fireside Ventures to expand its hyperlocal D2C grocery business. The startup, which prepares fresh flour, wood-pressed oils, and spices through neighbourhood micro-factories, plans to enter new cities, strengthen technology, and scale manufacturing after achieving 23x growth and strong repeat customer engagement.
Chandrashekhara Reddy, Founder & CEO, UONEX
Most founders don’t start their second company because they have another idea.
After leaving a successful career in technology at one of India’s premier institutions, he did what many dream of doing.
He started a company—a news platform designed to make global news easier to consume.
It failed.
Like thousands of founders before him, he shut it down.
For many, that’s where the story ends.
For him, it wasn’t.
A routine family shopping trip unexpectedly became the turning point.
What should have taken a couple of hours stretched into almost an entire day—walking through store after store, searching for the right size, the right colour, the right product.
As someone who loved solving problems with technology, he couldn’t stop asking himself one question:
Why is buying online so effortless, but shopping offline still feels like a treasure hunt?
The more he researched, the more obsessed he became.
The problem wasn’t his family’s shopping experience.
It was India’s.
More than 85% of retail still happens offline, yet there is no infrastructure that lets consumers discover what’s actually available in nearby stores.
That obsession became UONEX.
For the last 18 months, the team has quietly been building what they believe could become India’s offline product discovery infrastructure. Brands like SNITCH and Reliance Trends Footwear are already onboard, with Aditya Birla’s TMRW portfolio brands like Bewakoof, The Indian Garage Co., and other brands like The House of Rare, SUTA, The Joker & Witch, Khadims, and several others already joining the platform.
Sometimes, a failed startup doesn’t end a founder’s journey.
It teaches them to recognize the problem that’s truly worth spending years of their life solving.
📌 D2C INSIDER UPDATE 🚀
The next generation of consumer brands is ready to take the stage.
On 25th July, CXO Meet North × Elevate Cohort 6 Demo Day brings together 50+ founders, 20+ investors, and the most promising brands from Elevate Cohort 6 for an afternoon of live pitches, meaningful conversations, and high-impact networking.
This isn’t just another startup event. It’s where ambitious founders meet the people who can help shape what’s next.
If you want to discover tomorrow’s breakout brands before everyone else does, this is the room to be in.
📍 UrbanWrk, Gurugram
📅 25th July | 2 PM onwards
🎟 Register now: d2ci.co/elevatedemoday