Lasakan Cholayil

Science-led skincare startup Be Clinical has raised Rs 2 crore in a seed funding round led by early-stage investment firm Titan Capital, with participation from Aditya Agarwal, founder of artisanal brassware brand P-Tal. The Mumbai-based startup will use the funds to internalise its manufacturing operations and broaden its portfolio of clinically validated anti-ageing products. Founded by Hemangi Dhir, Be Clinical targets a growing segment of Indian Gen Z and Millennial consumers seeking evidence-based skincare solutions. Dhir launched the brand in response to her personal challenges with conventional skincare products that failed to deliver results. Read the full story here:👇 https://lnkd.in/dDgUbSUj #skincare #funding #investors #investment #genz #millennial #mumbai #startup #indianstartupnews

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Bengaluru-based cloud kitchen startup Curefoods has officially transitioned into a public company, rebranding itself as Curefoods India Limited in preparation for its much-anticipated IPO slated for December 2025. Backed by marquee investors like Accel, Chiratae Ventures, Binny Bansal's Three State Ventures, and Iron Pillar, #Curefoods received shareholder approval on April 26, 2025, to convert from a private entity—marking a pivotal step toward its public market debut. According to regulatory filings, the startup aims to raise ₹1,400–1,500 Cr ($165–177 Mn) through a mix of fresh equity issuance and an offer for sale. Curefoods has reportedly engaged JM Financial, IIFL, and Nuvama as lead bankers for the IPO. Founded in 2020 by former Flipkart executive Ankit N., Curefoods operates over 500 cloud kitchens across 40 cities. It owns and manages popular food brands like CakeZone, Frozen Bottle, Sharief Bhai, Nomad Pizza, and has also introduced Krispy Kreme and Olio Pizza into its portfolio. It recently invested in Dras Ice, a packaged ice solutions provider. Despite being loss-making, Curefoods has shown strong growth. For FY24, its operating revenue rose by 53% to ₹585 Cr, while net losses reduced by nearly 50% to ₹172.6 Cr. The company is targeting ₹900 Cr revenue and EBITDA breakeven in FY25. Additionally, Curefoods plans to raise ₹25 Cr in debt from Alteria Capital through redeemable non-convertible debentures, as per a resolution passed earlier in April. Team Curefoods✅ Ankit N.| Gokul Kandhi | Sandeep S S | Pankaj Kumar | Shashi Singh | Richa Batra | Rakshita Gupta |

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Sweet Karam Coffee, a Chennai-based D2C snacking brand, has raised $8 million in its Series A funding round led by Peak XV Partners, with participation from existing investor Fireside Ventures. Expansion and Growth Plans The startup plans to utilize the fresh capital to expand its product portfolio and strengthen its geographical presence. Founded in 2015 by Anand Bharadwaj, Nalini Parthiban, Srivatsan Sundararaman , and Veera Raghavan, Sweet Karam Coffee offers South Indian sweets, snacks, filter coffee, condiments, and ghee, all marketed as palm oil-free and preservative-free. The brand sells its products through its website, ecommerce marketplaces, and quick commerce platforms and claims to serve customers in 32 countries. To support its next phase of growth, former Unilever executive Nandhitha Indermohan has been appointed as COO, bringing 15+ years of experience in supply chain and operations. Financial Performance The company has demonstrated remarkable revenue growth: 558% increase in revenue, from ₹1.7 Cr in FY23 to ₹11.2 Cr in FY24 However, losses also surged 10X, from ₹77 Lakh in FY23 to ₹7.58 Cr in FY24 Building on this momentum, the startup achieved 4.5X growth in FY25 while significantly cutting losses Rising Demand for Healthy Snacking The Covid-19 pandemic has led to an increased demand for healthy, preservative-free snacks, fueling the rise of D2C brands offering chemical-free and healthier alternatives. Investors are actively backing such brands: Beyond Snack(Kerala-based) raised $8.3 Mn in Series A (Jan 2024) The Whole Truth Foods secured $15 Mn from Sofina Ventures SuperYou, founded by actor Ranveer Singh, received investment from Zerodha’s Kamath Brothers. With rising disposable incomes and growing online consumers, India’s D2C market is projected to become a $300 Bn opportunity by 2030.

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Meet Malini A., founder of Deconstruct, the Indian D2C skincare brand that’s now giving global giants like L’Oréal and Cetaphil a run for their money — ironically, L’Oréal itself is now one of her investors. 💡 The Backstory: In 2020, Malini — an engineer-turned-entrepreneur — looked at India’s skincare market and saw a big problem: Lots of marketing, very little science. She built Deconstruct to change that — a science-backed, evidence-based skincare brand focused on gentle, effective formulations for real Indian skin. No fake claims. No celebrity faces. Just transparency, ingredients, and trust. 📈 The Rise: Founded: 2020 Total funding: $10 million+ Investors: L’Oréal’s BOLD VC fund, V3 Ventures, DSG Consumer Partners, Kalaari Capital, BEENEXT Featured in: Inc42’s FAST42 — India’s Top Emerging D2C Brands (2023) From a small lab to millions in monthly revenue, Deconstruct is now one of India’s fastest-growing skincare startups. ⚔️ The Controversy (and the truth): In a market flooded with glossy marketing, influencer gimmicks, and fake “dermat-approved” tags — Deconstruct went the opposite way. No noise. Only data. Malini was rejected by over a dozen investors early on, told — “Indians still prefer foreign skincare.” “Science doesn’t sell — emotions do.” She proved them wrong — with science and spreadsheets. 🧴📊 Why It Matters: Deconstruct isn’t just another beauty brand. It’s a statement — that Indian founders can build global-grade skincare backed by research, not just reels. It competes head-to-head with Foxtale, CHOSEN, SkinInspired, Cetaphil, and still manages to win hearts with authentic, accessible, dermatologist-backed products. “The world sold us fairness creams for 50 years. Now, an Indian woman is selling confidence — with science.” This is not a beauty brand. This is Bharat’s answer to L’Oréal, built by data, not drama. 🇮🇳

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Hwaseung Group's ₹1,720 Crore Footwear Plant A Game-Changer for Tamil Nadu ​Description: South Korea-based Hwaseung Group is setting up its first footwear plant in Tamil Nadu with a massive ₹1,720 crore investment. This marks a significant milestone in boosting the state's manufacturing sector and creating new job opportunities #HwaseungGroup #TamilNadu #Investment #Manufacturing #FootwearIndustry #EconomicGrowth

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A surge in consumer demand, deep-rooted wellness traditions, and a rapidly growing middle class are putting India’s skincare market on every investor’s radar — and the race to capture this beauty hotspot is heating up fast. Insights from: Sarvangi Shah, Founder, Noya Works Pocket Sun, Co-Founder, SoGal Ventures Karan Seth, Senior Investment Associate, JSW Ventures Oleg E.H. Büller, Co-Founder, indē wild 📝 Covered by Ahaana Khosla — Explore why investors are betting big and the strategies shaping beauty’s next powerhouse market: https://lnkd.in/dkDUFJ8K #BeautyIndustry #IndiaBeauty #SkincareTrends #EmergingMarkets

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#Update Clean-label food brand Khetika has secured $18 million in Series B funding, led by Narotam Sekhsaria Family Office and Anicut Capital, with existing investors also participating. The Mumbai-based startup will use this capital for brand expansion, boosting manufacturing capacity, launching into international markets, and diversifying its product range. Approximately 30% of the funds will facilitate partial exits for early investors. Founded in 2017, Khetika offers products like batters, chutneys, and millet staples, utilizing a tech-enabled supply chain sourcing from farmers across 14 Indian states. With current manufacturing in four cities, Khetika plans to expand to 20 cities, then 40, using a "nano plant" model. The company reported INR 247 crore revenue in FY25 (up over 50% year-on-year) and targets INR 2,000 crore revenue in the next three years, driven by channel expansion and global entry While quick commerce is growing, 75% of revenue still comes from traditional retail. Dr. Prithwi Singh, Co-founder and CEO of Khetika Read the story: https://ow.ly/4XKB50Wm8Re #Khetika #CleanLabel #FoodTech #StartupFunding #MumbaiStartups #HealthyEating #IndianFood #SustainableFood #FoodInnovation #AgriTech

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A thought that’s been troubling me lately… As a brand founder deeply involved in product innovation, I’ve been noticing a concerning trend among some Indian manufacturers. With the introduction of new and potent actives in the market, there’s a visible gap in understanding how these ingredients work together—both in terms of formulation synergy and consumer safety. What’s even more troubling is a recurring response: “First use the product, and only then we’ll share the ingredients.” How can any responsible brand assess a product’s efficacy, stability, or safety without knowing what’s inside it? It’s not just about transparency. It’s about accountability. What if the product contains an allergen? What if the actives clash or degrade each other? Brands aren’t trying to copy a formula—they’re trying to protect their customers and create something meaningful. FUN FACT: Manufacturers I’m referring to are the ones working for giant brands which shows that if this approach is followed by these brands then its a matter of safety whereas budding or mid level manufacturers try to be as transparent as they can since the very start of any NPD. Would love to hear thoughts from fellow formulators, brand owners, and industry professionals—have you faced this too? #npd #productformulation #indianmanufacturers

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India's electronics story is evolving, moving from low-value assembly to full-stack product innovation. The global product design & fulfilment market is in great shape & India's electronics output is on track to quadruple by 2030. The next wave of growth will come from home-grown ODMs - companies that design, differentiate & truly own their tech. That's what makes iDO Devices Private Limited special. In Ashita & Shalabh, we see founders blending rare depth in product design with the speed, ambition & network to break India's dependency on outsourced innovation. iDO's approach - combining local R&D, proprietary firmware & globally competitive supply chains - means Indian & global brands don't need to wait 18 months for the next product or compromise on features & IP. We're proud to back the team at iDO, as they raise $4M led by us & our friends at Blume Ventures. Onward & upward! 🚀 Merak Ventures | Manu | Sheetal Blume Ventures | Arpit | Akhilesh #Investment #India #Electronics #ODM #DeepTech #Technology #VentureCapital #Fundraise

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Fireside Ventures has announced the final close of its fourth fund with a ₹2,265 crore ($253M) corpus, raised through a GIFT City feeder fund and an India master fund. Fund IV will back founders building next-gen consumer brands across categories and growth stages. The fund drew strong participation from global and Indian investors, including ADIA, ICD, HarbourVest, Fidelity International, Waterfield, Sharrp Ventures, Emami, and several startup founders. Fireside’s Centre of Excellence continues to support portfolio brands with GTM, brand strategy, ESG, and corporate development. With Fund IV, Fireside’s total AUM has reached ₹5,300 crore ($650M). Its portfolio now generates over $1.6B in annual revenue and more than $7B in market value, with several brands crossing ₹500 crore scale — including boAt, Honasa Consumer, The Sleep Company, Slurrp Farm, Sweet Karam Coffee, The Good Bug, Pilgrim, and NewMe. #firesideventures #fundraise #fundiv #consumerbrands #businessstartups #venturecapital #fundingnews #d2cbrands #indianstartups #giftingrowth #ceomagazine #earlystagefunding #brandbuilding #consumerinnovation #aumincrease #investmentnews #startupnewsindia #marketexpansion #vcindia #growthcapital #foundersupport #entrepreneurecosystem #businessupdates #startupstories #newagebrands #scalingup #indiaretail #consumertech

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