Pratim Pathak

At just 22 and 21, Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya V. have scaled Zepto to 1.5 million daily orders, $3B in GMV, and a $5B valuation—all in under three years. YC's Garry Tan sat down with Aadit, Zepto's co-founder and CEO, to unpack how a WhatsApp group during the pandemic turned into one of India’s fastest-growing internet companies. They dive into the power of: - doing things that don’t scale (like running their own corner store and doing deliveries themselves) - building a business user-backward instead of supply chain-forward - why execution, not luck, is what really compounds https://lnkd.in/eTj83buJ

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Home services startup Pronto has raised $11 Mn in its Series A round, co-led by General Catalyst and Glade Brook Capital, with participation from existing investor Bain Capital Ventures. The funding comes just months after the Gurugram-based 10-minute on-demand home services platform closed a $2 Mn seed extension from Bain Capital Ventures. Pronto plans to use the fresh capital to expand into Mumbai and Bengaluru over the next 12–18 months, while training and onboarding 10,000 additional service professionals. The startup currently offers instant, scheduled, and recurring house help services, ranging from sweeping and utensil washing to laundry assistance and kitchen cleaning. Anjali Sardana (Founder of Pronto). #pronto #househelp #seriesA #funding #startupro

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If Q-comm is your core channel as a D2C brand - odds are your margins are getting squeezed. See it before it’s too late. Back in 2021, If your product showed up on Zepto or Blinkit, you’d screenshot it and send it to your investor group. It was a big deal. It felt like traction. And it still is. It’s a new channel of distribution because just getting listed is an unlock. The logic is simple: be there → get visibility → more orders → more growth. Over the last 18 months, I’ve heard the same thing from multiple founders: Orders are still coming in but the profits? Negative. I don’t blame the platforms. I have massive respect for all of them. They’re doing what they have to - working towards their own profitability. It’s a natural progression. But, this is commonplace. Founders tell me: “I sold ₹2.1 Cr on qcomm last quarter… and ended the month with ₹30L in losses.” “The platform takes 35%. The customer takes the discount and I don’t even get a phone number.” That’s when I realised: Platforms may still drive GMV but they’re eroding contribution margin. And, of course they are. Two have parent companies that have IPO’ed and the 3rd is trying to. They need to protect their own P&Ls. Which means listing fees, steep commissions, visibility charges and discounts every month (because there’s always a festival in India). It’s starting to look like modern trade for the new age. If you’re scaling top-line but bleeding at the unit level, and building low LTV - you’re in trouble. In this new world, most q-comm platforms are have to charge insurgent brands more while FMCG giants get to negotiate 10–15% commissions. Plus, they don’t worry about CAC or customer retention because they already have recall. But, D2C founders pay 30–45% commissions (3x more), spend on ads to stay visible, and still get undercut by someone running a deeper coupon. I think founders will have to step back and ask, “What are we really making per order?” And when early-stage founders ask me — “Should we list on Q-comm?” I say: List. It’s the most powerful channel for sales if you get it right. But, like any channel - it doesn’t work for everyone and everything. Within 3 months take a call. Only if your unit economics are strong enough - continue. Would you list on qcomm today? Have you seen the same? #d2c #fmcg #distribution #qcomm

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Will this brand hit a growth ceiling soon? Is current growth based on strong brand/product For founders and even VCs evaluating 50 cr plus revenue brands who don’t have an offline presence yet and want to look at marketing metrics beyond LTV/CAC to answer these questions 10 metrics that can help 1. Total Media Spends as percentage of revenue This is a very hard metric without any assumptions and difficult to manipulate Plot Monthly Data for total Media spends across platforms ( Amazon, FB, Google etc) as a percentage of total Net E-commerce Revenue( Marketplaces, D2C etc) If this remains constant/reduces as the brand scales, it is a huge positive If this increases, needs double clicking 2. Advertising driven Sales At early stages, brands rely on pure performance marketing to drive sales. But this reliance should come down as the brand scales. Plot Monthly Data for percentage of Sales on e-commerce platforms directly driven by Ecom Ads, and percentage of sales on D2C directly driven by paid media If both remain constant/reduces as the brand scales, it is a positive 3. Organic Visits and Brand Searches For consumer brands, it is important to reduce their reliance on performance marketing by working on organic acquisition channels, improving brand awareness and good of word of mouth Tracking Organic Visits and brand search volumes on marketplaces and search engines are good ways to understand this If awareness improves, brand searches always improve. Both on marketplaces as well as google 4. Amazon Reviews and Ratings At scale, Amazon Reviews and Ratings are very difficult to game and gives a very true picture of quality and customer experience Rather than overall ratings and reviews, plot the monthly data of ratings Often early adopters are more considerate and rate new products better But if the monthly ratings remain consistently high with growing scale, it means the products are really good. And has a wider PMF beyond early adopters 5. Conversion Rates Conversion rates trends tell a lot about product-price-market-fit, and about the future scope of growth Look at monthly trends on conversion rates. With scale, conversion rates should go up on both Amazon and D2C A lowering conversion rate often means the in-market audience/core affinity TG is getting exhausted It is a big red flag if it happens as, it often indicates that future growth by paid media is going to be difficult and expensive 6. Repeats Repeat purchases are often the difference between the life and death for CPG brands with AOV on the lower side Look at monthly data on M1 and M3 repeats depending on the consumption cycle If these numbers keep on improving/keeps constant even when the brand moves and scales beyond its early adopters and core affinity TG, it is a big positive as it indicates product market fit at a bigger scale The remaining points are in the blogpost the link to which is in the first comment

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🚨 ELIVAAS raises Rs 87 Cr in Series B round led by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India. Luxury vacation rental platform ELIVAAS has raised ₹87 crore in a Series B round led by Vertex Ventures SE Asia & India, with participation from Peak XV Partners’ Surge and 3one4 Capital. Founded in 2023 by Ritwik Khare and Karan Miglani, ELIVAAS will use the funds to deepen its footprint in India, explore select international markets, and strengthen its tech for seamless, high-end travel experiences. Operating across 30 destinations, the brand saw a 5x revenue growth in FY25 and aims to be a trusted name in luxury travel worldwide. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gecZPs2J By Trisha Medhi #StartupNews #LuxuryTravel #Funding #IndiaStartups #ELIVAAS

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Most of the good early stage VCs in India now have visibility of at least 1-2 IPOs/year in their portfolio for the next 3 years. Understandably, this is becoming a barometer for investor-partner selection by the best founders at the early stages.

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Seed-stage venture firm Titan Capital has introduced the Indicorns 2025 List—a compilation of 202 startups that have crossed Rs 100 crore in annual revenue and achieved profitability. The announcement was made at India Internet Day. Titan Capital was founded by Snapdeal co-founders, Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal. As a collective, these 202 startups generated Rs 1.51 lakh crore in revenue and Rs 7,393 crore in profits in FY24. The top sectors represented include fintech (50 companies), e-commerce (16), and logistics (13). Cities leading the charge are Delhi NCR (51 Indicorns), followed by Bengaluru (42) and Mumbai (35). "These companies are proving that building enduring businesses in India is not just possible, but already happening at scale. We hope this list inspires a new generation of founders to chase not just scale, but strength," Bahl said. Read the full story here:👇 https://lnkd.in/d4_yb_z2 #bengaluru #indicorns #unicorns #startups #profit #business #indianstartupnews

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🚀 Gurugram-based home services startup Pronto has raised $11 Mn (Series A), co-led by General Catalyst & Glade Brook Capital, with participation from existing investor Bain Capital Ventures. 💰 This comes just months after a $2 Mn seed extension from Bain Capital Ventures. 📍 What’s next for Pronto? ✅ Expansion to Mumbai & Bengaluru in 12–18 months ✅ Onboarding & training 10,000+ service professionals ✅ Scaling its 10-minute on-demand home services platform 🏠 Pronto offers instant, scheduled & recurring house help — sweeping 🧹, utensil washing 🍽, laundry 👕, kitchen cleaning 🍳 & more. 💬 Anjali Sardana, Founder: “We’re building a new era of trusted, rapid home services for India’s urban households.” #StartupNews #Funding #SeriesA #Pronto #househelp #seriesA #funding #IndiaEconomy #viralpost #scoopearth #scoopearth.in

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India’s boldest startups deserve long-term capital that stays the course. 360 ONE Asset’s ₹500 Cr early-stage VC strategy has been launched, with 4 deals closed across diverse sectors. A core part of our ‘Idea to IPO’ capital stack. Read Abhishek Nag, Senior Fund Manager & Strategy Head, Early-Stage VC, 360 ONE Asset’s interview in Mint here: https://lnkd.in/diBcy86N 360 ONE

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ELIVAAS, a luxury vacation rental platform has raised Rs 87 crore (around $10.4 million) in its Series B funding round, led by Vertex Ventures SE Asia & India. Existing investors, Peak XV Partners’ accelerator programme for early-stage startups Surge, and venture firm 3one4 Capital, also participated in this round. The company will use the funds to grow its reach in India, expand to other countries and boost its brand visibility. Ritwik Khare | Karan Miglani | Kriti Singhal | Vikram Kanchi Read full article link in the comment 👇 #elivass #hospitality #hotels #funding #startupnews

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#Update Ritesh Agarwal, OYO founder, has invested in Culture Circle, a fashion commerce platform, at a valuation over INR 100 crore. Co-founded by Devansh Jain Nawal and Ackshay Jain, the startup previously secured INR 3 crore from Agarwal and Kunal Bahl on Shark Tank India. Culture Circle, boasting over one million monthly users and 4,000+ verified sellers, offers authenticated luxury and streetwear. The new funds will enhance its AI capabilities (specifically the SourceX engine), expand product categories, and facilitate global market expansion. The platform employs AI for product verification, real-time price comparison, and connecting with global sellers. With flagship stores in Delhi and Hyderabad, Culture Circle plans new outlets in Gurugram, Mumbai, and other cities, aiming to make high-end fashion more accessible to Gen Z and position India as a global force in streetwear and luxury. Read the story: https://ow.ly/IIGQ50WrCTz #CultureCircle #FashionCommerce #LuxuryStreetwear #OYOInvestments #AIInFashion #GenZFashion #StartupIndia #FashionTech #IndianStartups #StreetwearIndia

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Wakefit’s IPO isn’t just a listing, it’s a landmark moment for India’s D2C ecosystem. From bootstrapped beginnings to a ₹1,200+ Cr revenue powerhouse, Wakefit shows what disciplined growth, omnichannel scale, and founder-led execution can achieve. Key highlights: • Founders turn minimal capital into outsized wealth • Peak XV Partners clocks a 10x outcome • Growth investors like Investcorp & Elevation Capital stay invested • Wakefit becomes one of India’s first mature D2C brands to hit public markets As consumer brands go omnichannel, profitable, and public, Wakefit sets the tone for India’s next era of D2C growth. #D2C #WakefitIPO #ConsumerBrands #StartupEcosystem #PrivateCircleInsights #IndianMarkets #Omnichannel #IPOIndia #StartupFunding #VentureCapital

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Elevation Capital launches $400 million late-stage fund to back IPO-bound startups 📌 Venture capital firm Elevation Capital, known for early bets on Paytm, Swiggy, Meesho, and Urban Company, is entering new territory. The firm has launched a $400 million fund focused on late-stage tech companies preparing for IPOs. ● The vehicle, called Elevation Holding, will cut cheques between $20 million and $50 million across 10–15 companies, Elevation Capital co-managing partner Mukul Arora told ET. ● This new fund will primarily back companies in the consumer and financial services segments with a technology focus, Arora added. ● The fund will run in parallel with its Fund VIII, a $670 million early-stage vehicle that invests $2–5 million in startups. Story By: Pranav Mukul & Samidha Sharma

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Startups Raised $134 Mn This Week 22 Deals | 1 M&A Here's Series wise funding details Series B SuperK, a consumer services startup, raised $11.5 Mn in a Series B round from 3STATE Ventures, Mithun Sacheti, Shubman Gill, Blume Ventures, and Xeed Ventures. Series A Netrasemi, a semiconductor startup, raised $12.4 Mn in a Series A round from Zoho Corporation and Unicorn India Ventures. EduFund, a lending tech startup, raised $6 Mn in a Series A round from Cercano Management and MassMutual Ventures. EVeez, an electric MaaS startup, raised $5.4 Mn in a Series A round from Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Caret Capital, ThinKuvate, Ev2 Ventures, Barbershop With Shantanu, SailThru Ventures, and ah! Ventures. Enlite Research, a vertical SaaS startup, raised $5.3 Mn in a Series A round from Avaana Capital and Claypond Capital. iTuring.ai, an application layer AI startup, raised $5 Mn in a Series A round from Dallas Venture Capital and Mela Ventures. Hudle, a vertical SaaS startup, raised $2.5 Mn in a Series A round from Sky Impact Capital, Physis Capital, Atrium Venture, Blue Tokai, Mahesh Bhupathi, and Gaurav Kapur. Pre-Series A ANNY, a D2C startup, raised $1.2 Mn in a Pre-Series A round from Atomic Capital. Inbound Aerospace, a spacetech startup, raised $1 Mn in a Pre-Seed round from Speciale Invest and Piper Serica. ApClub, a hyperlocal services startup, raised $231K in a Pre-Seed round from Curefit and Pranay Jivrajka. Seed Kluisz.ai, an application layer AI startup, raised $9.6 Mn in a Seed round from RTP Global, Unicorn India Ventures, Blume Founders Fund, Climber Capital, Ritesh Agarwal, Ritesh Malik, and others. Escape Plan, a D2C startup, raised $5 Mn in a Seed round from Jungle Ventures and Fireside Ventures. Grexa AI, an application layer AI startup, raised $1.8 Mn in a Seed round from Utsav Somani, DeVC, Bharat Founders Fund, Vernalis Capital, and others. Ammunic Systems, a defence tech startup, raised $1.1 Mn in a Seed round from India Accelerator and Finvolve. Plenome , a vertical SaaS startup, raised $752K in a Seed round from Ovington Capital Partners, AADI, and Manish Gandhi. Undisclosed Series Gupshup, a horizontal SaaS startup, raised $60 Mn from Globespan Capital Partners and EvolutionX Debt Capital. SUGAR Cosmetics, a D2C startup, raised $5 Mn from Anicut Capital, Stride Ventures, and L Catterton. Bharatsure, a fintech SaaS startup, raised $694K from Inflection Point Ventures, Capital A, and Atrium Angels. Coluxe Fine Jewellery, a D2C startup, raised an undisclosed amount from Startup Sherpas, Ajai Chowdhry, Tej Kapoor, Sairee Chahal, and others. Roast Foods, a D2C startup, raised an undisclosed amount from Pagariya Exports Pvt Ltd. Magma, a manufacturing solutions startup, raised an undisclosed amount from GVFL Limited. KlugKlug , a marketing agency startup, raised an undisclosed amount from undisclosed investors.

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The third model of quick commerce. First model: Horizontal q-comm led by players like Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart. Products across all the categories are listed on these marketplaces. (This model has attracted investments worth $2.5Bn+) Second model: Vertical q-comm platforms with focus on a particular category. We are witnessing the very early stages of this model. Led by vertical e-comm players experimenting with q-comm (Myntra Now) and fundraising spree for new vertical q-comm platforms like FirstClub (premium grocery), Peeko (babycare), and Knot (fashion) Third model: This model is not functional yet, and it’s unclear how it will develop. The idea is that D2C players will sell directly to customers in 10-mins from their website through shared dark stores. There will be a network of shared dark stores. This model will be facilitated by backend supply chain players who will setup these dark store networks to deliver orders within a 10-mins to 1-hour timeline. Players like Blitz, Inamo, Shadowfax, and Delhivery are working on this problem statement with the highest funds been raised by Blitz (~$6Mn) till now. No D2C brand will own these dark stores. They will buy/rent shelf-space on these dark stores. These players won’t have to bear any marketing cost, so the commissions/costs are expected to be significantly less than that of marketplaces (first 2 models). It will solve 2 problems: 1. D2C brands won’t be losing website customers because of quick delivery expectation i.e. better customer data for promotions & loyalty programs and a lot of other benefits of having a customer transact on your website 2. Brands can control their P&L and pricing better without exorbitant platform commissions I think this model will gain traction only once quick commerce steals a significant share in non-grocery categories. I am bullish on the third model. This model will not replace either of the other two, it will co-exist. It will make D2C sales channel more relevant and give brands more flexibility. At least this is what I think. Really interesting to witness these paradigm shifts in Indian online commerce so closely. And the best part is that we don’t have any western parallels to predict how the future of q-comm will look like. India will set the trend. What do you think about the future of the third model? 👇 Dcluttr | Ritvik Nagpal

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