The rise of direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands in India in the past decade has transformed how consumers shop and engage with products. From a more personalised shopping experience to a wide gamut of offerings, the D2C ecosystem in India has not just created a new wave of entrepreneurs but also democratised access to quality products.

Be it Mamaearth, which has gone on to list on the stock exchanges, to IPO-bound Lenskart, India’s D2C ecosystem has truly come of age in the past ten years. And, there is much at stake here.

As per Inc42, India’s D2C space is projected to become a $300 Bn market opportunity by 2030 on the back of continued innovation and the emergence of new players across diverse categories. So, what is driving this D2C boom?

It has largely to do with the increasing internet penetration and smartphone usage in the country, which has created a new paradigm for digital-first companies to reach their customers and tap into the growing demand for innovation.

On the other hand, India’s growing band of 190 Mn digital shoppers want convenience and niche products, which satiate their changing preferences. Today’s customer is increasingly inclined towards brands that offer transparency, sustainability and unique value propositions, and D2C brands are positioned exactly to offer that.

As the landscape matures, the Indian D2C ecosystem has seen the emergence of new India-specific models like quick commerce and the potential enormous opportunity that GenAI could bring to the table.

We, at Inc42, have kept a hawk’s eye on the rise of India’s D2C for the past decade, be it through our FAST42 initiatives or the D2C summits. It is in this spirit that we now bring to you the list of top trailblazers in the country’s D2C that have not only set benchmarks for excellence and innovation, but also exude the spirit of entrepreneurship.

So, without further ado, here is the list of top startups disrupting India’s D2C landscape:

The list is not meant to be a ranking of any kind. We have listed the Indian D2C startups in alphabetical order.

1. 82°E

82°E was founded in 2021 by Bollywood Actress Deepika Padukone and venture capitalist Jigar Shah. The company is a D2C personal care brand that sells products such as moisturisers, face oil, cleanser and sunscreen, among others.

In December 2022, the startup secured $7.5 Mn in seed funding from DSG Consumer Partners, IDEO Ventures, Padukone’s family office, and ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNIs).

The direct competitors of 82°E include premium D2C skincare brands such as Forest Essentials, Mamaearth, Minimalist, and Plum Goodness, among others.

2. Alphavedic

Founded in 2019 By Shrey Jain and Shruti Khare, Alphavedic is a bootstrapped D2C startup that sells Ayurvedic beauty and personal care products. With 24 stock keeping units (SKUs) in its kitty, the startup sells haircare products, shampoos, conditioners, lip balms, creams, among other products.

Alphavedic sells its products through its websites and ecommerce platforms such as Amazon, Nykaa, and Flipkart. Additionally it also retails its products through 40 offline chains in India.

Alphavedic competes with the likes of The Ayurveda Company (TAC), Kapiva, Pahadi Local, among others.

3. Anveya Living

Founded in 2018 by serial entrepreneur Saurav Patnaik and former FirstCry executive Vivek Singh, Anveya Living sells sustainable hair and skin care products.

The D2C brand has raised more than $6.57 Mn in funding to date. In June 2024, Ananta Capital, acquired a 55% stake in Anveya Living for an undisclosed amount.

As per data available on Tofler, the startup clocked a revenue of about INR 46.1 Cr in FY23 against a net loss of INR 7.5 Cr.

Anveya Living competes with the likes of PurePlay Skin Sciences, Auli Lifestyle, Zeme Fresh, among others.

4. Arata

Founded in 2017 by Dhruv Madhok and Dhruv Bhasin, Arata’s first-ever product, a homemade hair gel, came to being after Bhasin made the chemical-free hair gel to style Madhok’s wedding look.

Two years later, the D2C brand’s first product was sold on its website and the company took shape. The startup derives its name from the Japanese word ‘Arata’, which means ‘fresh and new.’

Targeting the chemical-free beauty and skincare segment, Arata sells products such as hair gels, hair creams, shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste, face wash and serums. It claims to have over 80 SKUs across 12 categories.

The D2C brand procures ingredients globally and locally from certified organic farms, which are developed into finished products after extensive research and development (R&D). The startup claims to offer zero-chemical and toxic-free personal care products that use only recycled plastic for packaging as part of its sustainability promise.

Arata has raised nearly $8.79 Mn in funding so far and is backed by the likes of Unilever Ventures, BOLD, DSG Consumer Partners, Beeline Impex, among others.

5. Atomberg

Founded in 2012 by Manoj Meena and Sibabrata Das, Atomberg manufactures energy-efficient fans and allied equipment, along with mixer grinders. Its product portfolio includes pedestal, wall and ceiling fans, exhaust fans, smart locks, and IoT-enabled appliances.

The startup has raised nearly $127 Mn in funding to date and is backed by the likes of A91 Partners, Survam Partners, Trifecta Capital, and Whiteboard Capital Fund, Temasek, Steadview Capital, among others.

In FY24, Atomberg reported a revenue of INR 848 Cr, up 31.5% growth from INR 645 Cr in FY23.

6. Bacca Bucci

Much buzzwords like sneakers and running shoes took over the Indian footwear industry, the duo of Anuj Nevatia and Natwar Agrawal were working quietly on creating a niche in the ecosystem.

For Nevatia, the decision to focus on footwear was primarily driven by factors such as business seasonality, the organized nature of the market, and the timeless demand for shoes, which laid the groundwork for the inception of Bacca Bucci, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) footwear brand established in 2013.

The bootstrapped startup leverages artificial intelligence (AI) in its backend processes for shoe manufacturing. Beyond footwear, the platform also offers a range of complementary products, including belts, wallets, and toiletry bags.

Presently, Bacca Bucci markets its products through its official website and various ecommerce platforms.

7. Beco

Founded in 2019 by Aditya Ruia, Akshay Varma, and Anuj Ruia, Beco is a sustainable kitchen, home, and personal care brand. It sells biodegradable and combustible products such as tissue rolls, bamboo facial tissues, dishwashing liquid, toothbrushes, and garbage bags.

In total, the startup has raised more than $13 Mn in funding so far and counts names such as Titan Capital Winners Fund, Rukam Capital, and Synergy Capital as backers.

It sells its offerings through both online as well as offline channels. The D2C brand competes with the likes of BAM, Mush, The Cheeky Panda among others

8. Bewakoof

Founded in 2012 by Prabhkiran Singh and Siddharth Munot, Bewakoof sells a wide variety of clothes, stationery items, footwear and mobile accessories on its website.

The D2C brand also sells merchandised clothing and accessories in partnership with Marvel, F.R.I.E.N.D.S, Star Wars, Disney, DC and Looney Tunes.

Bewakoof has raised $39.5 Mn in funding to date and is backed by names such as Investcorp, IvyCap Ventures, Klub, among others.

In December 2022, Aditya Birla Group’s house of brands TMRW acquired an 81.77% stake in Bewakoof for INR 200 Cr.

Bewakoof competes with homegrown D2C giants such as The Souled Store and Beyoung among others.

9. Beyoung

Founded in 2018 by Shivam Soni, Shivani Soni, Sakshi Soni, and Shankar Mali, Beyoung is a D2C apparel startup that manufactures and sells fashion wear through its app, website and ecommerce platforms.

The Udaipur-based startup has so far raised more than INR 40 Cr in funding from Klub and the Royal Office of Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Saeed Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan.

Beyoung competes with other D2C fashion brands such as The Souled Store and Bewakoof.

10. BlissClub

Set up in 2020 by Minu Margeret, BlissClub sells a range of women’s activewear including bottom wear, sports bras, tops, tees and co-ords, among others.

The company has raised a total funding of $17.25 Mn to date and is backed by names such as Eight Roads Ventures, Elevation Capital, Swiggy’ Sriharsha Majety, Mamaearth’s Ghazal Alagh, Licious’ Abhay Hanjura and Vivek Gupta, among others.

In FY23, BlissClub reported a revenue of INR 68 Cr, a significant increase from INR 15 Cr in FY22. However, the company’s net loss also widened to INR 36 Cr in FY23 from INR 9 Cr in the previous fiscal year.

BlissClub’s competitors include HRX, Freecultr, and Reebok.

11. BlueStone

Set up in 2011 by Gaurav Singh Kushwaha and Vidya Nataraj, BlueStone is an omnichannel jewellery platform that sells rings, pendants and other allied products.

BlueStone has raised more than $255 Mn in funding, via debt and equity, so far from the likes of Prosus, Accel, Kalaari Capital, Iron Pillar, IvyCap Ventures, Saama Capital, among others.

For the fiscal year 2023-24 (FY24), BlueStone reported an operating revenue of INR 1,265.8 Cr ($155 Mn), a 65% increase from INR 770.7 Cr in the previous fiscal. Meanwhile, it managed to trim its losses by 15% YoY to INR 142.2 Cr in FY24.

In December 2024, BlueStone filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with market regulator SEBI for an initial public offering (IPO) worth more than INR 1000 Cr ($117.8 Mn). Existing shareholders like Accel and Kalaari Capital plan to offload part of their stakes via offer for sale.

BlueStone’s primary competitors include CaratLane, GIVA, Candere, Malabar Gold & Diamonds, and Kalyan Jewellers.

12. boAt

Launched in 2016 by Aman Gupta and Sameer Mehta, boAt is a D2C brand that manufactures a host of audio products such as earphones, headphones and speakers, among others. It retails these products on its website and ecommerce marketplaces.

boAt has raised nearly $176 Mn over nine funding rounds from 12 investors, including Warburg Pincus and Qualcomm Ventures. Its cap table also includes InnoVen Capital, Qualcomm Ventures and Fireside Ventures, among others.

In FY24, boAt’s revenue declined by 5% to INR 3,122 Cr from INR 3,285 Cr in FY23. Despite the decline in revenue, the company managed to reduce its losses by 47%, bringing them down to INR 53.5 Cr in FY24 from INR 101 Cr in FY23.

13. Bold Care

Founded in 2020 by Rajat Jadhav, Rahul Krishnan, Harsh Singh, and Mohit Yadav, Bold Care is an end-to-end men’s health and wellness platform that centres around sexual health, hair care and daily nutrition.

It sells sexual wellness kits, hair care packs, and natural supplements to boost immunity, sleep, haircare, and sexual health. In October 2024, the company expanded into the women’s wellness segment with the launch of a new brand called Bloom, aiming to diversify its product offerings and reach a broader customer base.

Incubated by Huddle, the D2C brand has so far raised nearly $6.7 Mn in funding to date. Bold Care is also backed by names such as Sharrp Ventures, Anthill Ventures, Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurs and Shiprocket, NB Ventures, among others.

14. BoldFit

Fitness startup BoldFit, which was founded in December 2018 by Pallav Bihani, sells nutritional supplements and fitness equipment to consumers.

The startup claims to sell Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)-certified products and works with WHO-GMP-approved manufacturing firms to implement quality checks at every stage.

The fitness startup has so far created more than 400 SKUs across health and ayurvedic supplements, healthy foods, home gym equipment and accessories categories.

In November 2024, BoldFit secured INR 110 Cr ($13 Mn) in a Series A funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners.

BoldFit’s primary competitors include HealthKart, Decathlon, Cultsport, and other sports-focused brands like Puma and Nike.

15. Bombay Shirt Company

Founded in 2012 by Akshay Narvekar, Bombay Shirt Company is an online clothing brand. The startup sells bespoke apparel for men and women and has a presence in India, Dubai and New York.

The Mumbai-based clothing startup has so far raised more than $22 Mn in funding till date and is backed by names such as Singularity Ventures, Alteria Capital, Lightbox, and CaratLane cofounder Mithun Sacheti.

It competes with the likes of Rare Rabbit, Wrong, Almo, SNITCH, among others.

16. Bombay Shaving Company

Founded in 2016, Bombay Shaving Company is a men-focussed D2C personal care brand that sells a range of products including trimmers, razors for women, wax strips, hair removal creams, and other personal care products.

So far, it has a total of $45.6 Mn in funding and counts Gulf Islamic Investments, Malabar Investments, Patni Advisors, Singularity AMC and Reckitt Benckiser as its investors.

It competes with the likes of homegrown D2C brands such as Ustraa, Beardo and The Man Company.

17. Boult

Founded in 2017 by siblings Varun and Tarun Gupta, Boult was born out of the duo’s passion for music and creating high quality audio products out of India.

The D2C startup offers a diverse range of products across categories such as TWS (true wireless), neckbands, headphones, speakers and smartwatches. The bootstrapped profitable brand claims to have more than 100 SKUs and sells its products on both ecommerce marketplaces as well as its own website.

It competes with the likes of homegrown giants such as boAt and Noise as well as legacy players such as JBL, Bose, Sony, among others.

18. CaratLane

Founded in 2008 by Mithun Sacheti and Srinivasa Gopalan, CaratLane is an omnichannel jewellery brand that sells a host of jewellery options, right from bracelets to kids-focussed pendants to customised pieces of jewellery.

CaratLane’s operating revenue rose 41% to INR 3,080 Cr in FY24 from INR 2,168 Cr in the previous fiscal year. However, the startup’s profit declined by 5% to INR 79 Cr in FY24 from INR 82 Cr in FY23.

The jewellery brand became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Tata Group-owned Titan Company in 2023, after the watchmaker picked an additional 27.18% stake in CaratLane for INR 4,621 Cr.

CaratLane’s competitors include Bluestone and GIVA as well as legacy players like Kalyan and Senco Gold.

19. Chaayos

Founded in 2012 by Nitin Saluja and Raghav Verma, Chaayos sells a wide variety of tea and packaged food products. It sells tea at its physical stores while other packaged food products are sold via ecommerce marketplaces and physical stores.

It has raised $85.5M in funding to date and is backed by marquee names such as Elevation Capital, Think Investments, Tiger Global and Alpha Wave Ventures.

It competes with names such as Chai Point, Vahdam Teas, Dorje Teas, among others across categories.

20. Chai Point

Set up in 2010 by Amuleek Singh Bijral and Tarun Khanna, Chai Point follows an omnichannel approach to selling tea varieties and other snacks. It opened its first retail store in 2010 followed by introducing home delivery of its flagship teas in 2014 and rolling out tea and coffee vending machines in 2016.

So far, it has raised $36 Mn in funding from investors including Paragon Partners, Eight Roads, Saama Capital and DSG.

It locks horns with names such as Chaayos and MBA Chaiwala in the Indian tea-focussed quick service chain (QSR) space.

21. Chumbak

Founded in 2010 by husband-wife duo Vivek Prabhakar and Shubhra Chadda, Chumbak is a home and lifestyle brand that sells furniture, home decor items, jewellery and footwear, among others. It has an omnichannel presence across India, particularly in Tier-I cities.

So far, the Bengaluru-based D2C startup has bagged $23.5 Mn in funding from investors such as Gaja Capital, Z47, Blacksoil, among others.

22. ClearDekho

In a space that is populated by big names such as Lenskart, and Titan Eye Plus, ClearDekho too is trying to create a niche in the country’s D2C eyewear segment. Building on his prior experience in the space, ClearDekho founder and CEO Shivi Singh is tapping the burgeoning eyewear market in Tier III & IV cities of India.

In a chat with Inc42, Singh said that the company aims to standardise eyewear accessibility for consumers in smaller towns and cities while offering value for money.

Founded in 2017, the startup has so far raised $7 Mn in funding and counts names like Venture Catalysts, Jaipuria Family Office, and Dholakia Ventures as its investors.

23. Clensta

During his eight-year-long stint with a startup in the Indian defence tech ecosystem, Puneet Gupta came across a peculiar problem — soldiers stationed at the high-altitude areas of Drass and Siachen would go for months without a bath due to freezing weather conditions and extreme water scarcity.

To address this, Gupta, an IIM-Calcutta alumnus, founded Clensta in 2016. The startup has developed a waterless body bath and shampoo that can be used by people to take baths sans water while maintaining proper personal hygiene.

It also featured in the 2022 edition of Inc42’s Fast42 list.

The startup is backed by the likes of IAN Fund, N 1 Capital, IPV Fund, HEM Securities and Venture Catalysts. It has so far raised INR 105 Cr in a mix of debt and equity across multiple rounds.

24. Clovia

Founded in 2013 by Suman Choudhary and husband-wife duo Neha Kant and Pankaj Vermani, Clovia is a women’s lingerie brand that offers over 3,500 intimate wear styles. In 2023, the startup added Soumya Kant and Abhay Batra to its founding team.

In March 2022, Reliance Retail invested INR 950 Cr in Clovia’s parent company Purple Panda Fashions for an 89% stakeholding in the startup. So far, Clovia has raised $24.7 Mn from investors.

In FY23, Clovia’s revenue from operations surged 70% to INR 291.71 Cr, up from INR 171.16 Cr in FY22. However, the company’s net loss widened by nearly 54% to INR 80.93 Cr in FY23, compared to INR 52.22 Cr in the previous fiscal year.

Its cap table includes AT Capital, IvyCap Ventures, Singularity Ventures and Ravi Dhariwal, Ex-CEO of Bennett, Coleman and Company Ltd, among others.

Its primary competitors include names such as Zivame, Shyaway, and Enamor.

25. Country Delight

Founded in 2013 by Chakradhar Gade and Nitin Kaushal, Country Delight sources milk and other food products such as ghee, cottage cheese, fruits and vegetables from farmers and delivers them to customers’ doorstep.

So far, the startup has raised a total of $133 Mn in funding across multiple rounds.

In FY24, Country Delight reported a revenue of INR 1,380 Cr, up 46% YoY. This growth was driven by an increase in subscribers and sales of non-dairy products such as fruits, vegetables, eggs, and pulses.

Its cap table includes Matrix Partners, Orios Venture Partners, Elevation Capital, and IIFL PE Fund, among others.

26. Curefoods

Founded in 2020 by Ankit Nagori, Curefoods is a cloud kitchen aggregator that houses several brands including EatFit, Sharief Bhai, Aligarh House Biryani and CakeZone, to name a few.

It manages more than 200 cloud kitchens and offline outlets, offering over 10 cuisines across 15 cities in India.

Cumulatively, the company has raised about $245 Mn across various funding rounds since its inception.

Its cap table includes Iron Pillar, Three State Ventures, Chiratae Ventures, Accel Partners, Sixteenth Street Capital, Iron Pillar and Bollywood Actor Varun Dhawan and Nora Fatehi, among others.

The Bengaluru-based cloud kitchen startup reduced its net loss by 49.64% to INR 172.6 Cr in the financial year ended March 2024 (FY24) from INR 342.7 Cr in FY23. The startup’s operating revenue also zoomed 53.17% to INR 585.1 Cr in FY24 from INR 382 Cr a fiscal ago.

27. DaMENSCH

Founded in 2018 by Anurag Saboo and Gaurav Pushkar, DaMENSCH is a men’s clothing brand that sells a range of clothing styles such as odour-cancelling men’s underwear, polo t-shirts, hoodies, joggers, tank tops, and chino shorts, among others.

In all, DaMENSCH has raised a total of about $24.6 Mn, so far. The company counts the likes of A91 Partners, Matrix Partners, Saama Capital, Whiteboard Venture Partners and Alteria Capital among its investors.

DaMENSCH competes against the likes of Bummer, XYXX, Freecultr, and Dollar Industries in the men’s innerwear segment.

The D2C brand’s operating revenue rose 22.5% to INR 72.3 Cr in FY23 from INR 59.3 Cr, a year ago. Meanwhile, its annual net loss more than doubled to INR 62.34 Cr from INR 26.89 in FY22.

28. Deconstruct

Malini Adapureddy founded Deconstruct in 2020. The D2C brand claims to sell evidence-based skincare products such as serums, facewashes, shampoos, and sunscreens, among others, which are gentle and non-irritating.

The company has raised about $10 Mn to date, from investors such as French cosmetics giant L’Oréal’s venture capital (VC) fund BOLD, V3 Ventures, DSG Consumer Partners, Kalaari Capital and BEENEXT.

Deconstruct also featured on the 2023 edition of Inc42’s FAST42, which lists the biggest emerging D2C brands in the country.

It shares the market with brands such as Foxtale, SkinInspired, CHOSEN, Cetaphil, among others.

29. Desi Farms

Founded in 2016 by Prateek Gupta and Sunil Shahi, D2C startup Desi Farms sells dairy........

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