D2CX By Inc42

We launched the third cohort of D2CX with a bang! 🚀 Cohort 3 of the D2CX program officially began on November 26th with an unforgettable in-person orientation at StayVista at The Brickhouse. It was nothing short of a spectacular celebration of ideas, ambition, and the power of #community! Out of 200+ applications, we carefully selected 35+ driven and visionary fellows to join this cohort. Our fellows hail from diverse corners of India, bringing unmatched energy and passion to the room. The excitement we witnessed was truly electrifying (in the best way possible)! While each fellow comes with unique backgrounds and growth goals for their #D2C brands, they share common challenges on their founder journey, such as: 🔶 Finding clarity 🔶 Accessing mentorship 🔶 Building a community 🔶 Establishing a structured approach 🔶 And most critically – Creating a growth playbook to achieve 10X scale Here’s the reality: Over 90% of early-stage D2C founders struggle to scale beyond their initial stages without a robust growth strategy, often resulting in their startups shutting down. That’s where D2CX steps in – bridging the gaps and empowering D2C founders to break through barriers and scale to new heights! Cohort 3 is ready to redefine what’s possible. Let the journey begin! 🚀 Vaibhav Vardhan | Utkarsh Agarwal | Pooja Sareen | Pallav Kaushish | Shantanu Kwatra | Ayush Kumar | Sahil Goel | Keshav Dua

From Shark Tank fame to a ₹17 Cr brand, Nish Hair by Parul Gulati is rewriting the D2C playbook. ▶️The brand achieved 4X growth in FY24, with 692K Instagram followers driving its online presence.   ▶️Over 70% of its website traffic comes from social campaigns, showcasing the brand’s digital mastery and customer engagement. In this edition of #D2CX Newsletter, we’re decoding Nish Hair’s journey of storytelling, innovation, and social media mastery 👇

"From 17 lakhs to 40 lakhs a month—D2CX transformed our journey!" – Sandesh Prasannakumar, Founder of Genetic Nutrition A champion superbike racer turned entrepreneur, Sandesh created Genetic Nutrition. A brand that aims to make clean-label sports nutrition accessible to everyone, from elite athletes to health-conscious individuals, by offering products made with the purest ingredients. Committed to transparency and integrity, their mission is to democratize sports nutrition, ensuring trust and effectiveness in every product to help people achieve their health and fitness goals. Before D2CX, the brand struggled with scaling, retention, and website optimization. With expert-led mentorship and actionable insights, the program delivered game-changing results: 👉 30% website optimization 👉 Session-to-conversion ratio doubled 👉 Revenue skyrocketed from 17L to 40L/month "I wish I did this pre-launch—it’s a crash course every founder needs!" says Sandesh. 👉 Become like Sandesh and join D2CX to: ✅ Master scaling and retention ✅ Optimize your website for growth ✅ Build a winning D2C strategy Ready to transform your business? 🚀 Join D2CX today - last 3 seats left! https://4-2.co/3OjE4OX

"I started under confident, but now I feel like I have a mini MBA." – Isha Mahabal, Founder of Curly Co. With a decade of expertise in curly hair care, Isha Mahabal founded Curly Co., a brand dedicated to meeting the unique needs of Indian curly and wavy hair. Curly Co. was created by curly-haired women for curly-haired women, offering simple yet effective solutions for haircare, designed specifically for Indian hair and weather. Coming from a non-business background, Isha and her co-founder, a Chartered Accountant - faced early challenges understanding business frameworks, GTM strategies, and operational efficiency. At the time, their business was generating a monthly revenue of ₹6,00,000. Isha’s goals were clear: scale up performance marketing, master GTM strategies for product launches, and expand on e-commerce and quick commerce platforms. Then came D2CX. The program completely transformed their journey, providing clarity and actionable insights that helped them focus on what truly mattered. Before D2CX, they lacked a team, but by the end of the program, they had built one and gained the confidence to implement, rather than just ideate. “The program was intense, inspiring, and motivating,” Isha says. “It felt like having a personal cheerleader who pushed us forward!” Isha highly recommends the D2CX program to every D2C founder. "For someone who was once hesitant to speak in front of other founders, D2CX gave me the confidence to speak up and grow our brand!" Are you a D2C founder ready to scale your business? 🚀 Join the D2CX program today to: ✅ Learn from India’s top 1% D2C leaders ✅ Get hands-on mentorship & actionable insights ✅ Build a personalized growth blueprint ✅ Access India’s thriving startup ecosystem ✅ Network directly with investors Only 3 seats left! Enrol now - https://4-2.co/3OjE4OX

Did you know GIVA started in 2019 with a mission to make fine jewellery stylish and accessible—and today, it’s valued at a massive INR 2170 Cr? Fast forward to FY24, GIVA is dazzling with: 💠 1 Mn+ customers 💠 INR 273.6 Cr revenue 💠 50% repeat purchases From abandoned cart nudges to birthday surprises, and launching 50+ new designs weekly, GIVA’s playbook is all about blending innovation with personal touch. In this edition of the #D2CX Newsletter, we’re diving into GIVA’s incredible growth 👇

Meet Alishha Chouhan, the visionary founder of IKIRU, a curated marketplace for home décor and furniture. IKIRU is built on the belief that your home should be a design-driven sanctuary - a space to relax, connect, and find tranquility. With a background in engineering and management. Alishha’s journey has been shaped by a family deeply rooted in the construction industry. Her upbringing instilled a passion for interior design and a drive to create a technologically advanced platform that transcends traditional e-commerce boundaries. Her path before joining the D2CX program wasn’t easy. By the time she contacted us, IKIRU was struggling, with monthly revenue at just 9 Lakhs and the company not yet profitable. Her goals were ambitious: she wanted to scale her business to achieve 3x or 4x growth, learn effective marketing strategies, implement operational best practices, and boost brand awareness. Enter D2CX. Over the course of 12 transformative weeks, Alishha experienced a journey of growth, learning, and connection. Alishha says "D2CX By Inc42 wasn’t just another program, it was a place where we grew as entrepreneurs and as people. Seeing everyone show up, share advice, and genuinely cheer each other on was everything.The energy of women entrepreneurs? Next level!" Alisha's hardwork during the programme was commendable. IKIRU saw an 80% increase in revenue, decoding brand building with invaluable insights and frameworks—especially the importance of कथ्य, तथ्य और सत्य. Alishha also learned how to connect with the right people in the industry and network effectively, gaining a renewed sense of purpose and clarity. "D2CX is like a platform full of experts and energy. D2CX makes you a founder!" she says. For any founder struggling to scale, Alishha’s advice? “D2CX is the best investment—don’t wait, start now!” Ready to elevate your business and join the ranks of success stories like Alishha’s? 🚀 D2CX is your next step towards growth. Apply now, only 3 seats left: https://4-2.co/3OjE4OX

During the pandemic, Indian households opened their hearts to stray animals and rescue pets, driving the pet population to 27 Mn+. But the momentum didn’t stop there—by FY24, it surged to an impressive 32 Mn. 🐾 This transformation has turned ‘pet owners’ into affectionate ‘pawrents’, swapping the traditional bowl of rice & boiled chicken for premium pet edibles and supplements. What’s behind this shift? A changing mindset, with pet parents now spending more than double on their furry companions. 🐕💸 The result? India’s pet care industry has reached a staggering INR 27,000 Cr today, with Redseer predicting it could grow to INR 60,000 Cr by FY28. 🚀 In this edition of #TheD2CXNewsletter, we’re diving into the rising demand for pet supplements and their role in shaping this flourishing market. 🛒✨

In 2016, Taran Chhabra nearly missed a train in Spain—he was overpacked with 5 pairs of shoes! Inspired by the need for one versatile pair, he founded Neeman’s, India’s first sustainable footwear brand. 🌱👟 Using Merino Wool, a natural and breathable fibre, Neeman’s delivers year-round comfort that’s changing the game. Today, they’ve achieved: 🔥 INR 270 Cr valuation (Oct ‘24) 🔥 INR 69 Cr in FY23, ~50% YoY growth 🔥 80K+ pairs sold monthly 🔥 4.65 rating across platforms ⭐ In this edition of #D2CX, we’re breaking down Neeman’s journey to sustainable success 👇

After boAt and Noise set the stage in India’s consumer tech market, Boult Audio is quickly rising as a new powerhouse in the hearables and wearables space! Founded by Varun Gupta and Tarun Gupta in 2017, Boult has already captured a 6.9% market share in the smart wearables segment—without any external funding! 🚀 With 100+ SKUs, an impressive INR 20 Cr profit in FY23, and INR 750 Cr revenue in FY24, Boult’s success is all about staying close to its customers. In this edition of the #D2CX Newsletter, we’re breaking down Boult Audio’s playbook for growth and market innovation 👇

Did you know that Drools, a Bengaluru-based D2C brand, is leading India’s INR 25,000 Cr pet-care market? With a fresh INR 500 Cr boost from L Catterton, Drools is now valued at INR 4,900 Cr and could be a unicorn in two years! From premium pet food to a digital-first strategy, Drools is rewriting the rules with a 70% CAGR and 38% market share. In this edition of the #D2CX Newsletter, we’re diving into how Drools is taking the pet-care industry by storm 👇