- BENGALURU — India secured the second spot globally in terms of funding
raised by the direct-to-consumer (D2C) sector in 2024, a new report said on
Wednesday.
-
- The country ranks just behind the United States and ahead
of China, the UK, and Italy, according to a Tracxn’s report.
-
- The report shows that the total funding in India’s D2C
space stood at $757 million in the previous year.
-
- India is home to more than 11,000 D2C companies, out of
which around 800 have managed to secure funding so far.
-
- The early-stage and seed-stage funding saw growth.
Early-stage investments rose by 25 per cent to $355 million in 2024 compared to
2023, while seed-stage funding climbed 18 per cent to $141 million.
Also read: India's total exports touch record $820.93 billion in 2024-25 despite global challenges
- “India’s D2C sector is evolving with investors
prioritising profitability and sustainable growth. The rise in early-stage
investments signals continued confidence in the long-term potential of India’s
D2C sector,” said Neha Singh, Co-Founder of Tracxn.
-
- Among the most funded segments in 2024 were D2C organic
beauty brands, online jewellery brands, and D2C beauty brands.
-
- Organic beauty brands saw a major rise in funding,
receiving $105 million -- a 79 per cent increase from 2023.
-
- The biggest funding round in 2024 was by BlueStone, which
raised $71 million in Series D funding at a valuation of $964 million, the
report said.
-
- Bengaluru led the way in funding, attracting $253
million, followed by Gurugram with $164 million and Mumbai with $99.8 million.
-
- Together, Bengaluru and Gurugram accounted for more than
half of all funds raised in the sector, as per the report.
-
- To support the D2C ecosystem, the Indian government has
introduced several initiatives like Digital India, Startup India, and the Open
Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
-
- Other efforts such as the Export Promotion Mission,
Government e-Marketplace (GeM), and the Green Credit Programme are helping D2C
brands grow globally and adopt sustainable practices.
-