DesignX, a startup transforming the manufacturing industry digitally, has announced it raised $1 million in a pre-series A funding from Piper Serica Angel Fund. In 2021, the company had raised $300,000 in equity from Modular Capital, Accel, and a few manufacturing industry veterans.
Founded by engineering graduates and manufacturing veterans— Rajat Srivastava and Nishant Srivastava, DesignX focuses on hyper-automation for manufacturing shop floors. Its product — The Df-OS platform, helps Lighthouse factories enhance productivity and sustainability through real-time data analytics. It benefits sectors like automotive, FMCG, and consumer electronics by reducing waste and lowering carbon footprints.
DesignX aims to transform manufacturing with minimal infrastructure investment, akin to the impacts of UPI and 4G technologies.
With the fresh funding in Kitty, DesignX plans to expand its Df-OS in key markets like APAC, Japan, and Europe. This capital will help factories achieve Lighthouse status, focusing on AI-driven analytics and sustainability. The initiative aims to enhance product development and disrupt global manufacturing processes as part of DesignX’s mission to “Disrupt without Disruption.”
Commenting on the new funding round, Rajat Srivastava, CEO and Co-Founder of DesignX, said, “We started with an idea that has now taken shape as a powerful product that will redefine global manufacturing. This funding will help ensure the world knows about our innovative solutions.”
Nishant Srivastava, CTO and Co-Founder, added, “DesignX is committed to building advanced technology for the manufacturing industry. The new investment will enhance our Df-OS application, ensuring improved performance and faster adoption.”
With a decade-long commitment to Industry 4.0, DesignX has partnered with major industry players, such as Unilever, Hero Moto, and Dabur.
Ajay Modi, Investment Director at Piper Serica, remarked, “India is at the cusp of a manufacturing revolution. DesignX’s Df-OS offers a flexible, cost-efficient solution that understands manufacturing processes better than ever. We are excited about the potential of this tool and the strong demand we foresee in the manufacturing ecosystem.”
Digital transformation poses significant challenges for many manufacturers due to outdated processes and insufficient infrastructure. DesignX’s Df-OS tackles these issues by significantly reducing both the time and cost involved in transforming factory processes. This enables manufacturers to quickly adapt to contemporary demands.
The factory process application market is experiencing significant growth, currently valued at approximately $34 billion annually. DesignX is well- positioned to capture 50% share of this market over the next 7 to 10 years.
In the past three years, DesignX has successfully digitized over 10,000 processes across more than 500 factories, connecting over 1,400 machines in real time and securing more than 405 customers. Looking ahead, the company aims to double its customer base, expand into new regions, and achieve significant annual reductions in CO2 emissions through optimized manufacturing processes.
GoKwik, India’s leading eCommerce enabler, has onboarded Sharad Gupta as Senior Director, Products. With over a decade of experience, Sharad is set to drive GoKwik’s mission of enhancing digital shopping experiences, enabling brand growth and strengthening the overall eCommerce ecosystem in India by leading the custom checkout vertical.
His strategic role will focus on enhancing and scaling solutions that simplify the checkout and payment journey for shoppers across diverse eCommerce platforms, reinforcing GoKwik’s commitment to providing tech-driven result-oriented solutions.
Before joining GoKwik, Sharad held impactful positions at Swiggy, Dineout, and Paytm. At Swiggy, he spearheaded major growth initiatives, including a game-changing partnership with IRCTC that transformed food delivery services for train passengers nationwide.
His contributions at Dineout advanced customer loyalty, engagement, and product innovation, while at Paytm, he played a critical role in advancing customer support infrastructure. Sharad’s diverse background in product strategy and consumer experience aligns seamlessly with GoKwik’s objectives.
Commenting on the new addition, Chirag Taneja, Co-founder and CEO of GoKwik, stated, “Having Sharad join our team is a significant step towards becoming deeply platform agnostic. We believe that every eCommerce brand should be able to provide a smooth, fast, and secure checkout experience regardless of the platform they are present in. That’s what Sharad is going to drive. Sharad’s expertise in building impactful products makes him an ideal leader to drive our checkout solutions forward. We’re excited about the potential his leadership brings in shaping GoKwik’s growth and increasing the value we deliver to our partner brands.”
Sharad Gupta expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “What excites me most about joining GoKwik is the team’s passion for making digital commerce easy and seamless for everyone. The eCommerce space in India is booming, with brands actively seeking innovative, frictionless ways to engage directly with consumers. GoKwik is at the forefront of this shift, setting new standards for a smooth, hassle-free shopping experience that keeps customers returning. I’m thrilled to be part of a team that’s redefining the online shopping landscape and championing the future of eCommerce in such a meaningful way.”
GoKwik houses over 10000 brands in its network including Lenskart, Neemans, Man Matters, Shoppers Stop, etc, ranging from fashion, beauty, health and nutrition, electronics and other key categories of the online shopping space. The eCommerce enabler has over 120Mn shoppers in its network of brands. Its leadership includes talents from Amazon, Myntra, Google, Nykaa and more.
Rio, a fast-growing fintech platform, has announced the launch of its UPI app, providing users with seamless access to credit for UPI payments. In parallel, Rio has partnered with YES BANK, and NPCI to introduce the co-branded YES BANK Rio RuPay Credit Card. This partnership aims to revolutionize the way consumers access and use credit, combining the benefits of credit with the ease and ubiquity of UPI.
The YES BANK Rio RuPay Credit Card allows users to make purchases via UPI at over 100 million merchant locations across India. It is designed for the modern consumer, offering exclusive rewards, no fees, and a credit limit of up to ₹5 lakh.
This partnership aims to cater to the growing demand for accessible and efficient financial solutions, particularly in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. Within a month of its beta launch, Rio received applications from over 244 cities across India, with 60% from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, highlighting the growing demand for high-quality products outside major cities.
Rio’s app is set to become one of the first platforms to seamlessly integrate credit benefits into UPI payments. The app simplifies daily transactions while offering users personalized rewards and exclusive deals through its “Know Your Offers” feature, which can be instantly redeemed. This innovative solution positions Rio as a leader in UPI-enabled credit, with over 10,000 downloads already recorded during its beta launch.
Ms. Riya Bhattacharya, Co-founder and CEO of Rio Money, expressed her vision: “Rio will become the favourite UPI App for millions of users in India that lead an aspirational lifestyle and love affordability products. We are building a brand that they love and use everyday. The Credit Card is just the beginning of how we aim to integrate credit with UPI to transform consumer finance in India. With the launch of Credit-on-UPI, we are pioneering a lifestyle product that will redefine cash flow management for 600 million Indians. We expect this market to grow into a $350 billion opportunity, subsuming other credit and payment products.”
As UPI transactions are poised to increase tenfold from 0.5 billion daily transactions, Rio is positioned to be a key enabler of credit products via UPI and will cater to over 100 million users in the next five years.
Mr. Anil Singh, Country Head – Credit Cards and Merchant Acquiring, Yes Bank, expressed his excitement: “We are thrilled to offer this co-branded credit card to Rio users. It’s truly the credit card of choice, linking with UPI and unlocking the true potential of payments. The credit card provides rich benefits in the form of simple cashbacks and a host of exciting offers which are compelling for users for their regular spends.”
Mr. Nalin Bansal, Chief of Corporate and Fintech Relationships and Key Initiatives at NPCI expressed his enthusiasm: “We are happy to partner with the energetic team at Rio, one of the new Fintechs who have successfully launched a Credit focused product on UPI. While they are going to drive penetration through cashbacks and other benefits, their value proposition focused on new consumer acquisition through Friends and Family, we believe will drive a lot of responsible credit uptake.”
With UPI-led credit cards becoming increasingly popular, Rio is poised to capture a large share of this burgeoning market. Experts estimate that credit on UPI will outgrow traditional credit products, creating a $1 trillion opportunity by 2030.
Currently, UPI is accepted at over 100 million merchant locations compared to only ten million POS machines that support traditional credit cards. UPI led credit is already exhibiting a very high user adoption rate, the largest listed Credit card issuer seeing 50% growth quarter-on-quarter.
Credit has almost doubled this festive season largely led by Credit Cards and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options for D2C brands on GoKwik’s network. The preference for credit surged from 3.49% to 6.9% this year thus indicating healthy economic performance and increased consumer sentiment.
This Diwali sale period shoppers showcased a higher preference for prepaid payment modes with a 13% surge in prepaid orders compared to last year. On the contrary, cash on delivery (COD) orders saw an 8% dip in the same period, reveals GoKwik, India’s leading eCommerce enabler that helps brands improve profits and efficiency by reducing COD orders.
COD (Cash on Delivery) is a payment method where customers pay upon receiving their goods. This can build trust with buyers wary of online payments, especially in areas with fraud concerns. While COD enables businesses to access a wider customer base in Tier 2 and Tier 3 regions, it can also cause cash flow delays, higher return rates, and increased logistical costs, potentially impacting profitability.
However, COD in India still continues to be dominant at 46% followed by UPI at 44%.
“Affordability has always been a key driver for eCommerce growth in India, with shoppers opting for more flexible payment choices. We’ve been focused on building an ecosystem that supports this innate need among Indian shoppers. By offering multiple prepaid options on our checkout, we have not only provided more affordable payment choices to shoppers, but also provided greater control to merchants over their growth. Having a higher prepaid share of orders helps brands mitigate the impact of return to origin (RTO) and enables profitable growth for them. Our efforts in this direction have started to show the much needed shift in consumer preference,” said Chirag Taneja, Co-Founder and CEO, GoKwik.
Categories such as footwear and fashion have seen the highest preference for credit-based prepaid payments while certain other categories like beauty and personal care continued to show high preference for COD.
Another interesting trend during this festive period is the shift in consumer preference from COD to credit payment options such as credit cards and BNPL in tier 3 cities.
Rohit Prasad, MD & CEO, Easebuzz, added, “We are happy to support GoKwik during this festive sale period. With an exceptional 99.9% uptime, Easebuzz platform empowered D2C brands manage millions of transactions without any downtimes, a crucial advantage during peak shopping periods. Our extensive payment acceptance methods, affordability suite with BNPL & EMI options, coupons and rewards during checkout helped these brands deliver a superior shopping experience for their customers.”
While overall Average Order Value (AOV) rose by a nominal 3% during this period, categories like fashion and jewellery saw particularly strong growth at 15% and 13% respectively. Categories with high AOV products like electronics saw a 36% increase in credit card payments and a 27% increase in BNPL, showing that shoppers prefer these payment methods for high-value purchases.
GoKwik houses over 10000 brands in its network including Lenskart, Neemans, Man Matters, Shoppers Stop, etc, ranging from fashion, beauty, health and nutrition, electronics and other key categories of the online shopping space. The eCommerce enabler houses over 120Mn shoppers in its network of D2C brands.
GetVantage, India’s leading embedded finance and working capital platform, announced investments in the logistics sector, providing INR 1.8 Cr in growth capital each to three prominent logistics startups: Celcius Logistics, Ohm Logistics, and Fitsol. This funding arrives at a pivotal time as logistics businesses operate at full capacity to meet the high demand during the festive season.
GetVantage funds through its liscensed NBFC GetGrowth Capital, and its AIF Venture Finance Fund with Varanium Capital, among other partner NBFCs.
The logistics sector has seen significant momentum in recent months, driven by the increasing needs of emerging local brand startups and other businesses preparing for the festive rush along with the Travel industry. This fresh round of growth financing will enable Celcius, Ohm, and Fitsol to scale their operations and meet working capital requirements to cater to the growing demand from businesses across sectors.
On the investment, Bhavik Vasa, Founder of GetVantage, said “The logistics industry is set to play a critical role in supporting India’s $5.5 trillion GDP economic ambitions. GetVantage is empowering the next generation of innovators by fueling their growth at a critical juncture with non-dilutive capital. Our commitment to Celcius, Ohm, and Fitsol demonstrates our belief in the future of clean tech and green energy in logistics. Together, we’re driving sustainable solutions to meet soaring market demand, underlining its significance in both domestic and international markets. We are thrilled to be a part of this massive transformation in the sector by backing innovative yet high revenue-generating companies.”
Swarup Bose, CEO & Founder of Celcius Logistics, added, “At Celcius, our mission is to make cold chain logistics more efficient and reliable through the use of technology. We aim to build a strong ecosystem that ensures the safe and timely delivery of temperature-sensitive goods throughout the country, whether it’s food, pharmaceuticals, or other perishables. GetVantage has been a partner with us in this journey and we look forward to more associations.”
Anand Pathak, Founder of Fitsol, also shared, “Fitsol is a decarbonization partner for manufacturing companies and we want to reduce 1 bn ton of CO2 from the supply chain. To achieve this goal, we partnered with GetVantage for working capital and it was a great experience working with their team. They were quick to respond, adhering to the time commitment of delivery.”
India’s logistics sector continues to evolve, integrating technology and automation to offer efficient supply chain solutions for domestic and global merchants alike. The country now ranks 38th out of 139 on the Logistics Performance Index, highlighting the importance of this industry.
Contributing 13-14% of the national GDP and employing over 22 million people, the logistics sector plays a vital role in the nation’s economy. Continued investment in this space will foster a stronger, more connected supply chain ecosystem, fueling further economic growth.
Berrylush, a leading women’s western fashion brand, has announced a strategic partnership with GoKwik, a leading e-commerce enablement platform, to enhance its online presence and accelerate growth.
This partnership with GoKwik will help Berrylush double its order volume and revenue by 2025 by offering a superior shopping experience to its customers while expanding its D2C footprint across deeper Indian regions.
Alok Paul, Co-founder and COO of Berrylush, stated,“In India’s fast-evolving e-commerce landscape, ensuring a seamless customer experience and reducing RTOs are crucial for sustainable growth. With GoKwik’s innovative solutions, we are already witnessing positive shifts. In just 15 days, we have seen significant progress toward achieving our objectives, and we anticipate a substantial reduction in drop-offs and RTO rates. As e-commerce continues to grow, addressing RTOs will be essential for maintaining profitability and customer satisfaction.”
Berrylush has established itself as a leading player in the Omnichannel fashion industry, aiming to clock a INR 100 Cr revenue this fiscal year. It will utilise GoKwik’s 120Mn shopper network, the deepest in India to provide eCommerce shoppers with an enhanced experience across the checkout funnel and beyond. With its robust tech and data science-backed intelligence, Berrylush aims to boost COD GMV while reducing returns before delivery.
Chirag Taneja, Co-founder and CEO of GoKwik, added,“Berrylush, is a brand that has truly mastered the art of connecting with today’s fashion-conscious shoppers. They have been growing steadily and have ambitious plans for the next year. We look forward to supporting them in bringing those growth plans to fruition through our solutions. Excited to witness and enable their upward journey from here on!”
Following the successful launch of GoKwik’s solution on their website, Berrylush plans to integrate the system into their mobile app, further aiming to reduce drop-offs by 20% and RTOs by 50%. With GoKwik’s support, Berrylush anticipates a smooth transition and continued growth in the months ahead.
GoKwik houses over 10000 eCommercebrands in its network including Lenskart, Neemans, Man Matters, Shoppers Stop, etc, ranging from fashion, beauty, health and nutrition, electronics and other key categories of the online shopping space. The company recently announced global expansion with the acquisition of Return Prime, a Shopify app to manage returns for eCommerce brands.
Berrylush, who has been bootstrapped till now, plans to raise funds to scale operations. It also plans to record a 7% EBITDA profit this fiscal year.
In only a year after joining Mytek’s platform, revenues of subcontracting firm Pavan Infra have soared 4X. Pavan Infra, founded in 2022, had a modest turnover of Rs 40 lakh in its first year in 2022-23. After listing on Mytek, the company’s revenues surged to Rs 1.82 crore in 2023-24.
Similar was the case with construction and infra company DJ Cons, which saw its revenue skyrocket from Rs 11.25 lakh in 2021-22 to Rs 4.50 lakh in 2022-23. Ansia technology also saw revenues jump from just a few lakhs to Rs 3.5 crore in 2022-23. These growth stories highlight the transformative power of Mytek’s digital platform in driving substantial business growth.
Mytek’s platform offers businesses in growth phases, a set of strategic tools to transform their business operations. AI-powered project planning, real-time alerts, seamless cash flow management, automated JMR generation and role-based invoicing are some tools that businesses can use. These features have enabled businesses like Pavan Infra, DJ Cons, and XTEN to concentrate on growth.
Over the last couple of years, Mytek Innovations has been revolutionising the infrastructure sector with its groundbreaking digital platform and setting new industry standards. Reflecting on this transformative journey, Shivkumar Borade, CMD of Mytek Innovations, said, “Pavan Infra’s success epitomises why we built this platform—to empower contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers with the tools they need to thrive. Their growth showcases digital technology’s transformative power in the infrastructure industry.”
Catering to the B2B and B2C segments, Navi-Mumbai headquartered Mytek Innovations was founded by Shivkumar Borade and Ashwajeet Wankhede in 2020. The company’s unified platform enables seamless business activities across multiple formats.
Mytek Innovations is committed to helping contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers elevate their businesses. Contractors have been able to manage projects effortlessly, efficiently, and on a scalable level. Designed to streamline operations for businesses, Mytek’s platform leverages AI-driven project management tools and financial automation to allow businesses to focus on growth, leaving the complexities to Mytek.
It is able to ensure sales with minimum customer acquisition costs and delivers the highest level of operational efficiency to drive performance and productivity. The platform helps timely delivery with real time data which helps customers stay on top of projects and also helps with simplified invoicing.
With an aggressive growth strategy in place, Mytek Innovations aims to more than triple its order book by FY25. The company clocked orders of 251 at the end of FY25, and now aims to close FY25 with a robust order book of 729. The strong inflow of orders will also help the company rake-in targeted revenues of Rs 320 crore at the end of this fiscal, as compared to revenues of Rs 10.5 crore at the end of FY24. Mytek Innovations has been consistently working on increasing its order pipeline over the years.
Gemba Capital, India’s leading Micro VC Fund has boosted it Advisory Board with the inclusion of Somak Ghosh, a Banking and Investment Management stalwart. Somak brings a total of 30+ years of experience across Corporate and Development Banking, Venture Capital/Private Equity, Infrastructure Finance and Corporate Strategy.
Somak started his career in 1993 and spent a decade with ICICI, Reliance and Rabo India before joining Yes Bank as Group President in 2004.
At Yes Bank, Somak was leading the bank’s Corporate and Development Banking Charter. He was subsequently designated as a Professional Co-Founder for his contribution towards setting up and building one of India’s most successful midsized banks. By the time Somak left Yes Bank in 2012, he was managing over Rs. 40,000 crore of the bank’s assets and over 50% of the profits.
Driven by his interest in the startup ecosystem, in 2013 he set up SEBI registered Contrarian Vriddhi Fund and made seed investments in 12 startups, which includes Pratilipi, Progcap, Signzy, Squadstack, Minjar to name a few.
Somak also sits on the Investment Committee of Motilal Oswal Real Estate Fund. Somak did his MBA from FMS (Delhi) and is an Advanced Leadership Fellow at Harvard (USA).
On joining the Advisory Board at Gemba Capital, Somak Ghosh commented that “I always wanted to contribute towards the development of the startup and fintech ecosystem in India. This engagement with Gemba Capital is an effort to help the ecosystem with my experiences and learnings. I have known both Adith and Govind for a long time and I look forward to add strategic value to Gemba Capital and their portfolio companies.”
Commenting on the engagement Adith Podhar, Founding Partner at Gemba Capital said “Somak brings a vast wealth of experience across BFSI and Venture Capital domains. The Fund will seek his advice on governance and strategic decisions. With his expertise and mentorship, we will add real value to our Portfolio Companies since Fintech is a core investment focus for our Fund-II. We are super elated to have him as part of Gemba Capital Family”
Gemba Capital has invested in 50+ startups so far including the likes of Plum Insurtech, Grip Invest, Wint Wealth, Zuper, Navadhan, Volt Money, Click Post, Showroom, Strata, Kredmint to name a few. They recently received the SEBI License for their second fund of US$30 million through which they will invest in seed/pre-seed stage startups across Fintech, Consumer Tech and B2B Platforms.
Mistry.Store, a leading one-stop platform for building materials in the NCR region, has launched India’s first custom-finished boards for the modular kitchen segment.
Enstiva, the custom finished boards, offers pre-pasted boards in a wide variety, will revolutionise the modular furniture making process for architects, interior designers, furniture manufacturers, contractors in India.
Founded in 2022, Mistry.Store has become a trusted partner for over 3,500+ building professionals, offering a comprehensive range of building materials. Now, with Enstiva, the company is taking the industry a step further.
“We are excited to introduce Enstiva as a game-changer for India’s design and construction community,” said Mr. Vaibhav Poddar, Co-founder at Mistry.Store.
“Large majority of boards today are pressed in-house by Professionals, which consumes significant time and cost. Plus, readily available choice are extremely limited with the rest having a lead time of 3-4 weeks. We want to address these pain points by offering a comprehensive solution. Our finished boards provide a time-saving and cost-effective alternative. Professionals can get finished boards customised to their choice of board and finishes without compromising on cost, quality or lead times. Enstiva’s collection features diverse finishes and textures, catering to a wide range of design preferences. From timeless melamine to contemporary acrylic, there’s a perfect board for every project,” he added.
Enstiva boards offer pre-pasted convenience, saving time and effort with ready-to-use boards. Choose from over 100+ stunning shades for extensive customization. Experience exceptional durability and flawless finishes with unwavering quality. Select the perfect board for your specific project needs from multiple board options. Enjoy custom board production in just four days with rapid turnaround.
By partnering with Enstiva, professionals can gain a significant advantage. They can streamline their workflows, reduce project timelines, and achieve exceptional results.
With Enstiva, the possibilities for stunning and innovative design are limitless.
The launch of Enstiva pre-laminated boards puts Mistry.Store at the leading edge of a growing market trend.
This revolutionary product empowers interior building professionals in three key ways: first, by eliminating manual lamination with pre-pasted boards, it reduces hassle and saves valuable time and effort.
Second, the incredibly fast four-day turnaround for custom boards significantly shortens production timelines. Finally, Enstiva offers a wide range of high-quality pre-finished options, ensuring premium finishes for any interior design project.
Mistry.Store is confident that Enstiva will not only strengthen brand loyalty among existing customers in the NCR region but also propel them towards national expansion. With a robust setup capable of producing over 1,000+ boards daily, they anticipate a 20x growth in the next financial year with an estimated sale of approx. 25,000+ boards a month.
Enstiva, by Mistry.Store, promises to reshape the furniture making landscape in India, empowering professionals to create exceptional spaces with unmatched efficiency and ease.
Pre-laminated boards are dominant in the furniture and interior design sectors in the developed world. The share of pre-laminated boards in Europe is 70-80%, while in the US it is 60-70%. The primary drivers for the same include – high penetration of modular furniture, demand for superior finishes, increasing standardization and higher labour costs.
India is still developing in this area with only 20-25% of the boards sold as pre-laminated. However, with the increasing penetration of modular furniture, rise of organised retail players, and increasingly discerning customers the market share for pre-laminated boards is expected to rise to 40-50% over 3-5 years. Furniture market in India is estimated at USD 32bn, with modular furniture representing a significant portion of this market.
In 2022, Mistry.Store raised $2.5 million in seed funding led by Omidyar Network India, Waveform VC and Bharat Founders Fund. The company is now looking to expand to more cities. Mistry.Store will use the funding to transform home-building material purchases by creating an end-to-end eco-system and build technology solutions for home interior Professionals and their homeowner customers.
Years back, when Shivani Soni was just a schoolgirl, her teacher asked every student to share their dream career. While most of her classmates shared conventional aspirations, Shivani confidently stood up and proudly shared her ambition:
“I want to become a fashion designer.”
But instead of receiving the encouragement she hoped for, her teacher dismissively responded, “Girls like you can’t become a fashion designer. This moment, though painful, ignited a fire within Shivani that would fuel her determination to prove everyone wrong.
In an exclusive conversation with Empowering Indians, Shivani reflected on that pivotal moment, recounting how it pushed her to work harder and set her sights on achieving her dreams.
“I was hurt,” she admitted,” but that only made me more determined.”
She immersed herself in fashion, watching television shows and analyzing the styles worn by actors. One day, she watched a show featuring renowned designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, who was making waves globally.
“That was the moment,” she shared. “I got inspired and resolved to become a fashion designer like him.”
Overcoming Village Norms and Family expectations
Shivani’s journey, however, was far from smooth. She hails from a small village, Bari Sadri, in Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh district. Her father ran a modest shop, providing just enough to make ends meet.
Though the family was lower-middle-class, financial pressures were minimized by living a simple village life, with Shivani and her siblings attending government schools. But pursuing a career in fashion design, which was perceived as a glamorous profession akin to Bollywood, was a foreign concept to her family and the villagers.
“My father was hesitant to allow me to pursue fashion design,” Shivani revealed in the Empowering Indians interview. “It wasn’t considered a respectable or stable career.”
After completing her 12th grade, however, she persisted and convinced her father to let her follow her passion. Shivani enrolled in a fashion design course and began her formal training in the industry.
Shivani Soni, co-founder of Beyoung
Launching Beyoung: A Dream Turns Reality
After earning her degree, Shivani completed an internship that allowed her to gain hands-on experience. But rather than settling for a job, she decided to create something of her own. Teaming up with her brother Shivam, her sister-in-law Sakshi, and childhood friend Shankar, Shivani co-founded Beyoung, a fashion brand launched in the small town of Udaipur.
“We wanted to create high-quality apparel for tier 2 and 3 consumers, but at an affordable price,” Shivani explained during the interview with Empowering Indians.
The team recognized a gap in the market—many fashion brands were either too expensive or simply unavailable in smaller towns. Online shopping was often out of reach due to inaccessible delivery zones or high prices.
“People in smaller towns want access to good fashion too, but the products are either too expensive or not deliverable,” she noted.
With an initial investment of Rs. 5 lakh, the Beyoung team launched their first collection with just 4-5 stock-keeping units (SKUs).
“In the beginning, we focused on customized printed T-shirts and vests,” Shivani recounted during the interview with Empowering Indians. “Our goal was to make sure our designs resonated with the trends in the market.”
Shivam Soni- Founder of Beyoung
Evolution of fashion trends in Beyoung
Their breakthrough came when one of their prints, inspired by the movie Uri, gained massive popularity. The design, which featured the now-iconic line, How’s the Josh?, became so successful that it began ranking high on search engines, catching the attention of even their competitors.
This early success motivated Beyoung to innovate further. They introduced a range of customizable and plus-size products and also pioneered the concept of customizable bundles.
“We noticed that in stores, customers had no choice but to buy pre-made bundles,” said Shivani. “We gave them the option to choose different sizes and colours, which was a huge hit.”
This flexibility set them apart from other brands and helped solidify their position in the market.
Navigating Challenges: COVID-19 and Beyond
Just as Beyoung was finding its footing, COVID-19 hit, and like many businesses, they had to adapt. Prior to the pandemic, they had opened three experimental offline stores in Jodhpur and Udaipur, which were doing well. But when the pandemic forced closures, the team shifted its focus entirely online.
“We made sure our team could work from home, and we launched new products like masks,” Shivani said in the Empowering Indians interview. “The response was amazing.”
One of their standout offerings during this time was their “Shop the Look” collection, which catered to the diverse body types of Indian men.
“We noticed that standard Courtside apparel didn’t fit well with many Indian men, so we developed a multipurpose outfit,” she said.
This innovative line allowed customers to select different sizes for the top and bottom, another success that propelled Beyoung forward.
Sakshi Soni- Co-founder of Beyoung.
Scaling the Business and Expanding the Brand
Beyoung’s journey from a small startup with just a handful of SKUs to a brand with over thousands of SKUs has been a story of relentless innovation and adaptation. Their commitment to offering high-quality, affordable, and aspirational fashion for everyday wear, especially for tier 2 and 3 markets, has been their unique selling point.
“While most fast-fashion brands focus on trendy clothes for metro cities, we positioned ourselves as an everyday fashion brand for smaller towns,” Shivani, co-founder, explained.
This strategy has paid off. Beyoung now boasts a customer base of 5 million, with 90% of its revenue coming from male consumers.
“We recognized early on the potential in men’s fashion, and it became our primary focus,” Shivani said.
Milestones and Financial Growth
Beyoung’s growth trajectory has been impressive. In its first year, the company reported a revenue of Rs. 35 lakh. Fast forward to 2023, and Beyoung’s annual recurring revenue (ARR) reached a staggering Rs. 200 crore.
Looking ahead, Shivani and her team have ambitious plans. “We are on track to becoming an omnichannel brand,” she said during the Empowering Indians interview.
Over the next three years, we aim to expand and be present in neighborhoods across India and globally with over 300 offline stores in Tier 2, 3, and 4 cities of India by 2027. We strive to be the primary choice for customers by making aspirational fashion accessible to the masses who prefer value-for-money products.
This means providing a seamless shopping experience both online and offline. The company’s goal is to grow its revenue to Rs. 650 crore by 2027.
Shankar Mali- Co-founder of Beyoung
Impact on Communities and Team Growth
Beyoung’s success has not only brought financial rewards but has also created significant employment opportunities in their community. The company currently employs 300 people, many of whom come from rural backgrounds.
“We’ve seen so many inspiring stories from our team members,” Shivani shared in the interview of Empowering Indians.
Members, like Praveen and Tarun, have risen through the ranks, starting in entry-level roles to now managing departments.
Breaking Societal Norms and Personal Triumphs
Recently, Shivani got married, and her story took another unexpected turn. In a small town like Udaipur, societal norms often dictate that the bride settles into her in-laws’ home. But Shivani’s husband, whose job was in Bangalore, chose to work from home to support Shivani’s career.
“My in-laws have been incredibly supportive,” she said. “I am truly thankful that they go beyond societal norms to help me pursue my dreams.”
