D2C Insider, a thriving network within India’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) ecosystem, recently made strategic investments of up to ₹1 crore each in three promising early-stage startups: The Paan Legacy, Hemptyful, and Polr.Care. These investments mark a significant step in D2C Insider’s mission to nurture emerging brands, as part of the Elevate Cohort 2 Demo Day under its Early Stage Growth Cohort initiative.
The three startups, all specializing in unique consumer goods, completed a 12-week intensive accelerator program tailored to sharpen their business approaches and expand their operational capacities. Guided by experienced industry figures, including Aneesh Seth, Vedang Patel, and Kunal Bahl, the program offered these companies invaluable mentorship and insights. Additionally, they had the opportunity to present their pitches to a select jury of influential investors, featuring industry heavyweights like CarDekho founder Amit Jain and representatives from DSG Consumer Partners, Mumbai Angels, and the Indian Angel Network.
The accelerator also awarded participants over ₹25 lakh in credits from leading industry enablers such as WebEngage, Shiprocket, and Unicommerce, further enhancing their operational capabilities. The program’s 12-week agenda included live workshops, personalized mentorship, and opportunities for peer collaboration, helping the startups build a solid foundation as they prepared to secure investments.
Founded in 2019, D2C Insider continues to drive the growth of India’s D2C sector through this accelerator initiative, which has already supported over 40 brands with essential mentorship and funding opportunities. The platform is set to launch its third cohort in November 2024, opening doors for a fresh set of early-stage D2C brands to benefit from its structured guidance and resources.