Bengaluru: Direct-to-consumer (D2C) lifestyle brand, Zou on Wednesday said it has raised $1.5 million (or ₹11.75 crore) as part of its pre-series A round led by Stellaris Venture Partners.
The round also saw participation by founders of Wow Skin Science, and existing investors Titan Capital.
According to the company, the fund infusion will help Zouk expand its presence in India and new global markets, strengthening its supply chain and distribution channels and extending its product line.
Earlier this year, Zouk raised its seed capital from Titan Capital, founders of Beardo and Mamaearth.
“In Stellaris, we have found the right partner, who can guide us to become an iconic brand in the coming years. We are excited that Rahul Chowdhri, Partner at Stellaris, will join our board. His vast experience of guiding multiple companies from their early stages to massive size and lucrative exits will be a big plus for us. Our first milestone is to scale Zouk to a ₹100 crore brand in the next couple of years,” said Disha Singh, co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Zouk.
Zouk’s product portfolio includes laptop bags, tote handbags, slings and chain wallets made from vegan leather, which is sourced and manufactured in India.
The brand currently has over 50,000 customers and plans to grow to double this base in the next six months.
Zouk plans to now take its products to international products of US, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East while extending its range of products.
“The Indian D2C market is at its prime today; consumers have undergone a mindset shift in choosing to go online for their shopping needs and covid-19 has further accelerated this behavior. There’s never been a better time to build new-age consumer brands in and from India. E-commerce marketplaces and social media platforms provide a level-playing field for challenger brands like Zouk to compete with incumbent brands, and carve their own niche”, said Rahul Chowdhri, partner, Stellaris Venture Partners,
In the past, Stellaris has backed startups including Mamaearth, Whatfix, mFine, Vogo and Shop101.
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