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Tag: Dunzo Investment Written Off Reliance Retail

  • Reliance Retail Writes Off INR 1,645 Cr Dunzo Investment Amid Startup Collapse

    All of Reliance Retail’s investments in the now-defunct hyperlocal delivery business Dunzo have been formally wiped off. The conglomerate’s 78,923 equity shares of Dunzo, which were internally valued at INR 1,645 Cr in FY24, were worth nothing during the fiscal year under review, according to Reliance Industries Ltd.’s (RIL) FY25 annual report.

    According to the report, the now-defunct business generated INR 1 Cr in operating revenue in FY25. This comes more than seven months after Reliance Retail, the biggest shareholder in the hyperlocal firm, wrote off its $200 million investment in it, according to various media reports.

    Kabeer Biswas, the CEO and cofounder of Dunzo, left his position that same month to join Flipkart’s Minutes, a fast commerce startup.

    Why Did Reliance Back Dunzo in 2022?

    Three years have passed since Reliance led a $240 million round in Dunzo in January 2022, when the write-off occurred. The venture was marketed at the time as Reliance Retail’s attempt to get into the fast commerce race.

    The agreement was also intended to improve the conglomerate’s omnichannel capabilities and allow hyperlocal logistics for Reliance Retail’s stores. In addition, Dunzo was supposed to assist JioMart’s merchant network with last-mile deliveries.

    At the time of Dunzo’s closure of business operations, 26% of the company was held by Reliance Retail. Lightbox owned 10% of the startup, while Google India owned 19.3%. In 2014, Biswas, Ankur Aggarwal, Dalvir Suri, and Mukund Jha founded Dunzo, a platform that first catered to pick-and-drop services before branching out to grocery delivery.

    Dunzo’s Financial Struggles and Competitive Pressures

    Even though Dunzo has raised around $450 million in its career and accomplished several firsts, its tale took a sharp turn last year when it became apparent that the firm was losing millions of dollars due to very strong competition from players like Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto.

    In FY23, Dunzo’s overall revenue increased 3X YoY to INR 67.7 Cr, but its consolidated net loss expanded 4X YoY to INR 1,801 Cr. The startup made several unsuccessful pivots as funding dried up. After that, it struggled to continue operating and even had trouble finding a buyer. The startup eventually ceased operations.

    Reliance Bets on AI for Future Growth with JioBrain

    RIL also predicted in the annual report that AI would spur multi-decade growth in small steps. The company reaffirmed that it is creating an AI service platform under the JioBrain brand to provide a range of tools and platforms for businesses as part of its AI drive.

    According to the firm, Jio will work with its international partners and use its knowledge of operations, software, data, networking, and infrastructure to allow the lowest AI inferencing cost in the world in India, enabling AI to be accessible everywhere for everyone.

    Key Figures from RIL’s FY25 Annual Report

    RIL further stated that its telecom subsidiary Reliance Jio is currently testing the AI platform for customer support, resource optimisation, and network planning and maintenance. According to the company, Jio Platforms, its digital arm, has filed more than 3,341 patents so far, including 1,654 in FY25, in the deeptech space.

  • $200 Million Dunzo Investment Is Written Off by Reliance Retail

    According to many news sources, Reliance Retail, the biggest shareholder in the struggling hyperlocal firm Dunzo, has wiped off its $200 million investment in the business. Following the company’s liquidity crunch and withdrawal from rapid commerce during the last 24 months, Reliance is also not engaged in any discussions to invest in Dunzo or buy it in a distressed sale. Kabeer Biswas, the CEO and cofounder of Dunzo, is currently spearheading negotiations with family offices and wealthy individuals for an acquisition deal that would value the business at INR 300 Cr ($25–$30 million).

    Biswas has received assurances from Reliance that they will help him save Dunzo. However, they have no interest in purchasing Dunzo. Two to three years prior, Biswas had rejected their buyout bid, which sought to acquire the hyperlocal business at a valuation close to unicorn. However, according to a media report, Reliance had no interest in Dunzo at all as speedy commerce companies entered the market and Dunzo’s failure to expand beyond a few locations.

    Reliance Executives and Other Investors Stepping Down

    In 2023, key executives Ashwin Khagiwala and Rajendra Kamath of Reliance Retail, as well as representatives from Lightrock and Lightbox, among other investors, resigned from Dunzo‘s board. The rumoured $30 million price tag for the company’s acquisition would represent a huge decrease from the $770 million Dunzo demanded in its most recent investment round, when Reliance provided the funding. According to reports, Biswas has also discussed a buyout with Flipkart, Swiggy, Tata Group, and Zomato but has not been successful. According to sources, Dunzo has closed in other cities but is still active in some areas of Bengaluru. At the moment, the business continues to operate according to its previous strategy of linking internet customers with nearby merchants.

    According to reports earlier this week, Biswas has informed investors of his intention to leave the company. The CEO plans to leave after completing any possible acquisition agreement. Reliance Retail contributed $200 million to Dunzo’s $240 million fundraising round in January 2022. Reliance Retail made its biggest investment in the Indian startup scene with this venture. The acquisition of edtech firm Embibe for INR 1,340 Cr, Clovia for INR 950 Cr, and NetMeds for INR 620 Cr are some of Reliance Industries’ other noteworthy investments. It was considered a sort of strategic investment at the time. Reliance and Dunzo planned to collaborate, with the former facilitating hyperlocal logistics for JioMart and Reliance’s network of retail locations.

    The Reason for the Downfall

    By 2022, the quick commerce game had altered, even if Dunzo had made it through the busy cycle and hyperlocal boom of 2015. Dunzo’s model was feeling dated, and the quick commerce sector started sprawling its nexus. In an attempt to compete with Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto, the business started Dunzo Daily, but it was unable to grow outside of Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi. Although it is evident in retrospect that the $240 million investment was insufficient to capitalise on the swift business opportunity, Zepto’s explosive growth brought a third competitor to the market, joining Zomato’s Blinkit and Swiggy-owned Instamart. Just like Zepto, Dunzo was unable to take advantage of this chance. Reliance Retail wants to investigate the rapid commerce possibilities with JioMart in light of Dunzo’s issues. Additionally, Dunzo’s financial condition has deteriorated over the last two years, resulting in significant budget cuts, a long list of unpaid invoices to suppliers, and the departure of founders and important executives. 

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