Tag: Supam Maheshwari

  • FirstCry: How It Became a Babycare Giant

    Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations.

    In the 90’s kids could have never imagined the appeal of online shopping. Nor did anyone fathom that e-commerce would transform the concept of purchasing. Taking the online shopping spree one step further, Supam Maheshwari and Amitava Saha started FirstCry in 2010 to provide baby care products to the masses.

    Read more about FirstCry, how it was started, owners and teams, growth, history, business model, challenges faced, funding, and more.

    FirstCry Company Details

    Startup Name FirstCry
    Headquarters Pune, India
    Sector Online Baby Products
    Founders Amitava Saha and Supam Maheshwari
    Founded September 2010
    Parent Organization BrainBees Solutions Pvt Ltd.
    Valuation $2.7 billion
    Website firstcry.com

    About FirstCry
    FirstCry – Founders/Owners and Team
    FirstCry – Startup Story
    FirstCry – Name, Tagline and Logo
    FirstCry – Business Model and Revenue Model
    FirstCry – Shareholding
    FirstCry – Funding and Investors
    FirstCry – Growth and Revenue
    Firstcry – Financials
    FirstCry – Product and Service
    FirstCry – IPO
    FirstCry – Acquisitions
    FirstCry – Startup Challenges
    FirstCry – Competitors
    Firstcry – Future Plans

    About FirstCry

    FirstCry is an online-cum-offline brand providing a wide range of products for babies, kids, and moms. The startup was born out of a desire to solve the problem of millions of parents in India not having access to the best brands and baby care products for their offspring. The product categories at firstcry.com comprise diapering, feeding and nursing, skin and health care, toys, clothes, footwear, fashion accessories, and much more.

    Firstcry.com has a product inventory of more than 90,000 items from around 1,200 international and Indian brands as of 2016. Mattel, Ben10, Pigeon, Funskool, Hotwheels, Nuby, Farlin, Medela, Pampers, Disney, Barbie, Gerber, and Fisher-Price are some of them.

    The company provides the best products and brands at reasonable prices, complemented by a quality online shopping experience, fast and reliable delivery service, and prompt customer care.


    Mamaearth Success Story – Bringing toxin-free & pure baby care products to India!
    When it comes to the cosmetic industry, consumers are always concerned as to
    what goes behind the scenes while making these products and mainly the concern
    is about the ingredients. For the same reasons, nowadays we see a huge buzz
    about organic products or natural hair care and skin care products.


    FirstCry – Founders/Owners and Team

    FirstCry was founded by Supam Maheshwari and Amitava Saha.

    Supam Maheshwari

    Supam Maheshwari, CEO and owner of FirstCry
    Supam Maheshwari, CEO and owner of FirstCry

    The CEO and co-founder of FirstCry, Supam Maheshwari is an IIM Ahmedabad graduate and an engineer from Delhi College of Engineering. He is a first-generation entrepreneur and has also co-founded XpressBees, one of the largest logistics companies in India. Before launching FirstCry, Supam was the co-founder and CEO of Brainvisa Technologies, one of the largest e-learning ventures in India.

    Amitava Saha

    Amitava Saha, COO & Founder of FirstCry
    Amitava Saha, COO & Founder of FirstCry

    Amitava Saha, the COO and co-founder of FirstCry, has a master’s degree from IIM Lucknow and a BTech from IIT Varanasi. Saha also worked with Supam for the launch of XpressBees. Post XpressBees, they collaborated again for another exciting venture—FirstCry. It is India’s finest online platform for baby care products.

    FirstCry – Startup Story/History

    The seeds were sown in 2010 when the options for buying baby care and kids’ products online were extremely limited in India. Supam, the co-founder and owner of FirstCry, would buy things for his son from the countries he visited for business trips. The situation made him realize the huge opportunity for an online platform in the Indian market that would give Indian parents access to the best baby care brands from across the globe. This is how Supam Maheshwari and Amitava Saha started FirstCry.

    Startup Launch

    FirstCry initially followed an inventory-based model wherein the venture was just shipping products across the country from its warehouses in Pune, Delhi, Bangalore, and Kolkata. After a few years, FirstCry started adding retailers to its platform and presented an opportunity for local retailers to sell their products on its website.

    The company also has two private labels called BabyHug, which is into apparel for babies and kids, and CuteWalk, a footwear brand. FirstCry is now one of the largest online shopping platforms for kids and has over 350 franchised brick-and-mortar shops in more than 125 Indian cities, as per a news report from July 2023.


    Mother Sparsh Success Story – Founders | Revenue | Business Model | Competitors
    Today, with all the buzz about eating organic and using organic products, we see
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    The name “FirstCry” was cleverly chosen and greatly added to its marketing strategies. The name signifies the first cry of a baby and the company significantly provides all of the baby essentials and other accessories for kids and babies.

    FirstCry Logo
    FirstCry Logo

    Asia’s favourite baby and kid’s shopping platform”, says the FirstCry tagline.

    FirstCry – Business Model and Revenue Model

    FirstCry works on an integrated hybrid business model that includes online platforms and offline stores. Apart from its massive online presence, the company also has over 1000 stores including over 350 franchise stores across India as of November 2024. FirstCry runs a unique program through which it reaches over 70,000 parents each month by giving out a ‘FirstCry Box’ as per the news report of the year 2022.

    This program gives free gift boxes to new parents across 6,000 hospitals in the country as a token of congratulations on the birth of their child. The box contains necessities like diapers, baby lotion, baby oil, etc. from leading brands such as Mamy Poko and Libero. FirstCry has reached out to millions of parents across India through this initiative to date.


    FirstCry Business Model | How FirstCry Makes Money
    Discover the business model of FirstCry and how it makes money through its e-commerce platform specializing in baby products.


    FirstCry – Shareholding

    Patterns of FirstCry shareholding as of November 2024, retrieved from resource tracxn:

    FirstCry Shareholding Percentage
    Founder 12.2%
    Fund 57.9%
    Enterprise 15.6%
    Angel 0.01%
    Other People 1.1%
    ESOP 13.1%
    FirstCry Shareholding
    FirstCry Shareholding

    FirstCry – Funding and Investors

    FirstCry has raised a total of $793.7 million in funding over 11 rounds.

    Here is a list of all the funding rounds witnessed by FirstCry:

    Date Stage Amount Investor
    Aug 21, 2023 Secondary Market Rs 435 crore
    Mar 30, 2021 Secondary Market $300 million TPG, ChrysCapital and Premji Invest
    Mar 30, 2021 Venture Round $13 million Premji Invest
    Feb 7, 2020 Series E $150 million SoftBank Vision Fund
    Jan 22, 2019 Series E $149.4 million SoftBank Vision Fund
    Oct 17, 2016 Series D $34 million Vertex Ventures
    Feb 6, 2016 Series D $26 million Valiant Capital Partners
    Feb 2, 2015 Series D $36 million Valiant Capital Partners
    Jan 21, 2014 Series C $15 million Vertex Ventures
    Feb 13, 2012 Series B $14 million Chiratae Ventures, IDG Capital

    Flipkart Online Shopping – Latest News, Subsidiaries, Business Model
    Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information
    on different startups and organizations. Don’t you think online buying and selling has become an essential part of our
    lives? Youth and adults rely on the internet to buy stuff at affordable prices
    with amazing return…


    FirstCry – Growth and Revenue

    FirstCry claims to be Asia’s largest online store for baby and kids’ products.

    Let’s look at some of the growth highlights of FirstCry:

    • FirstCry has 2,00,000+ unique products and hosts 5,800+ brands as of 2024.
    • It has around 1000+ offline stores across India as of January 2024.
    • ‘FirstCry parenting’ is India’s largest community of parents. It sees around 15 million active users every month and the overall engagement on the platform stands at 450 Million+ as of 2024.
    • The FirstCry app has more than 10 million downloads on Google Play Store and App Store.
    • Mr. Amitabh Bachchan is the brand ambassador of FirstCry.
    • FirstCry is serving 533 cities as of 2024.

    Firstcry – Financials

    FirstCry has experienced significant revenue growth over the years, especially from FY22 to FY24. However, it continues to operate at a loss, with notable investments in scaling operations and infrastructure.

    Firstcry Financials (FY24 – FY20)

    Particulars FY24 FY23 FY22 FY21 FY20
    Revenue INR 6,575.1 crore INR 5,731.3 crore INR 2,516.9 crore INR 1,740.1 crore INR 896.7 crore
    Expenses INR 6,896.6 crore INR 6,315.7 crore INR 2,568.1 crore INR 1,645.3 crore INR 1,088.2 crore
    Profit/Loss for the year INR -321.5 crore INR -486.1 crore INR -78.7 crore INR -212.4 crore INR -190.9 crore
    FirstCry Financials
    FirstCry Financials

    FY24, the company’s operating revenue significantly increased to INR 6481 crore as opposed to the lower INR 5632.5 crore in FY23. However, total expenses also rose to INR 6897 crore in FY24, which is higher than the previous INR 6315 crore in FY23. Thanks to steady growth and managed expenses FirstCry reduced its losses by 34% in FY24, bringing them down to INR 321 crore from INR 486 crore in FY23.

    BrainBees Solutions, the parent company of FirstCry, reported a 47.4% reduction in quarterly losses to INR 62.8 crore in Q2 FY25, driven by 26.4% growth in revenue, which reached INR 1,936 crore. Since its stock market debut at INR 446, the company’s share price has climbed to INR 519.8, with a market capitalization of INR 26,987 crore.

    FirstCry Revenue:

    FirstCry saw a 15% increase in total revenue in FY24 over FY23, driven by stronger operating revenue. Other income saw a slight decline.

    Revenue Type FY24 FY23
    Revenue from operations INR 6,480.9 crore INR 5,632.5 crore
    Other income INR 94.2 crore INR 98.7 crore
    Total Revenue INR 6,575.1 crore INR 5,731.3 crore

    Operating revenue increased by around INR 848 crore, while other income dropped marginally by INR 4.5 crore.

    FirstCry Expenses:

    Expenses continued to rise in FY24, up by over INR 580 crore compared to FY23, primarily due to increased purchases and other operating expenses.

    Expense Type FY24 FY23
    Cost of materials consumed INR 557.5 crore INR 479.5 crore
    Purchases of stock-in-trade INR 3,889.9 crore INR 3,117.2 crore
    Employee benefit expense INR 686.5 crore INR 769.8 crore
    Other expenses INR 1,560.7 crore INR 1,244.7 crore
    Total Expenses INR 6,896.6 crore INR 6,315.7 crore

    Total expenses increased by INR 580.9 crore YoY, led by higher stock purchases and other operational expenses, despite a dip in employee costs.

    FirstCry Profit/Loss:

    Losses narrowed in FY24 compared to FY23, but the company still reported a significant net loss.

    Metric FY24 FY23
    Gross Profit INR 2,313.5 crore INR 2,035.3 crore
    Operating Profit INR -321.5 crore INR -486.1 crore
    Net Profit/Loss INR -321.5 crore INR -486.1 crore

    Net loss decreased by INR 164.6 crore YoY, indicating some improvements in operational efficiency.

    EBITDA

    FirstCry FY21-FY24 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24
    EBITDA Margin 9.47% 3.89% -3.82% 2.51%
    Expense/Rs of Op Revenue INR 1.03 INR 1.07 INR 1.12 INR 1.06
    ROCE 2.57% -0.25% -8.67% -3.47%

    Comparative Summary (FY24 vs FY23):

    • Revenue Growth: +15% increase (INR 6,575.1 crore vs INR 5,731.3 crore).
    • Expense Growth: +9% rise in total expenses (INR 6,896.6 crore vs INR 6,315.7 crore).
    • Loss Reduction: Loss narrowed by INR 164.6 crore YoY.

    FirstCry – Product and Service

    ARIAS Kids

    Lara Dutta and FirstCry collaborated to introduce ARIAS, launched on August 13, 2023, an eco-fashion clothing and accessory brand whose mission is to create fashionable, comfortable, and high-end products by translating current trends into fashion.

    FirstCry – IPO

    Brainbees Solutions Ltd, which operates FirstCry, had a strong stock market debut on August 13 2024, with shares listing at a 40% premium. The stock started trading at INR 651 on the NSE, compared to the IPO price of INR 465, and closed at INR 675.70, up 3.8%.

    The Rs 4,193.7 crore IPO included a fresh issue of 3.6 crore shares worth INR 1,666 crore and an offer for sale of 5.4 crore shares worth INR 2,527.7 crore. The price range was set between INR 440 and INR 465 per share.

    The IPO was open from August 6 to August 8 and was oversubscribed 12.2 times. Retail investors subscribed 2.3 times, Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs) subscribed 19.3 times, and Non-Institutional Investors (NIIs) subscribed 4.7 times.

    The company also approved the reclassification and sub-division of equity and preference shares. Besides, it has also amended its ESOP plans.

    Mahindra Retail, owned 10.48% of FirstCry, while Mahindra Engineering and Chemical Products, another Mahindra subsidiary, held 3.11% preference shares in the startup in 2021. Being motivated to sell its stakes in FirstCry parent, BrainBees, Mahindra Retail has got the board approval to sell up to 2% of its stakes in BrainBees, via an Offer For Sale (OFS), which will be a part of the sale of its shares during the IPO of the company. Mahindra initially acquired BabyOye and merged it with FirstCry, and it was then that the company picked up a minority stake in BrainBees.


    FirstCry Parent Brainbees to Raise Rs 1816 Crore in IPO
    Brainbees Solutions, the parent company of FirstCry, has submitted its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with plans to raise ₹1,816 crore.


    FirstCry – Acquisitions

    FirstCry has acquired two organizations. The recent acquisition was Oi Playschool on November 28, 2019. FirstCry Oi Playschool is a chain of premium playschools focusing on safety, security, and hygiene.

    In 2016, BrainBees Solution-owned FirstCry acquired Mumbai-based BabyOye for $54 million. BabyOye is an e-commerce portal dealing in pregnancy, infant care, and mother care products in India.

    Acquired Date Amount
    Babyoye October 2016 $54 million
    Oi Playschool November 2019

    FirstCry – Startup Challenges

    • The baby care segment in India is huge and promising. But the challenge lies in the fact that the market is really unorganized.
    • Like any other business, staying relevant for consumers is imperative. Hence, the FirstCry team has to work on its toes to launch innovative and exciting strategies for its consumers.

    FirstCry – Competitors

    The company has a huge market presence. FirstCry and baby care have become synonymous to some extent. Thus, FirstCry does not have direct competition but online portals like Myntra and Amazon may pose some resistance to the company’s online base. FirstCry’s offline stores may face competition from local vendors and shopkeepers.

    Firstcry – Future Plans

    FirstCry plans to grow by opening 350 new stores in India over the next three years, focusing on both FirstCry and BabyHug outlets. Internationally, the company is expanding into Saudi Arabia with plans for 12 stores and a large warehouse. They also aim to invest in improving their online platform and spend more on marketing to boost sales. These steps are part of their goal to become a global leader in baby and kids’ products.

    FAQs

    Who is the Brand Ambassador of FirstCry?

    Amitabh Bachchan is the brand ambassador of FirstCry.

    How much is the operating revenue of FirstCry?

    The total operating revenue of FirstCry has been recorded at INR 6481 crore in FY24.

    Who is FirstCry owner or who started FirstCry?

    Supam Maheshwari and Amitava Saha are Firstcry founders.

    Who are the Top Competitors of FirstCry?

    Kraftly, Snapdeal, BeiBei, Myntra, and Amazon are some prominent competitors of FirstCry.

    Is FirstCry an Indian company?

    FirstCry is an Indian online store for baby products. It was launched in the year 2010.

    Which is FirstCry parent company?

    Brainbees Solutions is the parent company of FirstCry.

    Who owns Firstcry?

    FirstCry is owned by BrainBees Solutions and was founded in 2010 by Supam Maheshwari, Amitava Saha, Sanket Hattimattur, and Prashant Jadhav. Supam Maheshwari is also the CEO. Major investors include SoftBank Vision Fund (largest stakeholder), Mahindra & Mahindra, and Premji Invest.

  • Xpressbees – India’s Leading Logistics Service Provider!

    Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations.

    Receiving and delivering goods is an indispensable part of every industry. Collecting the resources, segregating and allocating the specific deliverer are important measures undertaken to meet the standards of customers. It keeps the stream of the e-commerce industry alive.

    Xpressbees is India’s leading logistics service provider and it has a great network of supply chain management across the country. The company was started in 2015 and now, it has more than 10,001 employees.

    Here are the most recent developments about Xpressbees, including its funding and investors, company and revenue strategy, funding rounds, name and slogan, growth and investors, competitors, and more.

    Xpressbees – Company Highlights

    Startup Name Xpressbees
    Headquarters Pune, Maharashtra, India
    Sector E-Commerce
    Founders Amitava Saha, Supam Maheshwari
    Founded 2015
    Parent Organization Busybees Logistics Solutions Private Limited
    Website xpressbees.com

    Xpressbees – About
    Xpressbees – Industry
    Xpressbees – Founders and Team
    Xpressbees – Vision and Mission
    Xpressbees – Name, Tagline, and Logo
    Xpressbees – Business Model and Revenue Model
    Xpressbees – Funding and Investors
    Xpressbees – Financials
    Xpressbees – Product and Service
    Xpressbees – Acquisitions
    Xpressbees – Competitors
    Xpressbees – Future Plans

    Xpressbees – About

    Xpressbees was started in 2015 by Amitava Saha and Supam Maheshwari. With its exclusive transportation and delivery framework, the company offers a variety of logistics services locally and globally. It names the services as E-commerce Logistics, Express Cargo, Cross-border Logistics, and Fulfillment Services. With modest, cutting-edge technology and Reverse Logistics, Xpressbees fulfills the customers’ needs with timely delivery. Xpressbees is associated with brands like Flipkart, ICICI Bank, TATA Cliq, Schneider Electric, and many others.

    Xpressbees – Industry

    The logistics and courier delivery services industry is an ever-expanding sector across the globe. Statista referred logistics industry as one of the “backbones of international trade worth over 5.7 trillion euros.” The global market size of the logistics industry is over $8.5 trillion.

    The Indian logistics market is not alien to growth either. It was last valued at around $250 billion in 2021, which has the potential to grow by $380 billion by 2025. This growth that the courier and logistics industry expects is because of the emergence of new-age courier and delivery companies and startups that are fuelled by cutting-edge technology.

    Xpressbees and other Courier and Logistics Companies Market Share in India
    Xpressbees and Other Courier and Logistics Companies Market Share in India

    Xpressbees – Founders and Team

    Supam Maheshwari and Amitava Saha are the Founders of Xpressbees.

    Supam Maheshwari

    Supam founded his first venture, FirstCry.com in 2010. He did his BTech in Delhi College of Engineering and he is a graduate of IIM Ahmedabad. Supam was the co-founder and CEO of Brainvisa Technologies from 2000–2009, which he started with Amitava Saha and eventually sold it. Maheshwari is currently known as the Co-founder of Xpressbees.

    Supam Maheshwari, Xpressbees Co-founder
    Supam Maheshwari, Xpressbees Co-founder

    Supam Maheshwari – CEO & Co-Founder of First Cry
    Supam Maheshwari is co-founder & CEO of FirstCry. He also founded Babyhug-owned brand BrainBees & Xpressbees. Know more about Firstcry founder.


    Amitava Saha

    Amitava Saha is also the Co-founder of FirstCry.com along with being the Co-founder and CEO at Xpressbees. He was a BTech student at IIT Varanasi and then obtained a PGDM degree from IIM Lucknow. Before founding Xpressbees with Supam, Amitava has served as a Senior Officer at Tata Steel; a Sr. Business Development Executive at NIIT Technologies, and a Business Development Manager at Aricent. He then started with Brainvisa Technologies, where he served as a Director, and a VP, who was eventually promoted to the position of Senior VP. Amitava Saha then decided to found FirstCry, where he served as the Co-founder and COO, after which he founded Xpressbees. He has more than 17 years of experience in sales and operations.

    Amitava Saha - Co-founder and CEO of Xpressbees
    Amitava Saha – Co-founder and CEO of Xpressbees

    The company currently works with more than 10,001 employees.

    Xpressbees – Vision and Mission

    The vision and mission of Xpressbees are to evolve as the best logistics solutions provider for all import and export services.

    The Xpressbees logo has the words Xpressbees delivering happiness on it. The name ‘Xpressbees’ depicts the rapidity of the company’s distribution and conveyance. ‘Delivering Happiness’ is the Tagline of Xpressbees.

    Xpressbees Logo
    Xpressbees logo

    Xpressbees – Business Model and Revenue Model

    The Xpressbees business model operates on B2B, B2C, Cross Border & 3PL Logistic Service Provider models. Their B2B business model involves providing services to other companies and online markets. B2C E-Commerce model includes selling goods to the end customers. The cross-border strategy is focused on offering customers a straightforward, seamless door-to-door service, regardless of the amount of luggage that needs to be transported. 3PL Logistic business model involves of commitment of outsourcing its distribution services to third-party logistics businesses. The major source of revenue for Xpressbees also lies in the fulfillment services which comprises warehousing and transportation.


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    Xpressbees – Funding and Investors

    The Xpressbees funding rounds have helped the company raise $622.4 million over 11 rounds of funding. The last round that Xpressbees received on November 6, 2023, was worth $80 million , which came from Teacher’s Venture Growth.

    Date Stage Amount Investors
    November 6, 2023 Series G $80 million Teachers’ Venture Growth
    April 28, 2023 Secondary Market $40 million Khazanah Nasoinal
    August 2, 2022 Secondary Market $24 million Avendus Future Leaders
    February 9, 2022 Series F $300 million Blackstone Group, TPG Growth, Chrys Capital
    November 10, 2020 Series E $110 million Gaja Capital, Investcorp, Norwest Venture Partners
    January 3, 2020 Series D $10 million Alibaba Group
    February 20, 2019 Debt Financing $4.45 million InnoVen Capital
    January 30, 2018 Series D $29.30 million Alibaba Group
    January 3, 2018 Corporate Round $100 million Alibaba Group
    February 1, 2017 Venture Round
    February 19, 2016 Seed A $12.4 million
    September 1, 2015 Seed $5 million

    Xpressbees – Financials

    Xpressbees Financials FY24 FY23
    Operating Revenue INR 2831 crore INR 2521 crore
    Total Expenses INR 3143 crore INR 2785 crore
    Profit/Loss INR -200 crore INR -180 crore
    Xpressbees Financial
    Xpressbees Financial

    EBITDA

    With expenses growing faster than revenue, XpressBees’ net loss widened by 11%, rising to INR 200 crore in FY24 from INR 180 crore in FY23. However, the Pune-based firm achieved EBITDA positivity, reporting an EBITDA of INR 5 crore for the same period. The company’s ROCE stood at -8.32%, while its EBITDA margin came in at a modest 0.17%. On a per-unit basis, XpressBees spent INR 1.11 to earn every rupee in revenue during FY24.

    ExpressBees recorded current assets worth INR 1867 crore in FY24 including INR 1331 crore in cash and bank balances.

    Xpressbees FY23-FY24 FY24 FY23
    EBITDA Margin 0.17% -1.73%
    Expense/INR of Op Revenue INR 1.10 INR 1.11
    ROCE -10.79% -8.32%

    LogYcode – Making Logistics Easy and Seamless for the nation!
    Logistics and supply chain management are the most important attributes for
    manufacturing and servicing industries. For any business in the ecosystem, an
    optimized logistical chain is a must. With the vision to create a platform or a
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    Xpressbees – Partnership

    SpiceXpress

    On July 26, 2021, Xpressbees declared that, in an effort to bolster its position in the logistics industry, it had formed an exclusive strategic business partnership with SpiceXpress.

    ONDC

    The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and e-commerce logistics company Xpressbees have partnered up on November 23, 2023, to provide broad delivery services throughout 20,000 pin codes in India.

    Xpressbees – Product and Service

    Same Day, Next Day Deliveries for D2C brands

    On June 21, 2022, Xpressbees introduced same-day delivery (SDD) and next-day delivery (NDD) platforms aimed at traditional brands and direct-to-consumer (D2C) businesses.

    XPRESSATHON

    Declare that in December 2021, Xpressbees will present “Xpressathon,” the first-ever pan-Indian coding innovation contest. Developers, analysts, and the programming community are invited to take part in Xpressathon, a virtual challenge, and create solutions that could potentially address some of the real-time logistic

    Xpressbees – Acquisitions

    Xpressbees, has recently acquired Trackon, a courier-based business that was founded in January 2002. Over 5,000 pin codes have been served, and more than 2 lakh consignments have been handled since it began with two sites in Delhi and Mumbai. It has a presence all across the nation.

    Xpressbees – Competitors

    The major competitors of Xpressbees are:

    Xpressbees withstands its position with an expansive network and matchless logistics services.

    Xpressbees – Future Plans

    Xpressbees’ future plans include expanding their delivery network, leveraging technology for efficiency, and exploring new business avenues like B2B deliveries and omnichannel solutions. They aim to offer a premium service with an emphasis on technology and to continue expanding their presence in smaller cities and towns. Additionally, they are looking to acquire companies like Trackon to further their reach in the SME courier space. 

    FAQs

    Who is the owner of Xpressbees?

    Xpressbees is owned by Busybees Logistics Solutions, which was founded by Amitava Saha and Supam Maheshwari.

    Who are the Xpressbees competitors?

    Some Xpressbees competitors are Ecom Express, Delhivery, FSC, Ekart Logistics and DTDC.

    How does the Xpressbees Revenue model work?

    The major source of revenue for Xpressbees also lies in the fulfillment services which comprises warehousing and transportation.

    Who is the CEO of Xpressbees?

    The CEO of Xpressbees is Amitava Saha.

  • Show-Cause Notices Issued to Firstcry Over Esop Expenditures Totalling INR 80 Crore

    Show-cause notices have been issued to Brainbees Solutions, the parent company of FirstCry, in relation to employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) expenses that were close to INR 80 crore and were incurred during the fiscal years 2018-19 and 2021-22.

    The notices have been sent by the Income Tax Department in accordance with clause (b) of Section 148A of the Income Tax Act.

    Firstcry in Its Defence

    According to the filing that the company made with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the company is determined in its belief that the claim of ESOP expenses that it has made in its tax returns for the assessment years mentioned above is in compliance with the provisions of the Income Tax Act of 1961 and is in accordance with judicial precedents established by a variety of courts as well as the advice of our external tax advisors.

    A comparable employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) expenditure claim was previously allowed by the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) for the assessment year 2015-16, according to the company to which SoftBank provided financial backing. Consequently, the organisation is of the opinion that “no income that is subject to tax has evaded the assessment.”

    As was stated earlier, the corporation is of the opinion that it has a solid case on merit, and at this point, there has been no order of any type having been passed. According to the filings, the corporation will, in due course, provide a response that is suitable to the show cause notices.

    Not the First Time for the FirstCry

    In 2023, it has been reported that the tax department, which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance in India, has sent notices to the creator of FirstCry, Supam Maheshwari, requesting him to explain why he did not pay more than $50 million in taxes on equity transactions that were carried out in privately held FirstCry. The tax department has requested that they not be named because the information is not publicly available.

    In addition, queries concerning the problem have been received by at least six investors in FirstCry, according to the statement. These investors include the private equity firm ChrysCapital Management Co. and the family office of Sunil Bharti Mittal. In order to resolve the investigation, Maheshwari had several meetings with the tax agency.

    The financial year that ended on March 31, 2021 was the first time that FirstCry had generated a profit after years of operating at a loss.

    FirstCry’s IPO

    An initial public offering (IPO) of $500 million was submitted by FirstCry earlier this year. The IPO featured a fresh issue of INR 1,666 crore as well as an offer for sale of 543 lakh equity shares by existing shareholders. FirstCry is a company that offers a wide variety of products meant for infants and toddlers.

    The omnichannel retailer finished the first day of trading on the Indian stock markets with a market value of $4.1 billion, an increase of 44.8% from the previous day’s trade.


    Details of the FirstCry IPO That Opens on August 6
    FirstCry’s parent company, BrainBees Solutions Ltd, has announced that its red herring prospectus (RHP) indicates that the IPO would begin on August 6 and conclude on August 8.


  • The Unicorn Club: Meet the Elite Founders Behind Multiple Billion-Dollar Ventures

    A unicorn is a privately held startup with a valuation of $1 billion or above. This financial milestone raises these companies in the eyes of investors, entrepreneurs, and the general public, as only a few companies achieve such high valuations before going public or being acquired. Unicorns have a remarkable ability to grow rapidly and exponentially. Their growth is not gradual; instead, it follows an aggressive and fast path that allows them to increase their market share quickly. 

    Innovation is at the heart of unicorn enterprises. They are renowned for bringing innovative and game-changing concepts to their specialized fields, frequently utilizing state-of-the-art technology and breaking new ground in business structures.

    There are more than 1,000 unicorn companies in the world. As of January 2024, India has 111 unicorn startups, making it the world’s fastest-growing startup ecosystem. 

    Starting your own business is a difficult road full of obstacles and uncertainties. However, even in this turbulent environment, some exceptional people repeatedly overcome obstacles. In the ever-changing world of business innovation, these trailblazers stand out as the creators of not one but several unicorn enterprises. Their experiences serve as the perfect example of determination, intelligence, and an unmatched ability to spot possibilities amid chaos.

    Bhavish Aggarwal
    Amitava Saha
    Supam Maheshwari
    Naveen Tewari
    Asish Mohapatra
    Ruchi Kalra
    Sandeep Aggarwal
    Vijay Shekhar Sharma

    Bhavish Aggarwal

    Name Bhavish Aggarwal
    Born 28 August 1985
    Education B.Tech (IIT Bombay)
    Position Co-founder and CEO of OLA Cabs, Founder of OLA Electric
    Bhavish Aggarwal
    Bhavish Aggarwal

    Bhavish Aggarwal was born in Ludhiana, Punjab, on August 28, 1985. He is an Indian businessman who founded Ola Electric and co-founded Ola Cabs. Aggarwal, an IIT Mumbai alumnus, started his professional career with Microsoft, where he worked for two years, filed two patent applications, and published three articles in international journals.

    In December 2010, he and a fellow student, Ankit Bhati, created the ridesharing business Ola Cabs, an ANI Technologies division. Ola achieved its first significant milestone in July 2014, reaching 10,000 rides per day. As the CEO of Ola Cabs, he introduced several divisions, including mobile payments and wallet services through OlaMoney and Ola Fleet. 

    In December 2017, Ola Cabs purchased Foodpanda‘s Indian business, thereby breaking into the food delivery market. In April 2022, he resigned as CEO of Ola Cabs to concentrate on Ola Electric. Under ANI Technologies, Bhavish Aggarwal founded Ola Electric on May 26, 2017. He initiated a trial project in Nagpur, Maharashtra, by erecting charging stations throughout the city and acquiring electric vehicles from manufacturers, including electric buses, electric rickshaws, and electric cars.


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    Amitava Saha

    Name Amitava Saha
    Born
    Education PGDM (IIM Lucknow) B.Tech (IIT Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi)
    Position MD & CEO at Xpressbees, Co-founder & COO at FirstCry
    Amitava Saha
    Amitava Saha

    Amitava Saha is the co-founder and chief operating officer of FirstCry and the CEO of Xpressbees. Saha’s groundbreaking projects have continually disrupted sectors and transformed market landscapes. His ability to navigate unfamiliar territory with strategic insight and unshakable persistence has enabled him to establish not one but several unicorn enterprises. After completing his BTech at IIT Varanasi, he graduated with a PGDM from IIM Lucknow. Before launching Xpressbees alongside Supam Maheshwari, Amitava had positions as a Business Development Manager at Aricent, Senior Officer at Tata Steel, and Senior Business Development Executive at NIIT Technologies. 

    Following his decision to start FirstCry, where he held the positions of COO and co-founder, Amitava Saha went on to found Xpressbees. He has more than 17 years of expertise in sales and operations. 

    With an excellent nationwide supply chain management network, Xpressbees is India’s top logistics service provider. FirstCry is an online and offline business that offers a large selection of goods for mothers, infants, and children. The firm originated out of a desire to address the issue of millions of Indian parents lacking access to the top brands and baby care items for their children.

    Supam Maheshwari

    Name Supam Maheshwari
    Born 1974
    Education PGDM (IIM Ahmedabad), Delhi College of Engineering
    Position Co-founder & CEO at FirstCry, Co-founder of Xpressbees
    Supam Maheshwari
    Supam Maheshwari

    Supam Maheshwari is the CEO of FirstCry, a baby care company headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra, India. Maheshwari completed his formal education at Apeejay School. He graduated from Delhi College of Engineering with a Mechanical Engineering degree. He later attended IIM-Ahmedabad to pursue a PGDM. After completing his MBA, he conceptualized and developed Brainvisa Technologies, which he co-founded and oversaw as CEO until 2009. He is a first-generation businessman with an astute business sense.

    Supam Maheshwari was inspired to start FirstCry by his own experiences as a father looking for high-quality baby care goods for his child. He is an excellent leader and is well-known for his leadership abilities. Supam is also a co-founder of the logistics service company Xpressbees.

    Name Naveen Tewari
    Born 14 December 1977
    Education MBA (Harvard Business School)
    Position Founder & CEO at InMobi Group
    Naveen Tewari
    Naveen Tewari

    Naveen Tewari, founder and CEO of InMobi, was born and raised in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, in a family of academics. After working for McKinsey for three years as a consultant, Naveen graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School. While at HBS, he started and led the India Schoolhouse Fund, a nonprofit in the United States that sponsors and establishes schools in rural India. 

    He dabbled in several ventures for a few years, although he could have been more successful. This included the startup and venture capital worlds. Tewari identified a market need as the mobile internet was on its way to revolution. He realized a platform was required to distribute customized advertisements on mobile devices. He launched InMobi in 2008. The ad tech business became the first unicorn in India in just three years. Tewari’s impact goes beyond the business sector. He strongly supports entrepreneurship and innovation, actively mentoring new firms and funding programs that strengthen the Indian IT sector

    Asish Mohapatra

    Name Asish Mohapatra
    Born 1980
    Education PGP-MBA (ISB Hyderabad), IIT (Kharagpur)
    Position CEO of OFB Tech Pvt. Ltd
    Asish Mohapatra
    Asish Mohapatra

    Asish Mohapatra is an Indian entrepreneur who has co-founded two unicorn firms in India. After obtaining his mechanical engineering degree from IIT-Kharagpur and his MBA from the Indian School of Business (ISB), he worked for Matrix Partners, a venture capital fund, for over four years. 

    Before he was able to launch his business, the IIT Kharagpur graduate was turned down a shocking 73 times. After receiving backing from the Japanese multinational conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp., Asish’s business became a unicorn in July 2021. It was valued at approximately $1.5 billion when it concluded a $160 million investment round. 

    In 2016, Asish, his wife, and a few other dedicated members of their team founded Oxyzo, an offshoot of Asish’s previous firm that provides SMEs with purchase finance and became a unicorn a year later, in 2022. The company stated that Oxyzo presently has 2000+ crores in AUM, is servicing more than 3,000 SMEs throughout India, and disburses more than 4,000 crores annually. 

    Asish Mohapatra’s journey demonstrates the value of patience, intelligent thought, and an in-depth comprehension of market needs. His initiatives not only help contribute to the Indian Economy but also motivate new entrepreneurs to pursue their objectives despite all obstacles. 

    Top 10 Indian Profitable Unicorns

    Ruchi Kalra

    Name Ruchi Kalra
    Born 1983
    Education Indian School of Business (Hyderabad), IIT (Delhi)
    Position Co-founder and CFO of OFB Tech Pvt. Ltd, Co-founder of Oxyzo Financial Services Limited
    Ruchi Kalra

    Indian businesswoman Ruchi Kalra is the co-founder of the unicorn companies OfBusiness and Oxyzo Financial Services. Ruchi completed her MBA at the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, after earning her BTech in Chemical Engineering from IIT Delhi, and she began working as a senior business analyst at Evalueserve. 

    She quit her job at McKinsey in 2016 to launch her firm, OfBusiness, in the untested B2B market with her husband and six other partners. In 2017, her spouse and three other team members picked up an offshoot of their first firm. Oxyzo provides purchase finance to small and medium businesses, giving out cash-flow-based loans to aid SMEs who struggle to access working capital by employing technology that crunches data for them. 

    Sandeep Aggarwal

    Name Sandeep Aggarwal
    Born
    Education MBA (Washington University in St. Louis)
    Position Founder of Droom Technologies, Shopclues
    Sandeep Aggarwal
    Sandeep Aggarwal

    Sandeep Aggarwal is an Indian entrepreneur, angel investor, and the current CEO of Droom Technology Pvt Ltd. He was a Wall Street research analyst for fourteen years before starting his entrepreneurial journey. He was the top-ranked research analyst and worked for Collins Stewart, Oppenheimer, and Citigroup. 

    Sandeep established two startups: Shopclues, an online managed marketplace, in 2010, and Droom, an online vehicle marketplace, in 2014. He raised 16 million dollars in just a year. He raised 90 million dollars in multiple rounds in the following three years. Sandeep possesses a US patent, an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, and all the qualities that make an entrepreneur successful: a combination of knowledge, creativity, and willpower. He also launched the Sandeep Aggarwal Foundation, which addresses India’s development concerns. The charity supports and uplifts different sectors of society through partnerships with groups like the Umeed charity and Zoe Mission. 

    Vijay Shekhar Sharma

    Name Vijay Shekhar Sharma
    Born 7 June 1978
    Education B.Tech from Delhi College of Engineering
    Position Founder & CEO of One97 and Paytm
    Vijay Shekhar Sharma
    Vijay Shekhar Sharma

    Vijay Shekhar Sharma was born on June 7, 1978, in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, and completed his B.Tech from Delhi College of Engineering. He is a technology entrepreneur and multimillionaire business magnate. He founded One97 Communications in 2000, providing mobile users with news, jokes, ringtones, cricket scores, and exam results, among other material. One97 Communications Limited is the parent business of Paytm, Sharma’s digital payment and financial services company founded in 2010. Paytm successfully raised $2.5 billion at a $19 billion valuation when it went public in November 2021, making it the largest IPO in India. 

    In 2018, Sharma created a stir in the financial world when he convinced Berkshire Hathaway, owned by Warren Buffett, to invest $300 million in Paytm. Along with the Paytm Payments Bank, he founded the e-commerce company Paytm Mall. His commitment to innovation illustrates how technology can spur economic growth and demonstrates the transformative power of entrepreneurship.


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    India has already seen 111 unicorn startups. Here’s an exhaustive list of all Indian Unicorn Startup Companies, including those that joined the unicorn club in 2024.


    Conclusion 

    In conclusion, this article looks into a handful of visionary founders who have not only transformed industries but also redefined our perception of entrepreneurship. Their ability to create, execute, and scale many billion-dollar companies demonstrates their impressive vision and passion to make the dream a reality.

    FAQs

    What is a unicorn startup?

    A unicorn is a privately held startup with a valuation of $1 billion or above. This financial milestone raises these companies in the eyes of investors, entrepreneurs, and the general public, as only a few companies achieve such high valuations before going public or being acquired.

    Who is Naveen Tewari?

    Naveen Tewari is the founder and CEO of InMobi and has an MBA from Harvard Business School.

    How many unicorn companies are there in the world?

    There are more than 1,000 unicorn companies in the world. As of January 2024, India has 111 unicorn startups, making it the world’s fastest-growing startup ecosystem. 

  • GlobalBees Success Story – How it is Scaling Brands with its Thrasio-Style Model

    Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by GlobalBees.

    The modern industries of the world are transforming each day with the addition of new companies or startups and their disruptive ideas. Though the increasing competition is certainly bringing forth the best products at equally appreciable rates for the customers of now, it is excessively detrimental for the companies, especially startups to hold on to the fast-paced environment and cement their position in their respective spaces. Thus, many startups often lose control and end up being forgotten. Experience is what most of them lack most often and here’s why nowadays we find companies and veterans teaming up to upscale the startups.

    It was Thrasio Holdings, Inc., which had made this idea possible in the US, scaling over 150 brands to date. This Thrasio-style has become really popular indeed ever since Thrasio began to be a huge success. GlobalBees is one such company that believes in the upscaling of other companies in India and is making it possible in India.

    GlobalBees invests in a wide range of companies across domains like e-commerce, consumer technology, marketing and operations, and more, with a special focus on the sellers of the popular eCommerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart to improve their sales and help them grow. The company is a Thrasio venture-style arm of FirstCry is already a unicorn in less than 8 months of operation!

    If you want to know more about GlobalBees, its Business Model, Revenue Model, Funding and Investors, Startup Story, Acquisitions, Challenges, Competitors, and more, then read ahead.

    GlobalBees – Company Highlights

    Startup Name GlobalBees
    Legal name GlobalBees Brands Pvt. Ltd.
    Headquarters New Delhi, India
    Industry E-commerce, Retail
    Founders Deepak Khetan, Nitin Agarwal, and Supam Maheshwari
    Founded 2021
    Website www.globalbees.com

    About GlobalBees
    How GlobalBees Acquires Digital Brands?
    GlobalBees – Industry
    GlobalBees – Name, Logo, and Tagline
    GlobalBees – Founders and Team
    GlobalBees – Mission and Vision Statement
    GlobalBees – Brands
    GlobalBees – Business Model and Revenue Model
    GlobalBees – Funding and Investors
    GlobalBees – Investments
    GlobalBees – Acquisitions
    GlobalBees – Growth
    GlobalBees – Competitors
    GlobalBees – Future Plans

    About GlobalBees

    GlobalBees is a startup that focuses on identifying and scaling amazing products. Since it was founded in 2021, GlobalBees has created a varied portfolio of firms in sectors including beauty, home care, personal care, nutrition and wellness, fashion jewellery, and eyewear.

    Globalbees Brands Private Limited is a Non-Government Company that is listed in the company class. This company is registered with the Registrar of Companies (ROC) in Delhi with a paid-up capital of Rs. 7 lakh and authorized share capital of Rs. 7 lakh.

    The startup purchases up-and-coming companies across niches. It aims to upscale merchants from an array of sectors such as fashion, home and kitchen, electronics, cosmetics, personal care, sports, and others. Globalbees works with entrepreneurs that have developed an internet-based business. The company’s staff grows direct-to-consumer (D2C) enterprises in India and beyond. Companies that have produced goods based on unique customer intelligence are favoured by the company.

    GlobalBees assists businesses with scaling and revenue development once they have been acquired by the company. The New Delhi-based unicorn works with the merchants, especially with those who are on the e-commerce platforms like Flipkart and Amazon, the business uses smart marketing methods and other technologies to help these firms flourish. Not only that, but the corporation also starts the worldwide operations of these brands.

    GlobalBees founder Nitin Agarwal stated in an interview that the company has already cooperated with 12+ digital businesses. These companies are selling their goods and services in domestic and international markets.

    How GlobalBees Acquires Digital Brands?

    GlobalBees works in a step-by-step way to acquire or collaborate with the brands. The GlobalBees team begins by gathering knowledge about the digital brand that it will purchase. The startup does this by looking at the revenue numbers and the items that the brand sells. For long-term success, the firm also learns how to establish a brand relationship with customers.

    Following the completion of the first stage, the GlobalBees team prepares a contractual agreement with the founders, outlining all payout terms and circumstances.

    Next, GlobalBees brings in its expertise and cutting-edge tools and technologies to expand the acquired brands. GlobalBees has a team of professionals who work directly with digital companies to help them flourish.

    By acquiring more than 10 companies and becoming a unicorn in such a short span of time, GlobalBees has caused quite a stir in the Indian startup environment.

    GlobalBees – Industry

    The Thrasio model, pioneered by the US-based Thrasio Holdings has been insanely popular around the world and in India too following the brand’s success, which recently boasted of having a portfolio of over 100 brands and picking up a profit of $100 million on revenue of $500 million. The business model that replicates Thrasio was not quite explored before the Indian startups like Mensa Brands, 10Club, GOAT Brand Labs and GlobalBees started to foray into the same.

    It was Amazon, which alone revealed in 2020 that as many as 4,152 sellers on its Indian marketplace have managed to cross Rs 1 crore in sales, which increased by 29% from the figures revealed in the previous year. This indicates the untapped opportunity in this space. The Indian brands like Upscalio, Evenflow, Powerhouse91, and the ones mentioned above have already started to take the pace and have together raised over $300 million so far.

    GlobalBees – Name, Logo, and Tagline

    GlobalBees assists emerging businesses in scaling and selling to marketplaces and other outlets in India and beyond the South Asian market, hence the name “Global-Bees”.

    Company Logo of GlobalBees
    Company Logo of GlobalBees

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    GlobalBees – Founders and Team

    GlobalBees is founded by Deepak Khetan, Supam Maheshwari, and Nitin Agarwal in 2021.

    Deepak Khetan

    GlobalBees’ Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Head of Corporate Development, Deepak Khetan is an alumnus of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, who also attained the CFA Institute and GARP, USA. Deepak is an experienced financial executive with over 18 years of experience in advising, credit, strategy, and accounting activities, and backed strong academic qualifications.

    He has vast experience in mergers and acquisitions, strategic advising, capital raising, and restructuring transactions, as well as cross-border circumstances. Khetan has previously served as a Manager and Chief Manager at ICICI Bank; Group EVP – Investment Banking at YES Bank; Chief Strategy Officer at Smaaash Entertainment and as the CFO and SVP at Edelweiss Financial Services before co-founding GlobalBees.

    Deepak Khetan, GlobalBees Founder
    Deepak Khetan, GlobalBees Founder

    Supam Maheshwari

    The CEO and Co-founder of FirstCry, Supam Maheshwari is a Co-founder of GlobalBees. A Mechanical engineer from the Delhi College of Engineering and an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, Supam had earlier co-founded Firstcry and Brainvisa Technologies.

    Supam Maheshwari, GlobalBees Founder
    Supam Maheshwari, GlobalBees Founder

    Nitin Agarwal

    GlobalBees’ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is Nitin Agarwal. Nitin Agarwal obtained his Btech degree from IIT Delhi and has worked in a series of companies including Citibank, where he served as an Assistant Manager; Equirus Capital, where he served as the Director; Incred, where he was the Chief Operations Officer; Wecash, where he was the Chief Operating Officer and Edelweiss, where Agarwal served as the President and Group CIO, CTO and Chief Digital Officer. Nitin also co-founded Brainvisa, Bigshoebazaar India Pvt Ltd, and GlobalBees till now in his entrepreneurial career.

    Nitin Agarwal, GlobalBees Founder-CEO
    Nitin Agarwal, GlobalBees Founder-CEO

    GlobalBees has an employee strength of 100+ employees.


    Supam Maheshwari—CEO & Co-Founder | First Cry, Xpressbees
    Along with being the CEO of First Cry, Supam Maheshwari has also established some other ventures like, Brainvisa Technologies, BrainBees and Xpressbees. Read the full article to know more about Supam Maheshwari.


    GlobalBees – Mission and Vision Statement

    GlobalBees’ mission statement says, “Investing in and nurturing brands to provide joyful product experiences to the world.”

    According to the company, its growth drivers are:-

    • Innovation – The demands of customers are always changing. It seeks out novel solutions to meet the demands of customers and improve all parts of the customer experience.
    • Inspiration – The company is inspired by others. The team continually listens to our customers and is ever-changing to meet their needs. This enables them to develop amazing things even under the most difficult of circumstances.
    • Impact – Products can have a beneficial influence on people’s lives. The team collaborates with entrepreneurs to develop goods that serve both customers and society.

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    GlobalBees – Business Model and Revenue Model

    The Thrasio-style business model is a relatively new concept in India, but it has garnered positive feedback from the country’s startup community.

    GlobalBees acquires and works with innovative digital companies working in areas such as grooming, personal care, home care and kitchen, food and nutrition, and sports and leisure. The New Delhi-based startup then assists these businesses in scaling and selling to marketplaces (such as Amazon and Flipkart) as well as other channels in India and beyond. GlobalBees has already purchased or collaborated with nearly a dozen businesses that they are selling both in India and beyond.

    “We have created and engaged with brands in the past and realized that most of these brands reach a scale after which it becomes too difficult to scale them,” Agarwal said. “Supam and I have been talking about this for several years, trying to find ways to disrupt this market. We think there’s an opportunity to create a new house of brands that is digital-native.”

    GlobalBees, according to Agarwal, will try to construct a distribution and enterprise ecosystem in the internet realm in the same way that conventional enterprises have done so in the offline world. GlobalBees plans to invest in roughly 30-35 companies spanning from various D2C categories to fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and more, following the strategy popularised by US-based Thrasio.

    “Not all brands GlobalBees engages with will get acquired on day one”, Agarwal said.

    GlobalBees isn’t the first company in India to use the Thrasio concept. Other well-known firms that have used the Thrasio strategy to acquire digital brands include Powerhouse91, Mensa Brands, 10club, and UpScale.

    GlobalBees – Funding and Investors

    GlobalBees has raised $301.8 million over five rounds of funding.

    Date Round Amount Lead Investors
    Feb 6, 2024 Debt Financing $18M Avendus Capital
    Dec 28, 2021 Debt Financing $30M Trifecta Capital Advisors
    Dec 28, 2021 Series B $110M Premji Invest
    Jul 18, 2021 Series A $75.88M FirstCry
    Jul 18, 2021 Debt Financing $75.88M

    GlobalBees – Investments

    GlobalBees had invested in one company on April 23, 2022, which was its maiden investment worth April 23, 2022, until it invested again in 5 companies, as of June 13, 2022 reports. The FirstCry arm has invested recently in HealthVit and Top Gummy, nutrition brands. Furthermore, it also invested in personal care brands UrbanGabru and Urban Yog, followed by another investment in a lifestyle brand named Kuber Industries. Though the funding rounds and the investment amounts have not yet been confirmed, reports mentioned that the company has invested up to Rs 50 crore in each of the brands.

    Date Name of the Company Funding Round Deal Value Lead Investor
    June 13, 2022 Kuber Industries
    June 13, 2022 Urban Yog
    June 13, 2022 UrbanGabru
    June 13, 2022 Top Gummy
    June 13, 2022 HealthVit
    April 23, 2022 Candes Corporate Round $3.2 mn Yes

    GlobalBees – Acquisitions

    GlobalBees last acquired Reach on February 9, 2022, which is a sports equipment brand. Reach is the 2nd brand in the sports and fitness that the Thrasi-styled brand acquired.

    Among its other investments, GlobalBees had invested in had acquired a controlling share in Healthyhey (a dietary supplement company), Rey Naturals (a hair care product company), and Intellilens (an eyeglass company) in November 2021. It also invested in Yellow Chimes, a prominent fashion jewellery brand, and Absorbia, an innovative home care brand to possess majority stakes in them, which were added to GlobalBees’ portfolio in the same month.

    Prolixr, a local millennial skincare business, &ME, and The Better Home, a women’s health solutions firm are some other brands that have been earlier acquired by GlobalBees, all of which are covered in the “Acquisitions” section below.

    GlobalBees plans to invest in roughly 30-35 companies spanning from various D2C categories to fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and more, following the strategy popularised by US-based Thrasio. The organization is excited about the prospect of purchasing and combining companies, as well as assisting them in scaling and transforming their digital presence. Within this financial year, GlobalBees plans to invest in over 20 brands.

    GlobalBees acquired 11 brands to date. Here’s a list of its acquisitions below:

    Date Acquiree Name About Acquiree Amount
    February 9, 2022 Reach Fitness equipment company from Gurgaon, which rents out equipment and promotes fitness
    Jan 11, 2021 The Butternut Company Healthy snack food brand
    Jan 11, 2021 Mush Premium brand that is aimed to design and develop high-quality bamboo textile products
    Jan 11, 2021 Strauss Premium quality gym and fitness equipment company
    Nov 23, 2021 Rey Naturals Therapeutic Grade essential oils.
    Nov 23, 2021 HealthyHey The company create nutritional and health products for overall fitness and well-being.
    Nov 2, 2021 Yellow Chimes Yellow Chimes is a fashion jewellery brand.
    Nov 2, 2021 Absorbia Absorbia is an innovative product that keeps your belongings damp-free.
    Oct 25, 2021 Prolixr Prolixr embodies the perfect balance of formula savvy and playfulness to inspire a love for skincare.
    Oct 4, 2021 &ME &Me is a lifestyle nutrition brand creating bioactive beverages for women.
    Aug 31, 2021 The Better Home The Better Home is a home care products company, as it builds its portfolio of digital-first brands and helps them scale.

    GlobalBees – Growth

    As the need for online D2C brands grows, GlobalBees is taking up the challenge pretty well. It has been the second Thrasio-style firm to become a unicorn in 2021, following Mensa Brands.

    In just seven months, GlobalBees built a wide portfolio of firms in sectors such as home care, beauty, and personal care, nutrition and wellness, fashion jewellery, and eyewear. Over the next three years, GlobalBees expects to invest in over 100 brands across sectors, including fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), sports, home organization, and leisure.

    GlobalBees boasts of a presence across 600+ cities. The company has hit a monthly revenue of Rs 1 crore in October 2020, within just nine months after launch.

    The firm, which has offices in Delhi and Bangalore, has established assets and skills in marketing, technology, supply chain and logistics, product innovation, and other areas.

    GlobalBees – Competitors

    The market for Thrasio-style startups has grown rapidly and GlobalBees has also picked up numerous competitors like:

    • Mensa Brands
    • 10club
    • Powerhouse91
    • UpScalio
    • Evenflow
    • GOAT Brand Labs

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    GlobalBees – Future Plans

    The funding that the company received will be used to expand the firm’s product range and accelerate the innovation process, customer experience, talent recruiting, and corporate growth, according to the founder of the company.

    Globalbees has grown to over 100 members. In addition, the firm is in advanced conversations with over 20 organizations to expand its digital-first brand portfolio.

    Speaking on the development, Nitin Agarwal, GlobalBees CEO said, “We have a deep purpose to build meaningful products across industries that address unique consumer needs. With this investment, we are well setup to become India’s largest brand platform. We are an august company of exceptional founders who have built great companies online. With this infusion of capital, we can work together to take these companies global.”

    The company aims to reach $1 billion in revenue by 2026 and turn into a profitable startup.

    FAQs

    What does GlobalBees do?

    GlobalBees invests in potential merchants on e-commerce platforms like Flipkart, Amazon, and Myntra, and works with their founders to improve their sales. These businesses can help businesses separate from the crowd of e-tailers by providing marketing skills.

    Who founded GlobalBees?

    GlobalBees is founded by Deepak Khetan, Supam Maheshwari, and Nitin Agarwal.

    When was GlobalBees founded?

    GlobalBees was founded in May 2021.

    Which companies do GlobalBees compete with?

    10.Club, Mensa Brands, GOAT Brand Labs, Upscalio, Recommend.my, Bellhops, Venn, Mensa, Peopletail, and Key Reception are some of GlobalBees’ major rivals.

    GlobalBees is often referred to as a Thrasio venture-style arm of FirstCry, which it is.