Alia Bhatt, Bollywood’s rising star, invested an undisclosed amount in fashion portal StyleCracker. Along with other angel investors, Ali Bhatt picked up a minority stake in the company which provides users with celebrity stylist curated products.
Run by Mumbai based Kanvas Consultancy Pvt., Ltd., StyleCracker was launched in 2013 and offers customers personalized fashion boxes curated by celebrity stylists. The startup acts as a bridge between women shoppers with designers for advice on fashion and styling trends and provides users access to a catalogue of looks. StyleCracker was founded by former investment banker Dhimaan Shah along with the former fashion editor of Vogue, Archana Walavalker.
Speaking about investing in this pre Series A round of funding, Alia Bhatt said, “I am not actively looking for investments, but Archana has been my stylist for many years and when I came to know about StyleCracker, it seemed like a very logical move.” Dhimaan Shah and Archana Walavalker will jointly own 65% stake in the company post this round of investment.
The fresh funds, according to Managing Director Dhimaan Shah, will be used to scale up the business. “We are like style advisors for our customers. We are already seeing 60% to 65% repeat business, and this fund raising will help us to scale up,” he added. The company, which currently caters to only female customers will also launch similar products for male consumers soon.
Speaking about the company Archana Walavalkar, the Creative Director, said, “StyleCracker is a platform that understands the customer, creates their unique profile and then curates a wardrobe that suits any mood or occasion.” The company also recently launched personalized fashion boxes curated by celebrity stylists. Users fill an online form mentioning their preferences and a celebrity stylist will then call them to understand their requirements to curate a box accordingly. Along with fashion boxes, the company also offers workshops on corporate styling, induction and refresher programmes, gifting and soft skills training.
In their first round of funding in 2015, StyleCracker raised $ 1 million from a bunch of high net worth individuals. The company also claims to have shipped over 50,000 boxes across 35 cities in the last four months.
Zepto, the Bengaluru-based quick commerce startup, is preparing for its initial public offering (IPO) by facilitating a secondary share sale worth up to $250 million. This strategic move aims to increase Indian investor ownership from approximately 33% to nearly 50% before the anticipated public listing later this year or early next year.
Funding and Investor Details
The secondary sale will involve private equity firms, including Motilal Oswal Financial Services and Edelweiss Financial Services, allowing existing investors and employees to liquidate their shares. Although Zepto will not raise additional capital through this transaction, it is expected to execute the sale at a valuation of just over $5 billion, consistent with its last funding round in November 2024.
Objectives Behind the Sale
The primary goal of this secondary share sale is to enhance domestic ownership in Zepto, aligning with regulatory preferences and making the IPO more attractive to local institutional investors. Co-founders Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra currently hold about 20% of the company, and increasing Indian shareholder stakes is seen as a way to strengthen governance and influence over the company’s future direction.
Market Context
Zepto operates in India’s competitive grocery delivery market, facing challenges from established players like Amazon India, Swiggy, Zomato, and BigBasket. Founded in 2021 by Palicha and Vohra after they dropped out of Stanford University, Zepto has quickly gained traction in the quick commerce sector.
Conclusion
As Zepto approaches its IPO, this secondary share sale represents a crucial step in solidifying its position in the Indian market. By boosting domestic investor participation, Zepto aims to enhance its credibility and appeal as it prepares for a public listing amidst a wave of Indian startups entering the stock market.
Regional OTT platform STAGE has successfully raised $12.5 million in its Series B funding round, a move that highlights the increasing demand for regional content in India. The round was co-led by Goodwater Capital and Blume Ventures, with participation from Physis Capital and several angel investors.
The funding includes $10 million in primary capital and $2.5 million from secondary share sales, allowing early investors to partially exit. This capital will enable STAGE to enhance its content offerings, particularly in underserved languages like Bhojpuri, while strengthening its technological capabilities.
Since its launch in 2019, STAGE has quickly established itself as a leader in the regional OTT market, reporting an Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) of ₹180 crore (approximately $21.7 million) and over 4.4 million paying subscribers. The platform has achieved over 20 million app installs and experienced significant growth, with a 289% increase in revenue and a 286% rise in subscribers over the past year, driven by original series such as Videshi Bahu, Kaand 2010, and Bhawani.
CEO Vinay Singhal emphasized that this funding is not just financial support but a validation of India’s diverse regional cultures. He noted that dialects like Haryanvi and Bhojpuri should be celebrated rather than viewed as liabilities. With this new funding, STAGE plans to further invest in content creation and technology development to enrich its storytelling experience.
As the demand for regional language content continues to grow, STAGE’s strategic investments position it well to expand into more languages and cultural narratives, solidifying its place in the competitive OTT landscape alongside platforms like aha video and Chaupal.
Sunita Williams, the celebrated Indian-American astronaut, recently returned to Earth after an extended nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Initially scheduled for just eight days, her mission was prolonged due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which rendered it unsafe for their return.
On March 19, 2025, Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore safely splashed down off the Florida coast.
Their homecoming was celebrated in Jhulasan village, Gujarat, where special prayers and rituals were held to honor her safe return. Family members expressed their joy and gratitude, emphasizing her strong ties to her ancestral home.
Upon her return, Williams received accolades from Indian officials, including a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who expressed pride in her achievements and resilience. He highlighted the inspiration she provides to future generations of scientists.
While her return marks a moment of celebration, it also signals the start of new challenges. After spending 286 days in space, Williams will undergo a 45-day rehabilitation period to readjust to life on Earth and regain physical strength.
Sunita Williams’ journey serves as an inspiration not only for India but for aspiring scientists worldwide, showcasing the significant contributions of Indian-origin individuals in global space exploration.