Exclusive: Deepak Ravindran’s KiranaPro set to raise seed round

Deepak Ravindran has returned as an entrepreneur with the launch of KiranaPro, a platform that enables local kirana stores to offer ultra-fast deliveries. The startup is also nearing the close of its seed funding round, according to two sources familiar with the deal who spoke to Entrackr.

"Unpopular VC will lead the round, with participation from Blume Founders Fund, Snow Leopard, and a few angels," said one of the sources, requesting anonymity due to the private nature of the discussions.

Entrackr couldn’t ascertain the size of the seed round.

Ravindran's new venture aims to empower local kirana stores to compete with the rising impact of quick-commerce companies like BlinkIt, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart. According to sources, Yatish Talvadia (MilkBasket) and Vikas Taneja (Boston Consulting Group) will also participate in KiranaPro’s maiden funding round.

Powered by ONDC, KiranaPro enables neighborhood kirana store owners to deliver products within 15-20 minutes of order, said sources.

Queries sent to Ravindran, Unpopular VC, Blume Ventures, Snow Leopard and Talvadia on Monday evening did not receive a response.

In 2014, Ravindran launched Lookup, a platform designed to connect businesses and customers through a chatbot. At the time, commercial chatbots were highly popular among investors, and Lookup attracted over $3 million in funding from investors, including Khosla Impact and Catamaran Ventures. A year later, the company was acquired by NowFloats, which was subsequently acquired by Reliance.

The All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF), representing FMCG distributors, claims around 2 lakh Kirana stores have shut down over the past year due to the spread of quick commerce and an economic slowdown. The industry body states that quick commerce platforms use discounting and pricing strategies that reduce the customer base and earnings of Kirana stores, leading to closures.

While numerous past attempts have aimed to empower local kirana store owners, almost all failed to create any visible impact. Over the past decade, platforms like Zepo, BuildaBazaar, NowFloats, Dukaan, and Bikayi did not manage to achieve sustainable scale or models. It will be interesting to see how KiranaPro fares while challenging hyper-capitalized firms such as BlinkIt, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto.