D2C Insider invests in The Paan Legacy, Hemptyful, and Polr.Care

D2C Insider, a networking community for India’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) sector, has made investments of up to Rs 1 crore each in three early-stage startups: The Paan Legacy, Hemptyful, and Polr.Care.

These investments were part of the Elevate Cohort 2 Demo Day, an initiative within D2C Insider’s Early Stage Growth Cohort program aimed at supporting emerging D2C brands.

The selected startups, which specialize in innovative consumer goods, were part of a 12-week accelerator program designed to help them refine their business strategies and scale their operations.

The program, backed by industry veterans such as Aneesh Seth, Vedang Patel, and Kunal Bahl, provided the startups with mentorship, business insights, and opportunities to pitch to a jury of investors. The jury included prominent figures such as CarDekho founder Amit Jain and representatives from DSG Consumer Partners, Mumbai Angels, and Indian Angel Network.

The accelerator program also provided participants with over Rs 25 lakh in credits from leading enablers such as WebEngage, Shiprocket, and Unicommerce. The 12-week curriculum included live sessions, one-on-one mentorship, and peer networking opportunities, offering critical support to the startups as they prepared to pitch for investment.

D2C Insider, founded in 2019, is committed to growing India’s D2C ecosystem. Through its accelerator program, the platform has supported over 40 brands, providing them with mentorship and funding opportunities. The third cohort of the program is expected to launch in November 2024, welcoming a new batch of early-stage D2C brands.