Jasprit Bumrah invests in luggage brand Uppercase

Direct-to-consumer luggage brand uppercase has raised an undisclosed amount from Indian cricketer Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah has been the brand ambassador for the company since its inception.

The Mumbai based company had recently secured $9 million in a Series A funding round led by Accel Partners.

The company will co-create a new product line with Bumrah which will include luggage, backpacks and gym bags designed largely for sportspersons. A portion of the profits from these products will be shared with Bumrah, Uppercase said in a press release.

“It’s the way Uppercase has built something meaningful in a space that’s very cluttered. Their focus on sustainable materials, functionality, and design, and the fact that they’re doing it all out of India — was really impressive. Whether it’s long tours or short trips, I know the small things that make a big difference in a bag. I want the design to be clean, functional, and genuinely useful —especially for people who travel often, like athletes or professionals,” said Jasprit Bumrah.

Just three days back, Drive FITT,  a membership based sports club, designed around cricket, fitness and recovery with cutting edge technology, has raised an undisclosed amount from Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell. 

Owned and operated by Acefour Accessories, Uppercase saw its revenue from operations soar to Rs 62.2 crore in FY24, up from Rs 10.7 crore in FY23.

Uppercase faces competition from several direct-to-consumer (D2C) luggage brands, many of which have also raised significant capital over the past year. Mokobara raised $12 million in a Series B funding round led by Peak XV. Assembly secured $2 million in funding, led by Prath Capital, while Nasher Miles raised $4 million in a bridge round. EUME also managed to secure funds in a seed round.

An increasing number of cricketers — including Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Yuvraj Singh, and Ajinkya Rahane — have been actively exploring the startup ecosystem in recent years, either by making equity investments or launching their own entrepreneurial ventures.