Meet The 14 D2C Brands From The Inaugural D2CX Runway Cohort
Inc42 and Rukam Capital have unveiled the cohort of 14 D2C brands selected for the first edition of the D2CX Runway accelerator programme. The seven-week accelerator brought together D2C brands across sectors including fashion, food and beverages, babycare, jewellery and …
Intelligence analysis by Llama
The inaugural cohort of the D2CX Runway accelerator programme brings together 14 consumer startups operating across sectors including fashion, food and beverages, babycare, jewellery and automotive. The programme is designed to help emerging consumer brands navigate the next phase of growth.
Imagine you have a lemonade stand, but instead of just selling lemonade, you want to sell lots of different things like toys, clothes, and snacks. That's what these 14 companies are trying to do, but instead of a lemonade stand, they're selling things online. They're trying to figure out how to make their businesses grow and be successful.
Analysis
India's D2C ecosystem is entering its next phase of evolution. While new brands continue to emerge with digital-first strategies, more established players are increasingly betting on omnichannel distribution to unlock their next leg of growth. Today, building a consumer brand is no longer just about selling through a website or marketplaces. From quick commerce and ecommerce platforms to owned channels and offline retail, D2C brands are increasingly adopting a multi-channel approach to reach customers wherever they shop. As this transition gathers pace, India's D2C market is projected to grow to $310 Bn by 2031. However, scaling a consumer brand in an increasingly competitive market requires more than capital. Founders are required to navigate challenges that could range from brand building and customer acquisition to distribution, unit economics and offline expansion. To support emerging brands as they scale, Inc42 and Rukam Capital launched D2CX Runway, a seven-week accelerator programme designed to help emerging consumer brands navigate the next phase of growth. The inaugural cohort brings together 14 consumer startups operating across sectors including fashion, food and beverages, babycare, jewellery and automotive. Mentored by industry leaders such as Vedang Patel, cofounder, The Souled Store, Srishti Tanwani, cofounder and CEO, Indo Era, Arush Chopra, cofounder, Just Herbs, Saurabh Sharma, cofounder and partner, Legacy Growth Partners, Akash Agrawalla, cofounder, ZOFF Foods, Aneesh Rayancha, cofounder, Phot.Ai, Anup Jain, founding partner, BlueGreen Ventures, and Archana Jahagirdar, founder and managing partner, Rukam Capital, the founders underwent a seven-week journey comprising a virtual bootcamp. The programme culminated in a week-long, in-person bootcamp in Delhi where they refined their brand strategy, growth playbooks, fundraising readiness and go-to-market approach, under the guidance of Sanil Sachar, Founding Partner, Huddle Ventures, Krishna Gupta, cofounder, BeyondAds, Vanshikaa Oberoi, founder, The Fingerprint Labs, Umang Maheshwari, Ex-Head of Consulting and Research, Schbang, Harshit Vij, Founder and CEO, FREECULTR, and Alok Paul, COO, Littlebox. The journey concluded with Demo Day on August 7, 2026, at The Piano Man, Eldeco Centre, New Delhi, where the startups pitched their businesses to leading investors, including Anirudh Garg, partner, BEENEXT, Mohit Dhawan, president, investment office, Hero Enterprise, Yash Dholakia, partner, Sauce.vc, Sanil Sachar, founding partner, Huddle Ventures, & Archana Jahagirdar, founder & managing partner, Rukam Capital, while also engaging with founders, operators and ecosystem leaders from India's consumer ecosystem. Here's a look at the D2C brands from the inaugural cohort of the D2CX Runway. Note: This is not a ranking. The startups are listed alphabetically.
Key points
- The D2CX Runway accelerator programme brings together 14 consumer startups operating across sectors including fashion, food and beverages, babycare, jewellery and automotive.
- The programme is designed to help emerging consumer brands navigate the next phase of growth.
- The inaugural cohort features a mix of bootstrapped and venture-backed startups, with several brands already generating multi-crore annual revenue.
- The programme culminated in a week-long, in-person bootcamp in Delhi where the founders refined their brand strategy, growth playbooks, fundraising readiness and go-to-market approach.
The D2CX Runway accelerator programme has the potential to support the growth of India's D2C market, which is projected to reach $310 Bn by 2031. The programme's focus on providing mentorship and practical growth frameworks to emerging consumer brands could help them navigate the challenges of scaling in an increasingly competitive market.
However, the D2CX Runway accelerator programme may face challenges in terms of providing adequate support to the 14 consumer startups in its inaugural cohort. The programme's focus on providing mentorship and practical growth frameworks may not be enough to help these startups navigate the complex challenges of scaling in an increasingly competitive market.
