/startuppedia/media/member_avatars/2025/12/22/2025-12-22t105330349z-gemini_generated_image_4o9lr94o9lr94o9l-2025-12-22-16-23-30.png )
/startuppedia/media/media_files/2026/01/04/website-2026-01-04-18-19-37.png)
Discover 5 top angel investors driving India's D2C growth through strategic early-stage funding
India’s Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) and consumer brands sector is experiencing rapid transformation. They are emerging as one of the most dynamic parts of the country’s retail landscape.
According to a report published by Indian Brand Equity Foundation, the Indian D2C market is projected to grow to around $163 billion by 2026, expanding at an annual growth rate of around 27 percent, supported by rising digital adoption and retail transformation.
Trends like AI-driven personalization, unified inventory approaches, and quick commerce integration are influencing the sector’s competitive dynamics.
Angel investors have played a pivotal role in nurturing early-stage D2C and consumer brands, providing not only capital but strategic guidance and mentorship that help founders scale and innovate.
Why Angel Investors Matter in D2C and Consumer Brands?
An angel investor is a rich individual who offers capital in the form of money to early-stage startups in exchange for ownership, equity, or convertible debt. Their funding matters most when traditional investors are hesitant.
Along with funding, they invest their time by providing valuable mentorship, industry expertise, and business connections to help the startup grow, as their operational insights, market understanding, and mentorship often shape a brand’s foundation and long-term success.
As India’s consumer market continues to evolve, these investors are enabling the next generation of brands to scale sustainably, innovate faster, and build lasting consumer trust.
According to the Press Information Bureau, Government of India, there has been consistent growth in the angel fund industry over the past 5 years, with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 61% in investments.
5 Angel Investors in Indian D2C and Consumer Brands
Here are the 5 angel investors in Indian D2C and consumer brands that are empowering the early-stage startup ecosystem.
Anand Chandrasekaran
Anand Chandrasekaran is a top angel investor with over 80 investments in Indian startups, particularly in consumer tech, SaaS, fintech, and D2C brands like BabyChakra and Koparo Clean.
His portfolio includes high-value holdings such as Jupiter ($5.3M), Fold Health ($6M), SaaS Labs ($42M), LocoNav ($37M), Khatabook ($25M), and Koparo Clean (₹57M), spanning AI/ML, wellness, parenting, and enterprise tech.
He is a charter member of TiE silicon valley. With deep experience in scaling early-stage companies, he brings strong strategic insight, product understanding, and growth expertise to the startups he backs.
His active involvement and operational guidance have helped several young brands build sustainable business models and accelerate their market presence.
Dhianu Das
Dhianu Das is a seasoned angel investor and entrepreneur based in Gurugram, known for backing early-stage startups across consumer, retail, AI, agritech, and other sectors.
His investment portfolio includes Power Gummies, ClearDekho, AutoBrix, and Brainwired, supporting businesses that focus on innovation, accessibility, and scalable solutions.
With a strong background in business strategy, operations, and capacity building, Dhianu has supported companies spanning diverse categories such as automated cleaning systems, consumer goods, and technology-led solutions.
His approach emphasizes both financial backing and hands-on involvement, enabling startups to develop sustainable business models and achieve operational milestones.
Beyond angel investing, he has co-founded and led ventures including Alfa Ventures, through which he continues to empower entrepreneurs with funding, mentorship, and growth opportunities.
Sanjay Mehta
Sanjay Mehta is a prominent venture investor and the Founder and Partner at 100X.VC, India’s first fund to invest in early-stage startups using iSAFE (India SAFE Notes).
Through 100X.VC, he has backed over 80 innovative startups since 2019, with a vision to support 100 startups annually.
He also runs Mehta Ventures, a privately owned family office that provides curated investment opportunities across startups, estates, and crypto for global HNI families. With investments in 130+ startups across India and the US, Sanjay Mehta is recognized as a leading technology evangelist and serial entrepreneur.
His portfolio includes notable names such as OYO, Wow! Momo, Box8, LogiNext, PrettySecrets, Unbxd, Coolberg, InstaSafe, and TagBox.
He has been featured as a Super Angel Investor, listed among Forbes India’s Top Investors, and named Investor of the Year 2017 by LetsVenture. He also led the startup reality web series PitchRight, further strengthening his influence in India’s startup ecosystem.
Ramakant Sharma
Ramakant Sharma is a seasoned angel investor and tech leader based in Bengaluru, best known as the Co-Founder and COO of Livspace, a leading home interior and renovation platform.
Before Livspace, he was a core team member and Vice President of Engineering at Myntra, bringing strong product and operational experience from India’s e-commerce boom.
As an active investor, Ramakant has backed over 80 startups across sectors such as AI, AdTech, Agritech, and consumer tech, with notable investments in companies like Airmeet, Ati Motors, and Atomberg. His investment focus spans early-stage innovation and deep tech, where he supports founders with strategic guidance as well as capital.
With a background from IIT Kanpur and Indian School of Business, he combines technical depth with entrepreneurial insight, making him a significant contributor to India’s startup ecosystem.
Aviral Bhatnagar
Aviral Bhatnagar is the founder of AJVC (A Junior VC), a SEBI-regulated pre-seed venture capital firm focused on backing early-stage Indian startups.
Initially launched as a community and content platform in 2018, AJVC evolved into a formal fund that has raised over Rs. 200 crore in its maiden fund to support promising founders across sectors including consumer tech, AI, SaaS, and consumer brands.
So far, the fund has invested in 25 startups and reviewed applications from over 11,000 founder teams, underscoring its active role in nurturing early-stage innovation.
AJVC aims to provide fast, founder-friendly capital, around Rs. 1.5 crore per deal, and support the growth of ventures from diverse regions and verticals, including consumer brands and technology-driven products, making Bhatnagar a notable figure in India’s startup investment landscape.
As India’s D2C and consumer brand ecosystem continues to evolve, angel investors are playing a defining role in shaping its future. Beyond capital, they bring strategic insight, operational experience, and long-term vision that help early-stage founders navigate challenges and scale sustainably.