D2C Insider is preparing to launch ConsumerX Ventures, a new Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) aimed at backing early-stage direct-to-consumer startups and enablers across India.
According to sources familiar with the development, the community-led investment platform is targeting a corpus of Rs 150 crore for the fund. ConsumerX Ventures plans to invest in nearly 25 startups operating in the D2C ecosystem at the pre-seed and seed stages.
The firm is reportedly already in advanced discussions with a large consumer-focused group to join as an anchor investor for the fund.
ConsumerX Ventures intends to acquire approximately 10–15% ownership in the startups it backs. Around 40% of the total corpus has also been reserved for follow-on investments in high-performing portfolio companies as they scale.
The fund recently received approval from Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for its Category II AIF structure and is expected to begin investor roadshows soon to attract participation from institutional and individual investors.
The venture fund plans to invest average cheque sizes ranging between Rs 3 crore and Rs 5 crore. Its goal is to support startups in reaching Rs 100 crore in revenue, moving toward profitability, and becoming ready for larger Series A funding rounds within an estimated 18-month period.
Abhishek Shah will serve as the Managing Partner of ConsumerX Ventures, while Chhavi Bhardwaj Kargaonkar, who currently manages the D2C Insider Super Angels Fund, will join as Partner.
D2C Insider is already actively deploying capital through its Category I AIF called the Super Angels Fund, which has a corpus of Rs 25 crore backed by more than 70 operator limited partners (LPs).
The community has already invested in several D2C startups including Basil, Pikndel, Samosa Party, Crest, Assembly, Futwork, The Solved Skin, BusinessOnBot, Snackible, Divine Hindu, Goat Life, Steam Pro, Dobra, Gubbachhi, Zoomies, and Filli & Me.
The launch of ConsumerX Ventures reflects growing investor confidence in India’s booming D2C ecosystem, where startups are increasingly attracting capital across categories including food, beauty, wellness, fashion, consumer technology, and digital commerce
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