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Inc42s D2CX Launches 8th Cohort of 50 D2C Brands Amid Rapid Growth of Indias Direct-to-Consumer Market
Inc42, a media and research firm focused on India’s startup ecosystem, has announced the launch of its eighth cohort for D2CX, the company’s 12‑week accelerator for direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) brands. The new cohort adds 50 early‑stage brands spanning fashion, jewellery, beauty, food & beverage, home décor and health & wellness.
The announcement comes as India’s D2C market is projected to expand from $65 billion in 2026 to $310 billion by 2031, a compound annual growth rate of 37%. The growth is expected to account for 86% of the additional $285 billion in e‑commerce gross merchandise value (GMV) that the country is forecast to generate by 2031. Inc42’s D2CX has already worked with more than 400 founders across eight cohorts, helping them move from early traction to the next growth milestone.
D2CX is structured around operator‑led mentorship, tactical growth playbooks, peer learning and focused work on channel mix, unit economics and repeat‑led scaling. The program is designed to address the challenges that have emerged in the “D2C 3.0” era, where consumers expect fast deliveries through quick commerce, multi‑channel presence and efficient customer acquisition. Rising customer acquisition costs, shrinking margins and operational hurdles have made it difficult for many brands to sustain profitability.
The new cohort is diverse in product categories and business models. For example, AANURA is a jewellery label that offers over 50 SKUs and reports a monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹3 lakh, with sales split between its own website, marketplaces and a small offline presence. Avarta, another jewellery brand, focuses on after‑sales support and has an MRR of ₹5 lakh, with the majority of sales coming from its website.
In the food and beverage space, Get Daily, a Jaipur‑based functional food label, has just launched and is targeting the $23.38 billion market projected for 2034. In home décor, Coral Slub sells cushion covers and bed linens, achieving an MRR of ₹1.3 lakh through its website.
Beauty and personal care are represented by brands such as Dopamine Perfumes & Fragrances, which operates in the mid‑premium segment and reports an MRR of ₹9 lakh, with marketplaces contributing 60% of sales. Sensoprox, an oral care brand, has an MRR of ₹50 lakh, with 90% of sales coming from offline retail.
The cohort also includes lifestyle and apparel brands such as Benki Store, a regional lifestyle label that has rebuilt its focus on D2C and content‑led growth, and Kayjay, a size‑inclusive luxury apparel brand that relies heavily on offline retail.
Investment activity in the D2C sector has been robust. Since 2015, Indian D2C startups have raised more than $10 billion across 1,400 funding deals, with food & beverage and beauty & personal care attracting the most interest.
Inc42’s D2CX program continues to provide a structured framework for founders to refine their go‑to‑market strategies, improve unit economics and build repeat‑purchase ecosystems. The accelerator’s 12‑week curriculum includes sessions on channel mix, quick commerce readiness, performance marketing and operational efficiency.
As the eighth cohort settles into its sessions, mentors and peers will collaborate to help brands navigate the evolving D2C landscape. The program’s track record of supporting 400 founders suggests that the new cohort has a strong foundation for scaling.
In summary, Inc42’s D2CX has added 50 new D2C brands to its portfolio, reinforcing the accelerator’s role in a market that is expected to grow at a 37% CAGR. The cohort’s brands span a wide range of categories, each facing the same core challenges of customer acquisition, margin pressure and multi‑channel execution. The next phase for these brands will involve scaling performance marketing, expanding quick‑commerce capabilities and tightening operational processes to meet the demands of India’s rapidly expanding D2C ecosystem.
The announcement comes as India’s D2C market is projected to expand from $65 billion in 2026 to $310 billion by 2031, a compound annual growth rate of 37%. The growth is expected to account for 86% of the additional $285 billion in e‑commerce gross merchandise value (GMV) that the country is forecast to generate by 2031. Inc42’s D2CX has already worked with more than 400 founders across eight cohorts, helping them move from early traction to the next growth milestone.
D2CX is structured around operator‑led mentorship, tactical growth playbooks, peer learning and focused work on channel mix, unit economics and repeat‑led scaling. The program is designed to address the challenges that have emerged in the “D2C 3.0” era, where consumers expect fast deliveries through quick commerce, multi‑channel presence and efficient customer acquisition. Rising customer acquisition costs, shrinking margins and operational hurdles have made it difficult for many brands to sustain profitability.
The new cohort is diverse in product categories and business models. For example, AANURA is a jewellery label that offers over 50 SKUs and reports a monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹3 lakh, with sales split between its own website, marketplaces and a small offline presence. Avarta, another jewellery brand, focuses on after‑sales support and has an MRR of ₹5 lakh, with the majority of sales coming from its website.
In the food and beverage space, Get Daily, a Jaipur‑based functional food label, has just launched and is targeting the $23.38 billion market projected for 2034. In home décor, Coral Slub sells cushion covers and bed linens, achieving an MRR of ₹1.3 lakh through its website.
Beauty and personal care are represented by brands such as Dopamine Perfumes & Fragrances, which operates in the mid‑premium segment and reports an MRR of ₹9 lakh, with marketplaces contributing 60% of sales. Sensoprox, an oral care brand, has an MRR of ₹50 lakh, with 90% of sales coming from offline retail.
The cohort also includes lifestyle and apparel brands such as Benki Store, a regional lifestyle label that has rebuilt its focus on D2C and content‑led growth, and Kayjay, a size‑inclusive luxury apparel brand that relies heavily on offline retail.
Investment activity in the D2C sector has been robust. Since 2015, Indian D2C startups have raised more than $10 billion across 1,400 funding deals, with food & beverage and beauty & personal care attracting the most interest.
Inc42’s D2CX program continues to provide a structured framework for founders to refine their go‑to‑market strategies, improve unit economics and build repeat‑purchase ecosystems. The accelerator’s 12‑week curriculum includes sessions on channel mix, quick commerce readiness, performance marketing and operational efficiency.
As the eighth cohort settles into its sessions, mentors and peers will collaborate to help brands navigate the evolving D2C landscape. The program’s track record of supporting 400 founders suggests that the new cohort has a strong foundation for scaling.
In summary, Inc42’s D2CX has added 50 new D2C brands to its portfolio, reinforcing the accelerator’s role in a market that is expected to grow at a 37% CAGR. The cohort’s brands span a wide range of categories, each facing the same core challenges of customer acquisition, margin pressure and multi‑channel execution. The next phase for these brands will involve scaling performance marketing, expanding quick‑commerce capabilities and tightening operational processes to meet the demands of India’s rapidly expanding D2C ecosystem.
