Brands
T-Hub appoints ex-OYO executive as new CEO
HYDERABAD — Hyderabad-based start up incubator T-Hub has appointed Kavikrut as its new chief executive officer, the Telangana government announced today.
Kavikrut, who previously served as chief growth officer at OYO for 10 years, will take up his new role on 10 March. During his tenure at OYO, he was instrumental in expanding the company’s operations across more than 100 cities in India and spearheaded its expansion into Japan in 2018 through partnerships with Yahoo! Japan and SoftBank.
The appointment reinforces Telangana’s commitment to strengthening its position as a hub for entrepreneurship and innovation. T-Hub has supported over 2,000 startups to date through its programmes, providing global market access and industry collaborations.
Telangana government special chief secretary for information technology, electronics & communications and industries & commerce departments Jayesh Ranjan said: “Kavikrut’s passion for startups, global experience, and hands-on operational skills make him the ideal leader for T-Hub.”
Before his role at OYO, Kavikrut began his career as a healthcare startup founder and held positions at Amazon and Piramal Group. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an MSc in Finance from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani.
Upon his appointment, Kavikrut, who hails from Hyderabad, expressed enthusiasm about returning to his hometown: “I am excited by the potential of Hyderabad as it steadily grows into a hub for startups building products and services from India for the world.”
T-Hub aims to continue fostering entrepreneurship through mentorship, funding opportunities, and strategic support under its new leadership.
Brands
Pre-seed funding fuels nailinit, India’s new-age nail care brand
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund backs Gen Z-focused beauty startup
MUMBAI: nailinit, a community-first nail care startup targeting Gen Z and millennials, has raised Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 crore in a pre-seed round led by Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund and Marsshot VC, alongside a clutch of consumer, technology and operator angels.
Backed by entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath, Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund is betting on nailinit’s attempt to give India’s nail care aisle a long overdue makeover. The fresh capital will be used to deepen distribution across quick commerce and D2C channels, build its community engine, and accelerate product innovation in a category that is high frequency but still light on strong brands.
Founded by Tanishq Ambegaokar and Shubham Singhal, nailinit is positioning itself at the crossroads of beauty, self-expression and culture. The brand wants nails to be more than a finishing touch. It sees them as a canvas for identity, content and commerce.
“At nailinit, we are building for a generation that sees beauty as self-expression, not just routine,” said Ambegaokar. “The nail category in India has largely been underserved by strong brands. This capital allows us to invest in product depth, community and distribution in a thoughtful and long-term way.”
Singhal added that while the brand’s tone may be playful, its operating focus is sharp. “This round strengthens our supply chain, expands our digital footprint and enables disciplined execution as we scale.”
The funding round drew notable angels including Shashank Kumar of Razorpay, Arjit Johri of Marsshot VC, Yash Jain, formerly of NimbusPost, Karan Jindal of Meta, Jivraj Singh Sachar of ISV Capital, Nishank Jain of Accel, Yashvardhan Kanoi, Ashwarya Garg of HYPD, Venus Dhuria of Phot.AI and Amishi Parasrampuria of The Whole Truth.
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund fund manager Gauri Kuchhal, believes the opportunity lies in shifting habits. “Nail care remains underpenetrated in India, with consumers relying on time-intensive salon visits. As convenience and self-expression gain ground, press-on nails can unlock more frequent and experimental usage. Nailinit is well-placed to expand beyond press-ons into adjacent categories.”
The brand is currently the only nail care player in India blending product-led retail with a dedicated kiosk at Jio World Drive in Bandra, where customers can walk in for services while discovering the range. It has also built early traction across quick commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit, with a launch on Instamart in the pipeline, and is available on Amazon, strengthening its omnichannel presence.
In a space long dominated by salon chairs and scattered labels, nailinit is attempting to file, shape and polish the category into something sharper. With fresh funding in hand, the startup is setting out to prove that in beauty, small details can make a bold statement.
