MAM
Rickshaw’s design unit nets Future Consumer, Cambay Tiger & BarBar
MUMBAI: Mumbai-based creative and communication agency Rickshaw has announced the launch of its design unit so as to cater to client needs and communication requirements.
This next-generation design cell will accelerate Rickshaw’s ability to deliver transformational design capabilities to its clients.
Rickshaw founder Suhas Parab says “A good design answers a question, raises questions, simplifies life, goes behind the simple, prods us to dig deeper. Also, a good design is accessible; it illuminates the brand and taps into the zeitgeist. A good design also tickles the five senses and trickles into the subconscious. It is not easy, but if done well, looks easy. These beliefs drive the Rickshaw Design Cell.”
In keeping with Rickshaw’s ethos, the unit has already bagged five clients including Future Consumer, Cambay Tiger and Belona Hospitality’s BarBar, contributing to the chunk of the business.
The design unit will function as solutions provider to complex communication challenges that require delving beyond conventional media. As a part of its offering, the unit will undertake a wide array of services pertaining to spaces, identity, logo, packaging and visual merchandising. It will focus on client’s business objectives and operate in an absolute goal oriented approach.
Rickshaw partner Mahua Hazarika stated, “I read a long time ago that people ignore design that ignores them. India has had a powerful design culture. Unfortunately, design thinking is not part and parcel of our current collective conscious. Having spent time on both sides of the table, I believe design thinking needs to be cultivated right from product formulation to delivery; it should not be confined to packaging or a VM alone.”
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.
