Merak Ventures, a sector-agnostic early-stage venture capital (VC) firm, announced its first investment with Rupyz, an integrated SaaS platform enabling B2B commerce and omnichannel distribution for FMCG and consumer brands. The firm has invested $1.2 million in seed funding into Rupyz as the lead investor, alongside other angel investors.
Numerous Indian Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) face significant obstacles in maximizing their growth potential due to inadequate digital commerce capabilities. Rupyz brings its integrated SaaS solution to enable these businesses to have an omni-channel commerce interface to automate and scale their existing offline and online distribution, boosting sales and fulfillment channels. The startup focuses on distribution led B2B businesses, especially in the food, FMCG, personal care, and lifestyle sectors. Rupyz presently oversees a network inclusive of 85 brands, exceeding 6,500 distributors, and more than 250,000 retailers.
Manu Rikhye, Partner at Merak Ventures, said, “Rupyz is addressing a critical need by enhancing omni-channel distribution by digitally transforming the B2B businesses of India. These businesses are essential for the economy and for providing access to their products to last-mile consumers. Rupyz’s commitment to solving real-world challenges in distribution led businesses aligns with our thesis of values-driven investment. We are excited to support their journey towards transforming India’s B2B commerce landscape.”
“In light of next-generation leaders being inducted in ~75 per cent of family businesses, a pivotal shift towards digitization emerges. This trend underscores a significant opportunity for the digital transformation of family enterprises, signalling a promising evolution in the B2B commerce landscape. Rupyz’s unique omni-commerce approach is not just enhancing operational efficiencies but is amongst the first brands to completely redefine how firms, distributors, and retailers connect, communicate, and do business. We are privileged to have Merak Ventures join us as we plan to bridge the gap between traditional practices and digital proficiency. Our commitment is to unlock the full potential of India’s B2B e-commerce and supply chain,” said Dhaval Radia, Co-founder and CEO of Rupyz.
Rupyz is aiming to onboard over 3000 businesses in the next 12 to 15 months. This expansion reflects the startup’s commitment to broadening its impact and reach within the SMB sector. The latest investment will be strategically utilized to strengthen Rupyz’s core technological offerings, ensuring robust and scalable solutions that cater to the evolving needs of small and medium-sized businesses.
