Latest news with #productinnovation
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Peloton CEO Stern on Product Innovation & Future Growth
Peter Stern, President and CEO of Peloton Interactive, shares his vision for the company's next chapter, from product innovation to digital transformation. He joins Bloomberg's Mark Gurman to discuss what's next for the fitness leader at Bloomberg Tech in San Francisco. (Source: Bloomberg)
National Post
5 days ago
- Business
- National Post
lululemon athletica inc. Announces First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Results
Article content Article content VANCOUVER, British Columbia — lululemon athletica inc. (NASDAQ:LULU) today announced financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, which ended on May 4, 2025. Article content Calvin McDonald, Chief Executive Officer, stated: 'In the first quarter, we achieved growth across channels, categories, and markets, including the U.S., reflecting the continued strength and agility of our business model. Additionally, guests responded well to the product innovations, newness, and brand activations we delivered around the world. As we navigate the dynamic macroenvironment, we intend to leverage our strong financial position and competitive advantages to play offense, while we continue to invest in the growth opportunities in front of us.' Article content For the first quarter of 2025, compared to the first quarter of 2024: Article content Net revenue increased 7% to $2.4 billion, or increased 8% on a constant dollar basis. Americas net revenue increased 3%, or 4% on a constant dollar basis. International net revenue increased 19%, or 20% on a constant dollar basis. Comparable sales increased 1%. Americas comparable sales decreased 2%, or 1% on a constant dollar basis. International comparable sales increased 6%, or 7% on a constant dollar basis. Gross profit increased 8% to $1.4 billion and gross margin increased 60 basis points to 58.3%. Income from operations increased 1% to $438.6 million and operating margin decreased 110 basis points to 18.5%. The effective income tax rate for the first quarter of 2025 was 30.2% compared to 29.5% for the first quarter of 2024. Diluted earnings per share were $2.60 compared to $2.54 in the first quarter of 2024. The Company repurchased 1.4 million of its shares for a cost of $430.4 million. The Company added three net new company-operated stores during the first quarter, ending with 770 stores. Article content Meghan Frank, Chief Financial Officer, stated: 'We delivered first quarter revenue growth at the high end of our guidance and are pleased with the start to our second quarter. Looking ahead, we remain focused on our strategy and continue to operate with discipline as we drive the business forward. We are grateful to our teams around the world who are enabling us to deliver these consistent results.' Article content Balance Sheet Highlights Article content The Company ended the first quarter of 2025 with $1.3 billion in cash and cash equivalents and the capacity under its committed revolving credit facility was $393.4 million. Inventories at the end of the first quarter of 2025 increased 23% to $1.7 billion compared to $1.3 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2024. On a unit basis, inventories increased 16%. Article content 2025 Outlook Article content For the second quarter of 2025, the Company expects net revenue to be in the range of $2.535 billion to $2.560 billion, representing growth of 7% to 8%. Diluted earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $2.85 to $2.90 for the quarter. This assumes a tax rate of approximately 30%. Article content For 2025, the Company continues to expect net revenue to be in the range of $11.150 billion to $11.300 billion, representing growth of 5% to 7%, or 7% to 8% excluding the 53rd week of 2024. Diluted earnings per share are now expected to be in the range of $14.58 to $14.78 for the year. This assumes a tax rate of approximately 30%. Article content The guidance does not reflect potential future repurchases of the Company's shares. Article content The guidance and outlook forward-looking statements made in this press release are based on management's expectations as of the date of this press release and do not incorporate future unknown impacts, including tariffs and macroeconomic trends. The Company undertakes no duty to update or to continue to provide information with respect to any forward-looking statements or risk factors, whether as a result of new information or future events or circumstances or otherwise. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of risks and uncertainties, including those stated below. Article content Conference Call Information Article content A conference call to discuss first quarter results is scheduled for today, June 5, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time. Those interested in participating in the call are invited to dial 1-833-752-3550 or 1-647-846-8290, if calling internationally, approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. A live webcast of the conference call will be available online at: A replay will be made available online approximately two hours following the live call for a period of 30 days. Article content About lululemon athletica inc. Article content lululemon athletica inc. (NASDAQ:LULU) is a technical athletic apparel, footwear, and accessories company for yoga, running, training, and most other activities, creating transformational products and experiences that build meaningful connections, unlocking greater possibility and wellbeing for all. Setting the bar in innovation of fabrics and functional designs, lululemon works with yogis and athletes in local communities around the world for continuous research and product feedback. For more information, visit Article content Shifted Calendar for Comparable Sales Article content Due to the 53rd week in 2024, comparable sales are calculated on a one week shifted basis such that the 13 weeks ended May 4, 2025 is compared to the 13 weeks ended May 5, 2024 rather than April 28, 2024. Article content Non-GAAP Financial Measures Article content We report certain financial metrics on a constant dollar basis, which is a non-GAAP financial measure. Article content A constant dollar basis assumes the average foreign currency exchange rates for the period remained constant with the average foreign currency exchange rates for the same period of the prior year. The Company provides constant dollar changes in its results to help investors understand the underlying growth rate of net revenue excluding the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Management uses constant currency metrics internally when reviewing and assessing financial performance. Article content The Company's fiscal year ends on the Sunday closest to January 31st of the following year, typically resulting in a 52-week year, but occasionally giving rise to an additional week, resulting in a 53-week year. Fiscal 2024 was a 53-week year while 2025 will be a 52-week year. The expected net revenue increase excluding the 53rd week excludes the net revenue for the 53rd week of 2024. This enables an evaluation of the expected year-over-year increase in net revenue based on 52 weeks in each year. Article content These non-GAAP financial measures are provided in addition to, and not a substitute for, or with greater prominence than, the corresponding financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the section captioned 'Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures' included in the accompanying financial tables, which includes more detail on the GAAP financial measure that is most directly comparable to each non-GAAP financial measure, and the related reconciliations between these financial measures. The Company's non-GAAP financial measures may be calculated differently from, and therefore may not be directly comparable to, similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Article content Forward-Looking Statements: Article content This press release includes estimates, projections, statements relating to the Company's business plans, objectives, and expected operating results that are 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. In many cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as 'may,' 'will,' 'should,' 'expects,' 'plans,' 'anticipates,' 'outlook,' 'believes,' 'intends,' 'estimates,' 'predicts,' 'potential' or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements also include the Company's guidance and outlook statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations but they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation: the Company's ability to maintain the value and reputation of its brand; its highly competitive market and increasing competition; its ability to anticipate consumer preferences and successfully develop and introduce new, innovative and differentiated products; the acceptability of its products to guests; increasing costs and decreasing selling prices; its ability to accurately forecast guest demand for its products; its ability to expand in light of its limited operating experience and limited brand recognition in new international markets and new product categories; its ability to manage its growth and the increased complexity of its business effectively; changes in consumer shopping preferences and shifts in distribution channels; its leasing of retail and distribution space; its ability to attract, manage, and retain highly qualified individuals; seasonality; its ability to safeguard against security breaches with respect to its technology systems; its compliance with privacy and data protection laws; any material disruption of its information systems; its ability to have technology-based systems function effectively and grow its e-commerce business globally; disruptions of its supply chain; its reliance on a relatively small number of vendors to supply and manufacture a significant portion of its products; suppliers or manufacturers not complying with its Vendor Code of Ethics or applicable laws; fluctuating costs of raw materials; its ability to deliver its products to the market and to meet guest expectations if it has problems with its distribution system; increasing labor costs and other factors associated with the production of its products in South Asia and South East Asia; an economic recession, depression, or downturn or economic uncertainty in its key markets; global economic and political conditions; its ability to source and sell its merchandise profitably or at all if new trade restrictions are imposed or existing trade restrictions become more burdensome; changes in tax laws or unanticipated tax liabilities; its ability to comply with trade and other regulations; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; global or regional health events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and related government, private sector, and individual consumer responsive actions; imitation by its competitors; its ability to protect its intellectual property rights; conflicting trademarks and patents and the prevention of sale of certain products; climate change and related pressures; heightened scrutiny and legal risks from competing pressures regarding ESG; its exposure to various types of litigation; and other risks and uncertainties set out in filings made from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and available at Article content Article content , including, without limitation, its most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. You are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements contained herein and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. Article content lululemon athletica inc. The fiscal year ending February 1, 2026 is referred to as '2025' and the fiscal year ended February 2, 2025 is referred to as '2024'. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations Unaudited; Expressed in thousands, except per share amounts First Quarter 2025 2024 Net revenue $ 2,370,660 $ 2,208,891 Costs of goods sold 987,534 933,823 Gross profit 1,383,126 1,275,068 As a percentage of net revenue 58.3 % 57.7 % Selling, general and administrative expenses 942,871 842,426 As a percentage of net revenue 39.8 % 38.1 % Amortization of intangible assets 1,630 — Income from operations 438,625 432,642 As a percentage of net revenue 18.5 % 19.6 % Other income (expense), net 11,786 23,283 Income before income tax expense 450,411 455,925 Income tax expense 135,839 134,504 Net income $ 314,572 $ 321,421 Basic earnings per share $ 2.61 $ 2.55 Diluted earnings per share $ 2.60 $ 2.54 Basic weighted-average shares outstanding 120,632 125,989 Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding 120,843 126,336 Article content lululemon athletica inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets Unaudited; Expressed in thousands May 4, 2025 February 2, 2025 April 28, 2024 ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,325,272 $ 1,984,336 $ 1,900,672 Inventories 1,652,091 1,442,081 1,345,267 Prepaid and receivable income taxes 230,280 182,253 192,955 Other current assets 374,874 371,632 329,193 Total current assets 3,582,517 3,980,302 3,768,087 Property and equipment, net 1,846,609 1,780,617 1,561,185 Right-of-use lease assets 1,549,401 1,416,256 1,263,749 Goodwill and intangible assets, net 178,001 171,191 23,992 Deferred income taxes and other non-current assets 274,015 254,926 211,482 Total assets $ 7,430,543 $ 7,603,292 $ 6,828,495 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities Accounts payable $ 303,975 $ 271,406 $ 261,605 Accrued liabilities and other 506,996 559,463 374,446 Accrued compensation and related expenses 144,222 204,543 132,911 Current lease liabilities 281,837 275,154 254,443 Current income taxes payable 31,276 183,126 53,087 Unredeemed gift card liability 271,076 308,352 268,296 Other current liabilities 33,003 37,586 38,783 Total current liabilities 1,572,385 1,839,630 1,383,571 Non-current lease liabilities 1,424,945 1,300,637 1,147,631 Non-current income taxes payable — — 15,864 Deferred income tax liability 98,189 98,188 29,150 Other non-current liabilities 45,454 40,790 32,471 Stockholders' equity 4,289,570 4,324,047 4,219,808 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 7,430,543 $ 7,603,292 $ 6,828,495 Article content lululemon athletica inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Unaudited; Expressed in thousands First Quarter 2025 2024 Cash flows from operating activities Net income $ 314,572 $ 321,421 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities (433,526 ) (193,897 ) Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities (118,954 ) 127,524 Net cash used in investing activities (106,842 ) (131,537 ) Net cash used in financing activities (467,974 ) (328,628 ) Effect of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 34,706 (10,658 ) Decrease in cash and cash equivalents (659,064 ) (343,299 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 1,984,336 2,243,971 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 1,325,272 $ 1,900,672 Article content lululemon athletica inc. Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures Unaudited Constant dollar changes The below changes show the change compared to the corresponding period in the prior year. Due to the 53rd week in 2024, the below changes in comparable sales are calculated on a one week shifted basis such that the 13 weeks ended May 4, 2025 is compared to the 13 weeks ended May 5, 2024 rather than April 28, 2024. First Quarter 2025 Net Revenue Change Foreign exchange Change in constant dollars United States 2 % — % 2 % Canada 4 5 9 Mexico (1) n/a n/a n/a Americas 3 1 4 China Mainland 21 1 22 Rest of World 16 1 17 Total international 19 1 20 Total 7 % 1 % 8 % Article content First Quarter 2025 Comparable Sales (2) Change Foreign exchange Change in constant dollars Americas (2 )% 1 % (1 )% China Mainland 7 1 8 Rest of World 6 1 7 Total international 6 1 7 Total 1 % — % 1 % Article content ___________________ (1) On September 10, 2024, the Company acquired the lululemon branded retail locations and operations run by a third party in Mexico. Wholesale sales to the third party by lululemon athletica canada inc. prior to the acquisition are disclosed as net revenue recognized within Canada. (2) Comparable sales includes comparable company-operated store and e-commerce net revenue. Comparable company-operated stores have been open for at least 12 full fiscal months, or open for at least 12 full fiscal months after being significantly expanded. Comparable company-operated stores exclude stores which have been temporarily relocated for renovations or have been temporarily closed. Company-operated stores acquired as a result of the acquisition of the Mexico operations will be considered comparable beginning October 2025, after 12 full fiscal months of sales from the date of acquisition. Article content Total Gross Square Feet at the Beginning of the Quarter Gross Square Feet Added During the Quarter (2) Gross Square Feet Lost During the Quarter (2) Total Gross Square Feet at the End of the Quarter 2 nd Quarter 2024 2,988 90 3 3,075 3 rd Quarter 2024 3,075 156 — 3,231 4 th Quarter 2024 3,231 153 12 3,372 1 st Quarter 2025 3,372 50 7 3,415 Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Investor Contacts: Article content lululemon athletica inc. Article content Article content Howard Tubin Article content Article content 1-604-732-6124 Article content Article content or Article content Article content ICR, Inc. Article content Article content Joseph Teklits Article content Article content 1-203-682-8200 Article content Article content Article content
National Post
29-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Empathy Announces $72 Million Series C and Unveils Empathy Alliance
Article content Adams Street Partners leads fundraise alongside General Catalyst, Index Ventures, and strategic investor coalition, positioning company for accelerated product innovation and further expansion Article content Article content NEW YORK — Empathy, the leading technology company transforming how the world plans for and manages life's toughest moments, announced today a $72 million Series C fundraise led by Adams Street Partners with participation from General Catalyst, Index Ventures, Entrée Capital, Brewer Lane Ventures, SemperVirens, Latitude, and LionTree, bringing total capital raised to $162 million. Alongside this most recent round, the company has formalized the Empathy Alliance, a coalition of market leaders and luminaries passionate about reimagining cultural standards around access to support. With a commitment to fund innovation that moves the industry forward, members of the Empathy Alliance who participated in the company's Series C include Aflac Ventures, Allianz Life Ventures, Citi Impact Fund, Munich Re, MetLife, New York Life, Securian, and TIAA Ventures. Article content This announcement follows Empathy's recent category expansion into legacy planning and preparation with Empathy LifeVault™, broadening its platform to allow individuals to create and securely store legally binding estate plans and essential documents in minutes. Launched in 2021, Empathy's leading loss support solution has eased logistical and emotional burdens for millions of people, including one in five life insurance claimants, through partnerships with renowned financial institutions and over one thousand employers. Article content With increased distribution over the past four years, Empathy provides coverage for over 45 million lives, and in the past four months, seven million individuals have received access to LifeVault through partners like Aflac, New York Life, Voya, and more, demonstrating the company's rapid growth with thoughtful carriers and progressive employers, through its product ecosystem. AI has become an integral part of Empathy's platform, introduced to enhance the Care Team's speed, accuracy, and reach through real-time insights, guidance, and automation. While AI plays a crucial role in providing support at scale, human care remains central to Empathy's mission. Building on Empathy's recent momentum, this investment will further deepen capabilities, accelerate innovation, scale the platform offerings, and expand reach. Article content 'We're honored to support millions of families in their toughest times, and to have earned the trust of leading organizations, partnering with major financial institutions and some of the most progressive employers to deliver compassionate tech at scale,' said Ron Gura, Co-Founder & CEO of Empathy. 'We're proud to be at the forefront of revolutionizing industry standards and societal expectations around loss, and this milestone is not just a testament to Empathy's progress, but to the larger cultural shift that's occurring. Throughout life, we all will encounter moments that are financially, logistically, and emotionally taxing, and we see it as a privilege and responsibility to apply our expertise and direct meaningful resources toward tackling these challenges and raising the standard of support.' Article content 'Empathy is addressing a critical need with a thoughtful, mission-driven approach to supporting families through life's challenging moments,' said Tom Bremner, Partner, Growth Equity at Adams Street. 'We're excited to partner with the Empathy team and support the company's continued growth as it expands access to essential resources through innovation and industry-leading partnerships.' Article content Empathy is currently available throughout North America, including every U.S. state and Canada, in partnership with leading firms, including eight of the top ten U.S. life insurers. The company also supports comprehensive employee bereavement benefits for Fortune 500 companies. Empathy continues to raise awareness of societal attitudes around loss and to address the stigma around the conversation. Last month, the company released its fourth annual research report on the Grief Tax, which uncovered the cost of loss, not just in dollars and time, but also its impacts on health, relationships, and careers. The new data revealed a gap in current support and benefits, as well as the collective understanding of the compounding effects grief can have within society. Article content Fueled by the momentum of recent growth and deep insight into what's been demonstrated as a universal and apparent need, Empathy is committed to expanding its support ecosystem to encompass more modes of care that will open up access and support families during life's most difficult moments. Article content Empathy is a leading technology company transforming the way people plan for and navigate life's toughest moments. Serving more than 45 million policyholders across North America with loss support, Empathy currently partners with eight of the top ten U.S. life insurance carriers and handles one in five life insurance claims in the U.S. beyond the payout. With $162 million in funding from top-tier venture firms including Index Ventures, General Catalyst, Adams Street Partners, and other leading funds, as well as strategic investment from global financial institutions and Empathy Alliance partners, Empathy combines cutting-edge innovation with compassion to provide unparalleled support for bereavement, estate management, legacy planning, and more. Recognized by Apple, Google Play, and Fast Company, Empathy is setting the standard for modern family care and workplace benefits. Learn more at Article content The Empathy Alliance is a coalition of organizations, thought leaders, and practitioners seeking to advance the future of compassionate technology. Led by Empathy and together with strategic partners, including investors from the Series C, the Alliance will guide innovation that reimagines standards of and access to support during life's most challenging moments, helping to foster greater societal readiness and resilience. The Alliance is comprised of executives and investors across some of the most notable insurance and financial institutions including Aflac Ventures, Allianz Life Ventures, Citi Impact Fund, MassMutual, MetLife, Munich Re, New York Life, Securian, Sumitomo Life, and TIAA Ventures. To learn more, visit Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Down 42%, Can This Growth Stock Double a $1,000 Investment in 5 Years?
Revenue for this powerful consumer brand only grew 6% in Q1, slower than the double-digit gains over the past few years. Investors can appreciate management's relentless focus on product innovation. Unless earnings can skyrocket during the rest of this decade, the current valuation doesn't look compelling. 10 stocks we like better than Airbnb › The S&P 500 Index is clawing back its losses from earlier this year, as investor sentiment starts to improve. But not all businesses are trading anywhere close to their records. One growth stock is currently 42% off its peak. However, the well-known consumer brand might still be a worthy investment candidate. Can a $1,000 investment in shares double over the next five years? Here's the important information investors must know. During the three-month period that ended March 31 (first quarter of 2025), Airbnb's (NASDAQ: ABNB) revenue increased 6% from Q1 2024 to $2.3 billion. That gain was much slower than the 11.9% sales jump registered for all of 2024. The latest gain was driven by a 7% hike in gross booking value. The leadership team called out North America as a weaker-performing region in the quarter. Nights and experiences booked here only rose by low-single digits, worse than any other region. No shareholder wants to see slower growth. However, in this case, the blame might not fall squarely on Airbnb. Companies across the board keep calling out the current macro-environment, with geopolitical uncertainty, shifting trade policy, and high interest rates commanding all the attention. It makes sense that consumers might be tightening their spending a little bit. This can have a direct impact on discretionary activities like travel. Airbnb forecasted revenue to total slightly less in Q2 than Wall Street analysts had hoped. That won't help to instill confidence right now. For investors looking to own businesses for the long term, Airbnb provides some compelling qualities. First, the company is consistently profitable. In the past 12 months, Airbnb raked in $2.5 billion of net income, translating to a stellar net profit margin of 22%. Free cash flow is also being generated, which is used to repurchase shares. The Airbnb brand is a key competitive advantage in the travel sector. This is evident by the fact that the company name is often used interchangeably as a verb. Another competitive strength is the presence of a network effect. As the platform has more hosts and listings, travelers have more choices. And with more travelers looking at Airbnb to book an accommodation, hosts have greater rental opportunities to make money. Another positive trait is Airbnb's continuous emphasis on innovation, with an aim to better serve its user base. On May 13, the business revealed a newly designed app. And there's a lot for investors to get excited about. Airbnb introduced a services tab on its app, which allows guests to book private chefs, photography sessions, and massages, among many other items, while on vacation. New experiences are also being offered in 650 cities across the globe, with a focus on activities that provide an authentic feel. At the end of the day, Airbnb's main objective is to get more hosts, and now service and experience vendors, to list on the platform. On the other side, the company wants travelers to keep the app on top of their minds before starting the planning process for any trip. It will be interesting to watch how these new feature launches are received. If successful, it could have a positive impact on Airbnb's financials over the long term. Shares of Airbnb might be trading 42% below their peak, but that doesn't necessarily mean they provide investors with good value. As of this writing, the stock sells for a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 30. According to consensus analyst estimates, earnings per share are projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 11% between 2024 and 2027. If you believe this outlook is even remotely accurate, then the current valuation is too steep, which lowers the chances that the stock can double a $1,000 investment in five years. Before you buy stock in Airbnb, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Airbnb wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $653,389!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $830,492!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 982% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Airbnb. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Down 42%, Can This Growth Stock Double a $1,000 Investment in 5 Years? was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Entrepreneur
22-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
BlackCarrot Raises Funding to Scale Health-Focused Dinnerware
The fresh funding was raised from Venture Catalysts, with support from We Founder Circle, EvolveX, GX Ventures, Suraj Nalin, and celebrities Neha Dhupia and Agnello Dias. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. BlackCarrot, a health-conscious dinnerware brand, has raised pre-seed funding from Venture Catalysts, an integrated incubator and accelerator. The round also saw participation from We Founder Circle, EvolveX Accelerator, GX Ventures, Suraj Nalin (Co-founder, PlaySimple Games), and celebrity investors Neha Dhupia and Agnello Dias. The funds will be deployed to accelerate BlackCarrot's expansion across direct-to-consumer (D2C) platforms, marketplaces, offline retail, and quick commerce. The capital will also fuel product innovation and support scaling operations to new markets nationwide. Founded in 2023 by Yadupati Gupta, a former investment banker at JP Morgan and Avendus Capital, and Vishal Gupta, previously Head of Marketing and Sales at Wipro Consumer Care and VIP Luggage Group, BlackCarrot aims to redefine everyday dining by prioritising consumer health and modern aesthetics. The Mumbai-based brand offers toxin-free alternatives, including bone china (animal bone ash)-free ceramics, lead-free glassware, and 304 food-grade stainless steel cutlery. BlackCarrot products are available on leading platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Tata Cliq Luxury, Nykaa Fashion, and retail chains like Nature's Basket and Food Square. They have also partnered with Zepto to offer fast delivery via quick commerce. "BlackCarrot represents a new wave of consumer brands in India that combine health consciousness, design innovation, and scalable business models," said Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, Co-founder and Managing Director at Venture Catalysts++. "Their commitment to eliminating harmful materials from dining essentials positions them perfectly for the wellness-driven future of Indian households." Commenting on the funding, the Co-founders said, "We're excited to partner with visionary investors who believe in our mission to make every meal safer and more enjoyable. This backing will accelerate our journey to becoming India's go-to dinnerware brand for mindful living." Recognised by the Government of India as a promising startup, BlackCarrot is poised to lead a new era of safe, stylish, and sustainable dining.
