40+ D2C & Retail Leaders To Reveal The Playbook To Scale At The D2C Summit 2024

India’s thriving D2C landscape, which presents a $300 Bn market opportunity, is at the crossroads. While the D2C revolution has disrupted traditional retail by allowing brands to connect directly with consumers, rapidly changing consumer behaviour has given birth to new business models. 

It is in the light of this that yesterday’s D2C strategies may appear redundant. Also, it is imperative to mention that India’s consumption landscape has become more complex and competitive. And with the lines between physical stores and online marketplaces blurring, omnichannel seems to be the clear winner in the realm of D2C.

To thrive in such a dynamic landscape, brands must revamp their strategies and introduce fresh perspectives. Hence, to address challenges related to new-age retail and help D2C brands seize opportunities in this era of consumer-led growth, Inc42 is hosting its fifth (but first in-person) edition of the D2C Summit on August 8, 2024, at the Oberoi in Gurugram.

India’s premier D2C and modern retail conclave, Inc42’s D2C Summit, aims to reimagine the future of D2C, providing a platform for industry stakeholders to share insights, discuss trends and explore the next frontier of retail in India.

Building on a legacy of hosting 10+ successful D2C events, this year’s focus addresses a critical question: How can brands master the INR 1,000 Cr+ strategy at the intersection of D2C and modern retail? 

To answer this, we are bringing together 40+ leading retail minds from both established enterprises and innovative brands. Through carefully curated keynotes and panel discussions, the summit will provide its 300+ D2C attendees with the knowledge and strategies needed to build multi-million-dollar businesses.

The summit is presented by Inc42 and Broadway, co-presented by Emiza and Simpl and powered by Venture Catalysts++, Zippee, Mobavenue, and Pay10. Association partners include Peak VX Partners, Rukam Capital and Nitro.

The D2C Summit: Tradition Meets Innovation

Legacy brands have set the stage for the rapid growth of new-age brands by providing valuable insights into consumer behaviour and establishing a strong retail presence. This has helped direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands identify opportunities for disruption. Both legacy and new-age brands coexist within the dynamic retail ecosystem, making it crucial to have a platform for sharing knowledge and experiences.

Therefore, the D2C Summit brings together over 30 influential speakers to explore how retail giants have cultivated and maintained strong customer loyalty and how emerging D2C brands have transformed from online-only businesses into omnichannel powerhouses.

The summit will feature retail industry stalwarts such as Kishore Biyani of Future Group;  Gaurav Rathod of Cello; Ferns n Petals’ Pawan Gadia, and Ayush Bansal of Liberty Shoes. 

The D2C world will be represented by leaders like BlueStone’s Gaurav Singh Kushwaha; Mallika Datt Sadani of The Moms Co.; Midhula Devabhaktuni of Mivi; Veeba’s Viraj Bahl; Dr. Shashank Sinha of Drool; Pankaj Vermani of Clovia, Renee Cosmetics’ Ashutosh Valani; Sidhant Keshwani of Libas; Shauravi Malik of Wholsum Foods and Innov8’s Dr. Ritesh Maik, among others.

To provide a thorough overview of the D2C ecosystem, the summit will also include key enablers such as payment partners, experience providers, and investors. Featured participants include Ajay Rao from Emiza, Renu Bisht from Commercify360, Nitya Sharma from Simpl, Anand Lunia from India Quotient, Kannan Sitaram from Fireside Ventures, Archana Jahagirdar from Rukam Capital, et al. 

What’s In Store

The overarching theme of the summit will be the blueprint for building an INR 1,000 Cr+ business, outlining the essential steps for achieving rapid growth. Speakers will delve deep into building and scaling D2C brands through omnichannel strategies, sharing their personal experiences, lessons learned and proven formulae.

Attendees will be treated with stimulating discussions on India’s premiumisation wave and strategies to captivate aspirational consumers. They can also expect high-impact sessions exploring the integration of technology and innovation in decision-making, consumer behaviour analysis and forecasting.

Additionally, speakers will explain how a nascent brand can evolve into an IPO-ready enterprise, offering insights into investment strategies and business scaling for D2C companies.

Ultimately, this event aims to elevate the conversation around India’s consumption story, addressing founders’ challenges in scaling and providing a roadmap to create a substantial impact on their consumerbase. The opportunity to network and build relationships with hundreds of like-minded peers is an added benefit.

With just a few days left, the countdown has begun, and we’re excited to show you everything we have in store for D2C/modern retail founders, enablers and investors. Watch this space for the agenda!

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