Announcing D2CX by Inc42 – Empowering Early-Stage D2C Brands In Scaling Up

In a landscape once dominated by traditional retail giants, a new breed of fearless disruptors is making its mark. Trailblazing D2C brands have leveraged digital channels to captivate customers like never before.

According to Inc42’s research, the total addressable market for Indian ecommerce is expected to soar from $100 Bn in 2022 to $400 Bn in 2030, growing at a CAGR of 19%. Within ecommerce, D2C is projected to capture $300 Bn or 75% of the market opportunity by 2030.

The Indian D2C market is indeed booming, teeming with opportunities. The growth of the likes of Mamaearth, SUGAR and boAt serves as shining examples, but replicating their success demands more than just a great product.

So, you’ve built a brand, but scaling from INR 1 Cr to 10 Cr amid fierce competition can seem like an uphill battle. What propelled these giants to their current status, and what secrets can unlock the hidden potential of early-stage brands? At Inc42, we believe we hold the key to these questions.

Over the past four years, we have closely monitored the flourishing D2C ecosystem, from its initial stages to its mainstream dominance. With over 3,000 D2C-focussed articles, 19 in-depth research reports, six impactful conferences and three FAST42 initiatives recognising India’s fastest-growing D2C brands, we’ve empowered hundreds of D2C founders, operators and enthusiasts with invaluable insights, knowledge and playbooks. 

Now, we’re taking this a step further with an exclusive course designed to help India’s early-stage D2C brands propel towards their INR 10 Cr journey and beyond.

Starting in April 2024, D2CX by Inc42 is a 12-week hands-on hybrid programme aimed at helping D2C brands level up by learning the ins and outs of building a successful D2C brand from India’s top 1% D2C founders and experts.

Over 3 months, these brands will learn from 20+ ecommerce and D2C leaders through a curated curriculum covering everything from business model creation to building a compelling brand, from growth modelling to omnichannel strategies, from streamlining the supply chain to scaling operations and from cultivating the early team to fundraising strategies.

For this course, Inc42 has partnered with the husband-wife duo Arjun Vaidya and Trisha Vaidya, the founders of the ayurvedic brand Dr. Vaidya’s (acquired by RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group). The Vaidyas have come on board as core mentors for the programme, bringing with them years of invaluable experience in building and scaling D2C brands.

Arjun now serves as an investor and is the cofounder of V3 Ventures, an early-stage VC firm specialising in consumer brands, platforms and consumer technology. Meanwhile, Trisha is an active angel investor and mentor to over 40 consumer tech companies. Together, they constitute a dynamic team poised to instil the requisite mindset for establishing a solid presence in the market.

Explore D2CX

What’s In Store For You?

Creating a recipe for success requires many ingredients: A unique brand identity, cost efficiency, adaptability to market trends, offering a seamless customer experience and data analytics to decode consumer behaviour.

But how does one find the right balance? This is what our 20+ experts and leaders from the D2C ecosystem will be empowering the participating fellows with.

Each week of the programme is structured to help D2C founders build a profitable brand in 2024. Starting with an in-person orientation in week 1 in Mumbai, participants will have an opportunity to meet their instructors, get to know each other and build rapport before starting their immersive learning journey.

At Inc42, we believe that peer-based learning goes a long way. This is why our programme is designed with hands-on workshops and assignments, fostering collaboration among participants to cultivate fresh perspectives and translate learning into real-world applications.

Between weeks 2 and 11, the programme will cover the A to Z of scaling a D2C brand with a plethora of topics, including the art of brand building and storytelling, navigating supply chain roadblocks with efficiency and more. Moreover, progress reviews by mentors and follow-up sessions will ensure personalised guidance and support tailored to the needs of each participant.

At the end of the 12th week, Inc42 will host an in-person convocation where the fellows will have the opportunity to showcase their D2C brands to mentors and leaders, establishing valuable connections within the industry.

Who Can Join?

D2CX is designed for ambitious early-stage D2C founders with at least INR 5 Lakh revenue per month and an operational website. This programme aims to equip learners with the skills they need on their journey with an 80-20 philosophy – 80% knowledge and 20% impact.

D2CX by Inc42 serves as a stepping stone to mastering the D2C success in India’s thriving startup ecosystem. The participating fellows can also find their cofounders, team members, and mentors to navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship together. 

Note: We at Inc42 take our ethics very seriously. More information about it can be found here.