Exclusive: D2C Wellness Startup Secret Alchemist Ropes In Samantha Prabhu As Cofounder 

Making another investment in the Indian startup ecosystem, actress Samantha Prabhu has backed D2C wellness startup Secret Alchemist.

The brand has also onboarded her as its cofounder on the back of this investment.

While the startup did not disclose the financial terms of the deal but said that the fresh capital will be used to boost its marketing efforts, brand presence and expand customer reach.

Founded in 2021 by Ankita Thadani and Akash Valia, Secret Alchemist is an aromatherapy-based wellness brand that claims to offer a range of products centred around essential oils and holistic well being. 

“Samantha’s personal journey with aromatherapy perfectly aligns with our philosophy of addressing wellness at its roots, and together we plan to utilise the new funds to expand our product line, invest in brand building, and enhance our customer reach while deepening our impact in the personal care industry,” Thadani said. 

The startup also claimed to have raised $500,000 in a seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), with additional participation from Pharmeasy founder Siddharth Shah and Plix founder Rishubh Satiya.

The funds will be deployed for team expansion, scaling operations, and building inventory in preparation for the upcoming festive season.

Besides, the startup is also looking to diversify its product portfolio with the rolling out of pure-grade essential oils in the form of creams, mists and shower gels.

Its handmade product range includes roll-ons, candles, pain management solutions, hair care, and skin care items. Additionally, the brand provides bulk order options and consultations with certified aromatherapists.

Secret Alchemist sells its products through its own website, as well as popular marketplaces such as Nykaa, Tata Cliq, Cred, Blinkit, Pharmeasy, and Amazon, among others.

It is pertinent to note that Samantha had earlier invested in at least three startups, including ecommerce marketplace SustainKart, vegan food product startup Nourish You and casual wear brand The Souled Store. 

This comes at the heart of several Indian startups roping in actors and celebrities as investors and cofounders.  

Earlier this month, Event tech startup Ticket9 roped in actor Nayanthara, along with her husband and renowned director Vignesh Shivan as its investors

The year 2023 witnessed a record year for celebrity investors, with Inc42 reporting over 19 personalities infusing capital into 26 startups. 

For instance, actress Alia Bhatt launched her D2C kidswear brand Ed-a-Mamma in 2020, which has now become a majority-owned subsidiary of Reliance Retail. 

Another actress Deepika Padukone, ventured into skincare with her brand 82°E in 2022, besides making investments in various startups like Blusmart and Bellatrix Aerospace.

Similarly, actor Hrithik Roshan launched his lifestyle brand HRX in 2013, which now partners with Myntra and Cult.fit, while Katrina Kaif debuted her beauty brand Kay Beauty in 2019. 

Actress Kriti Sanon entered the fitness market with The Tribe and cofounded skincare brand Hyphen. 

Actress Preity Zinta cofounded DRIVE FITT, a gym facility, while Priyanka Chopra Jonas created Anomaly, a haircare brand, and Rakul Preet Singh launched Starring You, a talent discovery platform.