[Update] Quick Fashion Startup KNOT Raises $3 Mn To Expand Beyond Mumbai

Update | July 16, 9:50 PM

About one and a half months after Inc42 reported that quick fashion startup KNOT would be raising fresh capital, the startup announced the closure of its pre-Series A round with a fresh funding of $3 Mn. The round was led by Kae Capital and saw participation from Sparrow Capital, Boundless VC, Aukera Jewellery’s Kumar Saurabh as well as existing investors WEH Ventures and All In Capital.

KNOT said that it will use the fresh capital to double down on product development, expand beyond Mumbai and grow its roster of brand partnerships.

The startup claims that, since its launch, it has partnered with over 70+ leading brands including SNITCH, Bonkers Corner, The Souled Store, The Bear House, and Off Duty. Further, it said that it is now processes thousands of orders every month.

Original | May 29, 1:29 PM

Archit Nanda and Rachit Bansal’s quick fashion startup KNOT is in talks to raise about $3 Mn in its maiden funding round led by Kae Capital, sources told Inc42. 

The discussions are at an advanced stage, and the round is expected to be closed soon, the sources added.

The round will also see participation from WEH Ventures and All In Capital.

Queries sent to KNOT and Kae Capital on the funding round didn’t elicit any response till the time of publishing this story.

KNOT is a pivot from Slick, Nanda and Bansal’s previous startup which allowed users to compliment each other anonymously. Slick aimed to revive personalised connections on social media and boost users’ confidence. It raised $2.1 Mn funding from WEH Ventures, iSeed Ventures, All In Capital, and Titan Capital. 

Although the social media platform scaled to 2 Mn users, monetisation proved difficult as its primary target audience – college students – had limited spending capacity. As the model didn’t work, the founders began identifying more pressing problems they could solve, keeping investors in the loop about developments. Consequently, when they decided to pivot to quick fashion in 2025, existing investors from Slick’s cap table – WEH Ventures and All In Capital – also came on board.

KNOT delivers fashion products to customers in 60 minutes. The startup has a “Try Before You Buy” model, allowing users to try on clothing before making a purchase decision. This approach is aimed at eliminating long waits and buyer’s remorse. 

KNOT operates on a marketplace model, wherein it pays brands only after a sale is made, without any upfront commitments. The platform has onboarded several D2C brands, including Snitch, The Souled Store, among others.

The startup is currently operational in Mumbai and plans to launch its service in Delhi in the coming months.

The Rise Of Fast Fashion Delivery

The quick commerce segment is maturing rapidly, and instant gratification is no longer limited to groceries or food items—consumers now expect a wide range of products to be delivered quickly. Fashion is one of the sectors where this trend is emerging quickly.

Several startups have emerged over the past year who are trying to disrupt the fashion segment with quick deliveries. For instance, fashion-focussed quick commerce platform Slikk recently raised $10 Mn (INR 85.12 Cr) in its Series A round led by Nexus Venture Partners.

Another early mover is Bengaluru-based Blip, which was among the first to experiment with quick fashion delivery. Ecommerce giant Myntra also joined the race with the launch of its M-Now service, further intensifying competition in the space.

Earlier this week, fast fashion brand NEWME announced the launch of its 60-minute delivery service, NEWME Zip, in Bengaluru, following the success of its earlier rollout in Delhi. The service was first piloted in the national capital with a 90-minute delivery timeline. Encouraged by its reception, NEWME has now expanded to Bengaluru, offering even faster delivery.

While quick commerce has proven successful in several categories, it’s still early days for fashion, with both established players and new startups attempting to crack the model. 

At the heart of this is the rapidly growing Indian quick commerce market, which is expected to become a $40 Bn opportunity by 2030.