FAST42 2025 Is Now Live: Apply To Be Among The Fastest-Growing D2C Brands In India

India’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) market, which is projected to reach $300 Bn by 2030, has grown exponentially in the last few years. While growing in every possible category including food and beverages, fashion, health and what not, D2C brands have made their significant place in the Indian consumer’s daily life.

The rise in the number of D2C brands is due to several factors including the Covid pandemic, higher internet penetration and growth of digital infrastructure, among others.

Amid IPO wave of 2024, public listing of D2C brands like Menhood, Honasa and FirstCry with its dozens of D2C brands has also shown maturity in the ecosystem. 

While several D2C brands including Nat Habit and Hyphen are in the spotlight for crossing INR 100 Cr revenue mark this year, many new players are emerging in this space with their own ways to influence consumer habits and trends. 

As the third largest online shopping market, India boasts over 190 Mn digital shoppers. And millions are joining each year. Plus D2C brands have also evolved to touch the retail channels where there’s a very high growth ceiling. 

At Inc42, we have been at the forefront, identifying these emerging brands. We began with a virtual D2C summit in 2020 and has since grown into a vibrant community of D2C founders, ecosystem partners, and investors. 

This year, we organised our first-ever in-person edition of D2C Summit — our fifth overall— featuring sessions by more than 40 D2C leaders and 300 attendees growing in this space. And now for the fourth time we are bringing back FAST42. 

Continuing our tradition of empowering and highlighting the fastest movers in India’s D2C space, the fourth edition of Inc42’s flagship list FAST42, in collaboration with Emiza, Simpl and Rukam Capital, promises to celebrate and give a platform to the fastest-growing brands in the country.  

As always, this is about the actual growth seen by brands in the past year (FY24) and the growth trajectory for FY25. At the end of the day by February 2025, we will have the 42 fastest-growing brands.

Applications are open until December 8, and the much-anticipated list will be live on Inc42’s website in February 2025. 

What is FAST42?

FAST42 is Inc42’s way of recognising the brightest stars in the D2C constellation. We create an interactive page every year that brings out the stories behind these brands, their growth path, major milestones and the roadmap ahead.

This list highlights the innovative strategies that D2C brands leveraged to accelerate revenue growth. The 42 brands are selected on the basis of their growth rates, and how efficiently the brands have grown. 

The past editions of FAST42 have seen more than 2,000 applicants, competing to gain recognition and be featured in this exclusive list. Notable FAST42 alumni include the likes of Pilgrim, Anveya Living, Beyond Snack, Bold Care, The Honest Home Company, MyMuse and Nat Habit among others.

Understanding The Application Criteria

India’s fastest-growing D2C brands are ranked on the basis of revenue growth rates between FY2022 and FY2024.

The brands should:

• Be founded before April 2021
• Have generated at least INR 1 Cr in revenue in FY22
• Have generated at least INR 7 Cr in revenue in FY24
• Have generated at most INR 100 Cr in revenue in any financial year
• Be privately held, for profit; based in India and independent entity 
• Should sell its own products via its own website as a key sales channel

Why D2C Brands Should Apply

Inc42 is a great way to gain visibility within the ecosystem of founders and investors, most of which are engaged on our various platforms. 

Plus, this is not an awards show. Brands will only be selected on the basis of their revenue track record as well as evaluation of business fundamentals. So this is as objective as it gets. 

Here are some more reasons for brands to apply:

• • Brand Exposure: Get a chance to be in the limelight of Inc42’s editors, reporters and analysts. The selected brands can display this recognition as an esteemed symbol of their distinction 
  • Employer Branding: The list will make our readers aware about your brand and how it functions. Not just this, it can be a good go-to-guide for potential employees
  • Visibility: The whole interactive ranking will be made public on Inc42’s website as well as an exclusive coffee table book in February of 2025. Inc42 reporters will highlight interesting brands and emerging trends featured in the list.
  • New Business Opportunities : Brand exposure to the startup community can help you land with deals from notable investors, partners and potential customers.
  • Credibility: Receive Inc42’s seal of approval for being a leading D2C startup in India

FAST24 2025 aims to facilitate D2C startups with better opportunities, recognition and exposure. We at Inc42 are dedicated to acknowledging the entrepreneurial journey that makes a startup successful. 

Applications are open until December 8, and the much-anticipated list will be live on Inc42’s website in February 2025. 

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