KiranaPro Ropes In V3 Ventures’ Cofounder Arjun Vaidya As Investor

SUMMARY

V3 Ventures cofounder and D2C entrepreneur Arjun Vaidya has joined quick commerce platform KiranaPro as an investor and mentor, focusing on strategic partnerships with D2C brands

Unlike competitors using dark stores, KiranaPro connects neighborhood kirana stores directly with customers through its AI-powered platform, helping small retailers compete in the quick commerce space

Since launch, KiranaPro has onboarded 30,000 kirana stores across 35 cities and processes nearly 1,000 daily orders, with ambitious plans to reach 1 Mn stores and 100 Mn customers by end-2025

Quick commerce platform KiranaPro has roped in V3 Ventures’ cofounder Arjun Vaidya as investor and mentor.

Although KiranaPro did not disclose the financial terms of the deal, it said that Vaidya will help in driving its development, focused on building partnerships with D2C brands and scaling up its AI-powered platform.

Founded in 2024 by Ravindran and Dipankar Sarkar, KiranaPro aims to uplift traditional kirana stores in the face of growing competition from major quick commerce players like Zepto, Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart.

Unlike other quick commerce players that use dark stores, KiranaPro connects neighbourhood mom-and-pop stores directly with customers. Its AI-driven interface helps small retailers manage digital operations while offering flexible revenue models, including daily rates and per-lead fees.

Since inception, the startup claims to have onboarded over 30,000 kirana stores and processes nearly 1,000 daily orders across 35 cities. It also aims to onboard 1 Mn kirana stores and serve nearly 100 Mn customers by this year end.

Last month, the startup announced investment from badminton player PV Sindhu, marking the first commitment in its seed funding round. It had earlier acquired hyperlocal grocery delivery service Joper.app to boost its hyperlocal retail presence.

Earlier this year, KiranaPro partnered with ZuperAI to offer AI-based retail market solutions to its users. Under this partnership, the quick commerce startup integrated ZuperAI’s “Matchmaking AI” service to assist customers and retailers with product discovery, inventory optimisation, and supply chain efficiency.

In February, KiranaPro joined the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), gaining access to over 7 Lakh registered vendors across the country.

Amid the increasing popularity of quick commerce in the country, giants like Zepto, Blinkit, and Swiggy Instamart, along with newer entrants like Flipkart Minutes and others, have doubled down on the segment.

As per a report by Statista, India’s quick commerce market volume is expected to reach $9.95 Bn mark by 2029.