TV Actor & Cricket Presenter Gaurav Kapur Invests In D2C Startup Flatheads

Direct-to-customer (D2C) online casual sneakers brand Flatheads has received an undisclosed amount of funding from TV actor and cricket presenter Gaurav Kapur. Kapur also joined as its brand ambassador. 

The brand is planning to launch back-to-back digital campaigns with Kapur this year to promote its products. With the help of this partnership, Flatheads aims at widening its visibility in the digital world.

In September 2021, Flatheads raised $1 Mn (around INR 7.3 Cr) in a Pre-Series A funding round led by startup investment platform We Founder Circle and Dexter Angels. 

The round also witnessed participation from other investors including Gaurav Kapur (founder of Oaktree Sports), Sahil Barua (cofounder, Delhivery) and Radhika Ghai (cofounder, ShopClues).

Flatheads has raised a total of $1.6 Mn in funding since its inception in 2019, its spokesperson told Inc42. 

Founded by Ganesh Balakrishnan and Utkarsh Biradar, Flatheads designs all-day wear casual sneakers for urban customers. They previously founded and successfully exited Momoe, a fintech startup.

Flatheads claims to be the only brand to introduce bamboo and banana fiber sneakers suited for the tropical climate in India. 

“Gaurav comes across as an unorthodox, contemporary and authentic personality. This aura he carries strikes the right chord with our target audience. The way he embodies both style and substance in his persona resonates well with our brand. He truly believes in the brand’s vision which is perhaps the most authentic connection between a brand and its ambassador,” said Utkarsh Biradar, CEO & cofounder, Flatheads.  

Bengaluru-based Flatheads has recently launched KoolTex trainers through which it brought Kool Tex/Dry Fit technology to sneakers. The startup plans to launch 2-3 new products this year.  

“It is very encouraging to see how new-age entrepreneurs are coming up with innovative products. When I wore Flatheads, I was surprised with the comfort and class that it boasts of. It is a pleasure to be associated with a brand like Flatheads that has re-engineered footwear keeping in mind the philosophies of minimalism, innovation, simplicity and thoughtfulness,” said Kapur.  

Meanwhile, Bollywood celebrities, cricketers, TV actors, and presenters have long been associated with many startups in the past. From Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (nutrition-based healthcare startup Possible), Anushka Sharma (Meat Startup Blue Tribe, D2C fashion line Nush) to Sara Ali Khan ( D2C startup The Souled Store), everyone has been attracted by startups’ charm.

Many cricketers are too in the race to invest in startups such as Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, among others. Kohli has invested in Sports Convo, Digit Insurance, Universal Sportsbiz, Rage Coffee, among others. Started in 2013, Yuvraj Singh’s YouWeCan Ventures invested aggressively in 10-11 startups till date. 

Former cricketer Anil Kumble founded Bengaluru-based startup Spektacom in 2018 that uses state-of-the-art technologies to revolutionise sporting experience.