<keyword id="1518229" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lenskart">Lenskart</keyword> on Monday said global investment firm <keyword id="6354544" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="kkr">KKR</keyword> will invest <keyword id="54123" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="USD">USD</keyword> 95 million (about Rs 695.8 crore) in the omni-channel eyewear retailer via a secondary stake acquisition. As part of the transaction, existing <keyword id="6359051" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="investors">investors</keyword> - TPG Growth and TR Capital - will each divest a portion of their holding in Lenskart, a statement said. These entities had invested in Lenskart in late 2014. Upon the completion of the transaction, KKR will look to leverage its experience working with leading technology and eyewear companies globally to support Lenskart in expanding its presence in India, scaling its growing operations overseas, and enhancing its digital offerings to augment customers' virtual and omni-store experience, the statement said. According to reports, KKR's investment is part of a larger USD 300-million round. However, the companies did not comment on the report and if other investors have participated in the round. KKR said it is making its investment from its Asian private equity fund. Some of the recent technology-focused investments for KKR in Asia include Adopt A Cow (a digitalised, direct-to-consumer dairy company in China), NetStars (the operator of Japan's largest QR code payment gateway), and Walnut Programming (a children's programming education company in China). In 2019, Lenskart had announced raising over USD 275 million (nearly ₹1,956 crore) from Softbank Vision Fund. In the past, it has received funding from investors' like Ratan Tata, PremjiInvest, <keyword id="85860" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="IFC">IFC</keyword> (venture capital arm of the <keyword id="6354424" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-bank">World Bank</keyword>), TPG Growth, IDG Ventures, Unilazer Ventures and Adveq. Established in 2010, Lenskart currently serves over 7 million customers annually through its omni-channel presence that spans online, mobile application, and 730 stores in 175 cities across the country. In 2019, Lenskart had also expanded to Singapore, marking its foray into Southeast Asia. Lenskart integrates technology into all aspects of its operations, to the browsing, shopping and purchasing experience, in addition to manufacturing and supply-chain optimisation. Among Lenskart's digital offerings is a virtual 3D try-on tool; AI-powered facial mapping and frame recommendation features; smart physical stores with seamless omni-channel experience; and footfall tracking beacons, heat maps and demographic analytics; and intelligent supply-chain and inventory-management solutions. More than 600 million people in India and 4.5 billion people globally need vision correction, but only a fraction of them use it due to a lack of access, awareness, and high-quality, affordable solutions, Lenskart CEO Peyush Bansal said. Lenskart was founded to address this gap by leveraging technology to make eyewear accessible to everyone - first in India, and now worldwide, he added. "In the next five years, we aspire to have 50 per cent of India wearing our specs... We are thrilled to welcome KKR as an investor given their significant experience working with leading global eyewear retailers such as National Vision and 1-800 Contacts as well as technology-focused businesses globally," he said. KKR Partner Gaurav Trehan said as a technology-driven business, Lenskart is a strong, homegrown disruptor in India's rapidly expanding eyewear industry. "We are truly excited to work with Peyush and Lenskart's impressive management team to support Lenskart's growth and innovation in India and internationally, in addition to advancing its mission to provide affordable, accessible eyewear products for everyone," he added. Avendus Capital advised Lenskart on the transaction. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/battlegrounds-mobile-india-pre-registrations-to-begin-on-may-18/articleshow/82702403.cms">PUBG Mobile: Battlegrounds Mobile India pre-registrations to begin on May 18 – rewards, maps and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/ratan-tata-backed-moglix-is-the-13th-unicorn-from-india-this-year/articleshow/82702143.cms">Ratan Tata-backed Moglix is the 13th unicorn from India this year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/elon-musk-hints-that-tesla-may-dump-its-billion-dollar-bitcoin-investment/articleshow/82699553.cms">Elon Musk hints that Tesla may dump its billion dollar Bitcoin investment — here’s why his tweets have so much power</a>

Lenskart gets funding of $95 million from global investment firm KKR

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/51104364.cms" />In an effort to widen its e-tailing portfolio, World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) is mulling to invest at least Rs 170 crore, or $25 million in <keyword id="1518229" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lenskart">Lenskart</keyword> Solutions. 
 
After investing in BigBasket, IFC is looking to buy minority stake in the online eyewear retailer. 
 
Lenskart raised Rs 60 crore from existing investor, TPG Growth, last year in November taking the valuation of the company to Rs 1,000 crore from Rs 634 crore in December 2014. 
 
Lenskart presently has 90 franchisees in over 50 cities. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

After BigBasket, World Bank’s IFC is going to pump in Rs 170 crore in Lenskart

<ul><li><keyword id="6947922" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="chiratae">Chiratae</keyword> plans to invest in 50 startups with this fund over the next couple of years.</li><li>It will look to make bets in 20 startups annually, working across seed stage to late stage.</li><li>Chiratae is also an investor in PolicyBazaar, which has recently filed preliminary papers to go public.</li><li>Its portfolio includes 100 companies such as Lenskart, Firstcry and Cure.fit.</li></ul>Investment firm <keyword id="6891457" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="chiratae-ventures">Chiratae Ventures</keyword> has announced the final close of its fourth fund at $337 million on Friday, August 6. The Mumbai-based venture capital (VC) firm will use this capital to invest in about 50 companies over the next couple of years. It plans to close about 15-20 deals on an annual basis, Chiratae Ventures’s executive director and partner Karthik Prabhakar told Business Insider. These investments would range from early-stage to later stage rounds. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;" class="redcator-table-advance"><colgroup></colgroup><col /><col /><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Stage </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Average Investment Size </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Seed </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">$1-$1.5 million </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Series A </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Up to $5 million </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Series B </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Up to $7 million </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Later Stages/Larger Cheques </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Up to $40 million </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> Though the closure of Chiratae’s Fund IV was delayed by over 10 months due to COVID-19, it was oversubscribed by 25%. The fund is backed by marquee investors such as World Bank’s investment arm International Finance Corporation (IFC), Infosys’ Kris Gopalakrishnan, Asian Paints FO, Unilever, ITC, Premji Invest, Nippon, and others. Chiratae Ventures (formerly known as IDG Ventures India) was founded by <keyword id="145348" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sudhir-Sethi">Sudhir Sethi</keyword> and <keyword id="3092057" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="TC-Meenakshisundaram">TC Meenakshisundaram</keyword> in 2006. The investment firm — which has $950 million as assets under management (AUM) — has invested in more than 100 companies in India. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;" class="redcator-table-advance"><colgroup></colgroup><col /><col /><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Investments </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">100 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Exits </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">38 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Key Investments </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Agrostar, Bizongo, Bounce, Cropin, Emotix, GoMechanic, HealthifyMe, PlayShifu, Pyxis, and Vayana </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Key Exits </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">CloudCherry, Flipkart, Manthan, Myntra, Newgen, PlaySimple, and Xpressbees </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Unicorns* </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Firstcry, Lenskart, PolicyBazaar </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Soonicorns** </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Curefit, Uniphore </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table>*Unicorns are companies valued at or above $1 billion. **Soonicorns are companies are going become unicorn soon Its portfolio companies include Yatra and Newgen, which went public in 2016 and 2018 respectively. The company currently has three initial public offering (IPO)-bound companies in its portfolio. This includes online insurance aggregator PolicyBazaar, which recently filed its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/policybazaar-ipo-all-you-need-to-know-the-details-of-sixth-largest-fintech-startup/articleshow/84967042.cms">preliminary papers </a>with market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to go public. Although the investment firm claims to have two more publicly-listed companies in making over the next three years, it has refused to share any more details about them. Chiratae has big plans with startups going public The Indian startup ecosystem was busy churning out unicorns in the summer of 2021, but the monsoons are all about IPOs. Over the last months, several <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/these-are-some-of-the-highest-paid-founders-of-indian-startups-tapping-capital-markets-this-year/slidelist/85005261.cms">companies</a> like Nykaa, Mobikwik, Paytm, Fino Payments Bank, and CarTrade have filed their papers for IPO. Meanwhile, Zomato and EasyMyTrip have already listed publicly. The way things are going, Chiratae expects to have more IPO-bound or listed companies in its portfolio. The investment firm has not pitched to sell any of its shareholdings in PolicyBazaar, the fintech startups’s <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/policybazaar-ipo-all-you-need-to-know-the-details-of-sixth-largest-fintech-startup/articleshow/84967042.cms">draft red herring prospectus (DRHP)</a> has revealed. Talking to Business Insider, Chiratae Ventures’ founder and chairperson Sudhir Sethi said, “We've exited 35 or 38 companies. Some have died, so the active portfolio is around 60. We invest in 15 every year. Will there be some who will become unicorns? Will there be some who won't last out longer? The answers are very big yes. The three numbers going to ten, don’t be surprised because scaling is happening.” Meanwhile, Meenakshisundaram added that IPOs are going to be a big trend as companies in the last decade have grown to scale. There have been a lot of exits — both in secondary market or in IPO — which has given the investors the confidence to come into this asset class, he added. Meanwhile, Sethi added that decade old companies are going public now and the cycle will continue forward. “I think the world of unicorns is a given, right? It's the world of decacorns, which is now being thought of,” he added. “Compared to yesterday, today, obviously, is a lot more exciting, and the best time to be an entrepreneur and a VC,” Prabhakar added. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-is-now-using-chrome-as-another-security-layer-for-account-sign-ins/articleshow/84975356.cms" style="">Google is now using Chrome as an added security layer for account sign-ins</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/how-to-check-allotment-status-of-glenmark-life-sciences-ipo/articleshow/84978486.cms">Glenmark Life Sciences IPO: How to check allotment status, listing date and more</a>

PolicyBazaar investor Chiratae closes another fund at $337 million, with three portfolio startups ready to go public

<ul><li><keyword id="4372171" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Eruditus">Eruditus</keyword> has raised $650 million in a funding round led by investment firms Accel and SoftBank.</li><li>It is the third highest valued edtech startup in India, after Byju’s and Unacademy.</li><li>Earlier this week, Ronnie Screwvala’s upGrad entered the <keyword id="152045" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Unicorn">unicorn</keyword> club after raising $185 million.</li></ul>Mumbai-based Eruditus has raised $650 million in a funding round led by investment firms Accel and SoftBank. This round has valued Eruditus at $3.2 billion, making it the third highest valued edtech startup in India. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board also<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/11/india-eruditus-valued-at-3-2-billion-in-650-million-fundraise/"> participated </a>in the new round. Prior to this, the company had raised <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/eruditus-closes-113m-series-d-co-led-by-leeds-illuminate-and-prosus-ventures-1029549472">$113 million</a> in Series D round led by Leeds Illuminate and Prosus Ventures. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), a non-profit organisation headed by Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, has also participated in the round that valued Eruditus at $700 million. Founded in 2010 by Chaitanya Kalipatnapu and Ashwin Damera, Eruditus works with universities globally to offer six to eight months-long executive-level courses to students present across 80 countries. These courses cost anything between $5,000 to $40,000, and are available for on-campus, off-campus and online modes. Some of the universities it has tied up with include Columbia, Harvard Business School, INSEAD, Tuck at Dartmouth, Wharton, UC Berkeley and London Business School. This is SoftBank’s second major bet in India’s edtech sector. The Japanese conglomerate has also invested in Bengaluru-based Unacademy, which is the second highest valued edtech startup after Byju’s. Unacademy raised $440 million, earlier this month, in a funding round led by Singapore’s Temasek Holdings. The Gaurav Munjal-led startup is currently valued at $3.4 billion, and counts General Atlantic and Tiger Global as investors. Apart from that, Ronnie Screwvala-led higher education platform upGrad entered the unicorn club earlier this week, after raising <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ronnie-screwvalas-upgrad-is-indias-newest-entry-into-the-unicorn-club-as-it-closes-a-185-million-funding-round/articleshow/85175717.cms">$185 million</a> from Temasek, IFC (International Finance Corporation, a sister organisation of the World Bank) and IIFL. The company is now valued at $1.2 billion. A unicorn is a startup valued at or above $1 billion. Out of all the edtech startups in India, Byju’s is the only decacorn (valued at above $10 billion) with a valuation of $16.5 billion. It is also the highest valued edtech startup in the world and the most valued startup in India. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/dailyhunt-josh-parent-verse-innovation-raises-over-450-million-doubles-valuation/articleshow/85262790.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Dailyhunt, Josh parent VerSe Innovation raises over $450 million, doubles valuation</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/stellaris-venture-partners-closes-fund-2-to-make-bets-in-existing-portfolio-new-startups/articleshow/85261404.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Mamaearth and MFine-backer Stellaris Venture Partners closes second fund to make bigger bets in existing portfolio and up to 30 new startups</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/lenskart-aims-to-hire-over-2000-employees-to-ramp-up-its-operations/articleshow/85235059.cms">Lenskart aims to hire over 2000 employees to ramp up its operations</a>

You Searched For "IFC investment in Lenskart" and got 4 results

Lenskart gets funding of $95 million from global investment firm KKR

PTI

After BigBasket, World Bank’s IFC is going to pump in Rs 170 crore in Lenskart

BI India Bureau

PolicyBazaar investor Chiratae closes another fund at $337 million, with three portfolio startups ready to go public

Kritti Bhalla

Eruditus is India’s fourth edtech unicorn, valued at $3.2 billion

Kritti Bhalla