Venturi Partners invests $25M in footwear brand JQR, secures minority stake
The funding will allow JQR to expand its offline presence in new markets, establish an online platform, and enhance its product offerings to meet India's rising demand for affordable, high-quality sneakers.
Venture Capital firm Venturi Partners has invested $25 million in JQR (Just Quick Run), a brand in the affordable footwear segment. This marks JQR's first venture capital funding, with Venturi acquiring an undisclosed minority stake.
The funding will allow JQR to expand its offline presence in new markets, establish an online platform, and enhance its product offerings to meet India's rising demand for affordable, high-quality sneakers.
“The partnership with Venturi Partners marks an exciting milestone in JQR’s journey. The investment will not only allow us to accelerate our growth and deliver value to our consumers, but, with their support and expertise, we are also confident that JQR will emerge as the leading brand in its category and deliver strong value to all stakeholders,” said a joint statement by JQR promoter brothers Rinku, Sunil, and Manish Garg.
Founded in 2014, JQR Sports Shoes is a premier brand in the sports and sneaker industry. In 2015, the brand launched India's first fluorescent shoes.
“The footwear industry is seeing strong support from government policies, and we believe
there is a significant gap in the price segment that JQR operates in. India’s consumer market continues
to have a dearth of high-quality, affordable brands, and our mission at Venturi is to identify and scale
such businesses across categories," said Rishika Chandan, Managing Director of Venturi Partners.
"JQR has impressed us with its product quality, design aesthetic, in-house manufacturing, and well-established distribution network. We look forward to working closely with the founders to accelerate their growth trajectory,” she added.
Venturi Partners aims to support JQR not just with funding but also with strategic expertise, helping
the company scale efficiently while staying true to its core brand identity, states the company's release.
Founded in 2020, Venturi Partners is an Asia-focused investment platform that enables consumer-facing
businesses build disruptive brands in India and Southeast Asia. It's existing portfolio includes Livspace, Country Delight, Believe, Pickup Coffee, DALI, and K-12 Techno.
Edited by Megha Reddy