Ripplr raises $45M in Series C funding round

Ripplr, the Bengaluru-headquartered distribution and supply chain platform, has raised $45 million in a Series C funding round from existing investors and with the participation of a new entity, SBI. The existing investors include 3one4 Capital, Zephyr Peacock and Sojitz Corporation.

This development was revealed in a blog post by 3one4 Capital. Founded in 2019 by Abhishek Nehru and Santosh Dabke, Ripplr is a full-stack distribution platform that brings together logistics, on-ground operations, inventory intelligence, and retailer relationships under one operating layer.

According to the blog post, Ripplr's platform now reaches roughly 100,000 retailers, processes hundreds of thousands of orders each month, and continues to deepen its footprint across India. It aims to solve the problem of increasing complexity, rising costs, attrition, and weak returns of traditional networks. The brands it serves include Unilever, Nestlé, Tata, Godrej, Nivea, and Dabur.

Ripplr is nearing EBITDA positivity and preparing for a potential IPO within the next 18-24 months, the post said. It has plans to expand into newer categories and a clear path towards sustainable profitability.

The startup reported a 39% rise in revenue for the year ended March 31, 2024, at Rs 1,032.43 crore compared to Rs 742.44 crore in FY23. However, its losses widened to Rs 89.15 crore in FY24 from Rs 62.09 crore in FY23.

It saw a 43% surge in revenue for its product distribution segment to Rs 938.54 crore, along with a 6% rise in its supply chain and logistics segment in FY24.

The 43.6% rise in losses was due to a jump in total expenses for the period to Rs 1,121.58 crore compared to Rs 804.54 crore in the previous year. The company reported a significant rise in expenses related to purchases of stock-in-trade, employee benefit expenses, and finance costs during the year.