[Funding alert] Actor-parent Dia Mirza invests in sustainable toy brand shumee

Wooden toy brand Shumee recently announced it is bringing on board Dia Mirza as both a strategic investor and brand ambassador

The Bengaluru-based startup — founded by Harvard and IIT Delhi alum Meeta Sharma Gupta — designs development-friendly child-safe toys and games for children aged 0 to 8. 

“As a mom, I am constantly looking for products that ensure safety, are environmentally-conscious, free from plastic, and are made from a mother's perspective,” says the actor, producer, and sustainability advocate, who was blessed with a baby boy earlier in May.

“Being cognizant of my baby’s development needs, I find the entire range of shumee toys to be a great enabler of my child's cognitive development while he is at play. I admire and appreciate that shumee toys are built on a pillar of sustainability by local artisans. These toys are natural inside and out and that is a very reassuring thought,” she adds. 

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Meeta Sharma Gupta, Founder, shumee, and a mother of two, says,

“Children learn through play; learning should not be forced on them. We have over 100 toys and games at shumee and none of them is 'educational' in the typical sense. They encourage open-ended play led by the child’s own imagination and will. As the child plays, they hone age-appropriate skills, including fine and gross motor and sensory skills in early months, and problem-solving, creativity, and communication later.”

shumee toys are created by an in-house team from India’s top design schools, including NID and NIFT. They are handcrafted by local artisans using wood, cotton, and other natural child-safe materials.

Founded in 2016, shumee has sold over 200,000 toys in six countries through its website and marketplaces like Amazon. All its toys are certified for safety by international standards, including ASTM and EN71, the startup claims.

Speaking about her investment, Dia added, “It is a priceless opportunity to expand your understanding of life, of your own self, and the world. As a mother, you become deeply attuned to not just your child but the well-being of the planet, other children, and all forms of life. I am thrilled to endorse a brand that is doing some great and category-defining work in this space.”

At present, Dia Mirza is the Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme, Wildlife Trust of India, Save the Children, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.