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<ul><li>Mukesh Ambani’s <keyword id="58448" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Retail">Reliance Retail</keyword> has acquired <keyword id="1195807" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="furniture-retail">furniture retail</keyword> startup <keyword id="6368309" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="urban-ladder">Urban Ladder</keyword> for ₹182 crore taking up a 96% share in the startup. </li><li>Reliance Retail will further invest another ₹75 crore by December 2023.</li><li>During its peak in 2018, the startup had a valuation of ₹1200 crore, in 2019 the valuation had come down to ₹750 crore. </li></ul>Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Retail has acquired furniture retail startup Urban Ladder for ₹182 crore taking up a 96% share in the startup. Reliance Retail will further invest another ₹75 crore by December 2023. The retail giant had been in talks with the distressed startup for a long time now. Urban Ladder has gone through its own ups and downs and even after having raised over ₹857 crore got sold for a mere ₹182 crore. During its peak in 2018, the startup had a valuation of <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/exclusive-urban-ladder-looks-for-buyer-at-lower-valuation-top-vcs-may-have-to-take-haircut-5514661.html">₹1200 crore</a>, in 2019 the valuation had come down to ₹750 crore. In 2018, Urban Ladder underwent an organizational restructuring earlier this year, and had to let go off 90 employees, after which it had managed to post profit. <div type="image" title="urban ladder." msid="79230609" hostid="261"></div> Some of Urban Ladder’s marquee investors were Ratan Tata, Sequoia India, Steadview Capital, SAIF Partners, and Kalaari Capital. Reliance Retail has been on an acquisition spree having picked up stakes in <keyword id="6362513" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="startups">startups</keyword> like Zivame, Netmeds and marking its foray into new areas of retail. Its own e-commerce venture JioMart has also been picking up pace and giving tough competition to the likes of BigBasket, Grofers in the grocery space, whereas its fashion retail bet <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/reliance-backed-ajio-is-riding-on-the-indian-e-commerce-wave-poses-tough-competition-to-myntra/articleshow/78996579.cms">Ajio.com</a> too has resurfaced to be a competitor to Myntra. However, the Mukesh Ambani-led retail giant’s biggest acquisition, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/amazon-wants-future-retail-to-be-investigated-by-indias-market-regulator-accuses-kishore-biyanis-group-of-insider-trading/articleshow/79170908.cms">that of Future Retail for ₹25,000 crore </a>, is currently being challenged by Amazon. Reliance Retail, which is looking to maintain its dominance in India’s retail industry, has raised over $6.3 billion from investors over the last three months. Reliance Retail: The flurry of global investments <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><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;">Company </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;">Investment in Reliance Retail </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;">Stake in Reliance Retail </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;">Date of Investment </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;">Silver Lake </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;">₹9,375 crore </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;">2.13% </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;">September 9 (first investment) September 30 (second investment) </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;">KKR </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;">₹5,550 crore </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;">1.28% </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;">September 23 </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;">General Atlantic </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;">₹3,675 crore </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;">0.84% </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;">September 30 </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;">Mubadala </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;">₹6,247.5 crore </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;">1.4% </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;">October 1 </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;">TPG </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;">₹1,837.5 crore </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;">0.41% </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;">October 3 </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;">GIC </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;">₹5,512.5 crore </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;">1.22% </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;">October 3 </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;">ADIA </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;">₹5,512.5 crore </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;">1.20% </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;">October 6 </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;">Saudi PIF </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;">₹9,555 crore </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;">2.04% </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;">November 5 </td></tr></tbody></table> Mukesh Ambani had also revealed plans of hiving off Reliance Retail and Jio and <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/markets/reliance-retail-jio-may-be-listed-soon-stock-may-touch-rs-1900-by-march-5427481.html">listing them </a>separately.

Reliance Retail acquires Urban Ladder for ₹182 crore – at a sixth of  the startup’s peak valuation in 2018

<ul><li>Some of <keyword id="1397792" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kalaari-Capital">Kalaari Capital</keyword>’s portfolio companies – <keyword id="6368309" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="urban-ladder">Urban Ladder</keyword>, Embibe, Zivame, Haptik – have been acquired by Reliance Industries.</li><li>During Business Insider’s Global Trends Festival in October 2020 when the Urban Ladder and Reliance deal hadn’t happened, <keyword id="1397790" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vani-Kola">Vani Kola</keyword>, MD of Kalaari Capital had said that they are always on the lookout for exits.</li><li>Kola also had another important message for entrepreneurs: selling is not a sellout. </li></ul>When India’s richest man <keyword id="3820" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani">Mukesh Ambani</keyword> acquired furniture retail startup Urban Ladder, it became the fourth startup that was backed by Kalaari Capital to be sold to Reliance. Kalaari’s portfolio companies that have been sold to Reliance <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><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;">Company </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;">Kalaari investment </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;">Sold to Reliance </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;">Urban Ladder </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;">Started with $1 million in May 2012, with follow up rounds over the years </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;">November 2020 </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;">Embibe </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;">Invested $4 million alongwith Lightbox in May 2014 </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;">December 2019 </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;">Zivame </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;">First investment in early 2012 </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;">Partial exit to Zodius Capital in 2018 Acquired by RIL in 2020 </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;">Haptik </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;">$1m seed funding in September 2014 </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;">April 2019 </td></tr></tbody></table> When Business Insider had earlier asked Kola about the possible sale of a fourth startup to Reliance Group, during the Global Trends Festival in October 2020, she had said, “We are ready to sell companies and consolidate.” Kola's rationale is that there are few companies that break out to be platform companies and these platform companies get the network effort and can sell many, many products because there is a trust and engagement with the brand. However, she also knows that it takes a certain scale for a startup to reach that level and its also needs access to capital. And that’s where consolidation comes in. “Consolidation is a real part of that and it didn’t exist a decade ago. I always advise entrepreneurs that as much as I would love to see you take your company to IPO, you have to see whether you are better off building this company individually or after you have reached a certain scale whether you will get better value out of being part of a larger platform. It was that thinking which is why we were also open to selling Myntra when it was thriving,” she said. Kola also had another important message for entrepreneurs – selling is not a sellout. “It doesn't have to be that way. Selling is a continuity of the journey. Today, I see more openness from CEOs of these large companies to consolidate and promote <keyword id="6362513" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="startups">startups</keyword> and also investors and founders being open to dialogue and discussion,” she said. Urban Ladder – a sour deal? Ambani’s Reliance Retail acquired Urban Ladder for ₹182 crore taking up a 96% share in the startup. In what is being termed as a distress sale, Urban Ladder had raised over ₹700 crore from marquee investors Sequoia India, Steadview Capital, ELEVATION Capital (earlier called SAIF Partners), and Kalaari Capital. And according to <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/retail/reliance-retail-acquires-home-products-online-retailer-urban-ladder/articleshow/79229914.cms?from=mdr">reports</a>, the investors have got back just one-fifth of the investment. Kola had earlier stepped down from Urban Ladder’s board in 2019. In 2018, Urban Ladder underwent an organizational restructuring earlier this year, and had to let go off 90 employees. The COVID-19 crisis has triggered consolidation in the startup sector, with a lot of companies being acquired in the recent past as they struggle to survive the pandemic. Experts in the startup sector predict that there are many more consolidations and acquisitions on the anvil, as sectors see increased competition. Goldman Sachs analysts in a recent report on the Indian internet economy said, “We believe consolidation can help improve proﬁtability for select verticals within India internet, and could be a key theme in the near-to-medium term.” SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/reliance-retail-acquires-urban-ladder-for-182-crore-at-a-sixth-of-the-startups-peak-valuation-in-2018/articleshow/79230550.cms">Reliance Retail acquires Urban Ladder for ₹182 crore – at a sixth of the startup’s peak valuation in 2018</a>

Urban Ladder was the fourth startup from Kalaari Capital’s portfolio to be sold to Reliance – the investment firm’s MD is of the belief ‘selling does not mean sellout’

<keyword id="6368309" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Urban-Ladder">Urban Ladder</keyword> wants to sell directly to its customers and the online furniture marketplace has filed an application to convert into a single brand retailer in this regard. 
 
Urban Ladder has filed an application with the government to stock products and while retaining its foreign investments. 
 
The government changed its policies under which foreign-funded single brand companies can directly through online portals, only if they also have brick-and-mortar stores. 
 In its renewed FDI policy, single brand foreign-funded companies that sell offline as well as online can set up own inventory-led <keyword id="436047" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ecommerce">ecommerce</keyword> business in India. 
 
Earlier, even though 100% overseas capital was allowed in single brand retailing but they were restricted to sell only through physical outlets and not through online portals. 
 
Meanwhile, Urban Ladder Home Decor Solutions Pvt Ltd has written to Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). 
 
Presently, Urban Ladder offers a technological platform for retailers to sell their products and does not sell its own products. 
 
If Urban Ladder becomes a single-brand retail entity, it will be able to buy goods, have warehouses, and also sell them to consumers. 
 
Prior to Urban Ladder, several online companies such as Zivame, FabAlley and Yepme have mulled over turning into single-brand retailers. 
Zivame and FabAlley already run brick-and-mortar stores.

Soon, you may spot an Urban Ladder store near you

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=flipkart&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Flipkart</a> is foraying into categories apart from electronics, mobiles and apparels. Now, it wants to become number one in online retailer of furniture and has set an ambitious target for itself. 
 Without compromising on profits, <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> wants to achieve a 15-fold growth in the <keyword id="3327588" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="furniture-category">furniture category</keyword>. 
 
Flipkart is brining quite a few changes such as adding home furnishing and automobiles in its product category. 
 In the furniture one, Flipkart will face tough competition from <keyword id="6368309" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Urban-Ladder">Urban Ladder</keyword>, <keyword id="864887" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pepperfry">Pepperfry</keyword> and Fabfurnish. 
 
Sandeep C Patil, a senior director at Flipkart, told ET, “Furniture is a $20 billion market, which is bigger than the mobile phone market.” 
 
Reportedly, Flipkart could achieve Rs 2,600 crore in furniture sales by the end of 2016. 
 
Meanwhile, Pepperfry and Urban Ladder want to register growth of at least 150%. 
 
"Right now verticals are bigger than horizontals in the category, but even after launching in October we are quite close to them in size. If our projections hold, we will be multiple in size of verticals," told Patil. 
 
Morgan Stanley has predicted that home furnishing will boom and reap huge revenues for ecommerce firms. 
 
(Image: Thinkstock)

Flipkart is expanding its product portfolio, wants to yield profits from furniture category

India’s mushrooming <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=startup">startup culture</a> is strengthening the entrepreneur identity of the country. Every other day, more and more people are coming up with innovative ideas and starting their own ventures. But, when it comes to investment, investors have become cautious than ever before due to approach by Indian <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=internet">internet</a> companies over valuation. 
 
In the backdrop of frothy valuations made by internet companies, investors are becoming choosy in investments and are asking tough questions. 
 
The<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=+venture+capital"> venture capital</a> (VC) investors aren’t really that excited about the internet companies as they were earlier. Now, they are asking questions on key business metrics, slowing bigticket deal-making in the sector. 
 
"There is some slowdown in valuation but (that's) not questioning the fundamentals of these businesses," Vani Kola, partner at Kalaari Capital and an early investor in Snapdeal and Urban Ladder, told The Economic Times. 
 
However, this depressed sentiment can affect the mindset of entrepreneurs, a situation VC investors can leverage to drive down valuations while closing early-stage deals quickly. 
 
"A lot of entrepreneurs who were thinking that let me burn the series-A money on discounting and quickly raise series-B are now going to act smarter,"said Anand Lunia, founder of seed-stage VC firm India Quotient told. 
"They will become more cautious, not negotiate much, take what deals that they can, and sit tighter on their funding, which is good," he added. Several Indian entrepreneurs have already raised capital this year to create a longer runway for themselves in an increasingly competitive market. Several investors said their portfolio companies have capital to operate for 18-24 months. 
 
All this is unlikely to stifle availability of capital for early-stage deals, however, as venture capital firms including Accel Partners, SAIF Partners, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Nexus Venture Partners and Kalaari have raised or are raising new funds totaling more than $1.5 billion. 
 
In last five to six months, several instances have been seen where internet companies and investors have disagreed over valuations, forcing companies to raise capital from their existing investors. 
Even so, investments above $50 million have increased from two in 2013 and 12 in 2014 to 25 till July this year, according to startup analytics firm Tracxn. Total funding for venture capital-backed tech companies increased to $5.4 billion this year from $4.7 billion in all of 2014. 
 
The abundance of capital has helped build businesses but without enough moats as it allowed companies-from e-tailing firms to food delivery and online classifieds startups-to lure customers with big discounts, masking the difference between real and artificial demand for a service and leading to questionable unit economics. Unit economics in India are worse than in many other global startup hubs, according to experts. 
 
According to a recent report by Kotak Institutional Equities, gross merchandise value (GMV) per buyer is expected to increase from $140 now to $146 by 2020, as compared to average GMV of $1,092 for Chinese peers such as Alibaba in 2014.

Here’s how the investors and startups are arguing over valuation

<ul><li><keyword id="8187544" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata-digital" source="Orion">Tata Digital</keyword>’s super app ambition will finally come to life tomorrow, April 7.</li><li>The app will initially only open for Tata Group employees and their friends and family.</li><li>The company has also launched a common reward called the NeuCoins to connect all brands.</li></ul>Tata Digital’s super app ambition will finally come to life tomorrow, April 7, as <keyword id="12651286" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata-neu" source="Orion">Tata Neu</keyword> opens up for all customers. The app, which was initially rolled out a little over six months ago, was only open for 800,000 Tata Group employees and their friends and family so far. However, anyone would be allowed to sign up for the platforms from tomorrow. The Tata Neu app has already been downloaded over 100,000 times both on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. A super app is a digital ecosystem of products and services housed under a single application and user experience. Tata Neu is doing exactly the same by bringing all its digital brands under one roof. However, it is not the only one. Just like its several consumer-facing services, Tata Neu will continue to compete with India’s biggest conglomerate Reliance Industries. It will also compete with tech giant Amazon, which do offer similar services one way or another. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><thead><tr><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Offering </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Tata </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Reliance Jio </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Amazon </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Paytm </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Flipkart </th></tr><tr><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Grocery delivery </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">BigBasket </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">JioMart, Milkbasket </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Amazon Pantry, Amazon Fresh </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Paytm Mall </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Flipkart </th></tr><tr><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Electronics </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Croma </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Reliance Digital </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Amazon.com </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Paytm Mall </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Flipkart </th></tr><tr><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Ecommerce </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Tata Cliq, Westside </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Ajio, JioMart, Urban Ladder, ZivaMe </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Amazon.com </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Paytm Mall </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Flipkart </th></tr><tr><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Digital Payments </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Tata Pay UPI </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">JioMoney </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Amazon Pay </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Paytm </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">PhonePe (sister company) </th></tr><tr><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Epharmacy </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">1mg </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Netmeds </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Amazon Pharmacy </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">— </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Flipkart (over the counter drugs) </th></tr><tr><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Tour and travel </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">AirAsia India, Indian Hotel Company Limited (IHCL) </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">— </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Amazon.com </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Paytm </th><th style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Flipkart, PhonePe </th></tr></thead></table> “Tata Neu is a unified platform that connects several brands across the Tata universe like never before. Designed to be a super-app, Tata Neu offers everything from daily grocery, electronics, finance solutions, flights, holidays and more,” the description on Tata Digital’s website reads. The description goes on to mention that Tata Neu will connect each of its brands with a common reward called the NeuCoins. A customer can earn these ‘NeuCoins’ on each purchase across all brands online as well as at the physical locations. The coins can, then, be used similarly to get discounts. Tata Neu would also enable users to make payments using NeuCoins (only for Tata brands), card, QR codes, unified payments interface (UPI), and equated monthly installment (EMI). Users can also transfer money directly to a bank account using Tata Pay UPI, and keep track of utility bills like DTH, broadband, mobile and electricity. 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How does Tata Neu fare among Reliance Jio, Amazon, Flipkart and Paytm? Here is what all are included in it

<ul><li><keyword id="3820" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani">Mukesh Ambani</keyword> had said that <keyword id="58448" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Retail">Reliance Retail</keyword> is the fastest-growing retailer in the world.</li><li>Here’s how the retailer stacks up against its global listed peers <keyword id="80487" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="walmart">Walmart</keyword> (US) and <keyword id="6398216" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="tesco">Tesco</keyword> (UK). </li><li>It has been a busy 2020 at Reliance <keyword id="6354851" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail">Retail</keyword> too – with JioMart taking off, NetMeds and Zivame acquisitions, and now Future Retail and Urban Ladder on the cards.</li></ul>Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani is building ammunition for his next burst of investments for his retail venture – Reliance Retail. With the e-commerce debut with JioMart and a spree of acquisitions ready for Reliance Retail, Ambani is not just living up to his claim of being India’s largest retailer but also has global ambitions. During the company’s annual general meeting in July, Ambani had said that Reliance Retail is the fastest-growing retailer in the world, and the only Indian retailer to feature in the Top 100 global retailers. The behemoth, Reliance Industries' retail vertical is headed for an initial public offering (IPO) soon. Here’s how Reliance Retail stacks up against its global listed peers Walmart (US) and Tesco (UK). <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><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;"> </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;">Reliance Retail </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;">Walmart </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;">Tesco </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;">Retail sq ft </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;">28.7 million </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;">783.9 million </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;">141.5 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;">Revenue for FY20 </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;">$21.7 billion </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;">$524 billion </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;">$73.2 billion </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;">Total number of stores </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;">11,806 </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;">11,500 </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;">10780 </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;">Market Value </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;">$4-5.3 billion (estimated) </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;">$381.49 billion </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;">$22.25 billion </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;">Enterprise value/EBITDA </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;">26.5x </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;">12.79x </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;">8.74x </td></tr></tbody></table>(Source: company reports, HDFC Securities) Reliance Retail, the unlisted entity, is estimated to share a higher valuation Reliance Retail might be a small player when compared to the global giants Walmart and Tesco, but here’s where Mukesh Ambani brings true value to its investors – its enterprise value to EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) ratio is double than Walmart, and triple than that of Tesco. The higher the EV/EBITDA ratio, the more value the investor sees in the company. But what makes for Reliance Retail’s high EV/EBITDA ratio? Arvind Singhal, Chairman and MD of consulting firm Technopak, explains that most Indian companies enjoy a much higher EV/EBITDA ratio than their competitors in the US and Europe. “There are two factors. Firstly, the perception of investors is that India will show more growth in consumer product industries compared to mature markets where the consumers are spending less on merchandise and more on services. Retailers like Tesco or Walmart, they have to grow by taking a share of the market from someone. The demography of India is such that people will spend on merchandise consumption, therefore you can support higher multiples,” he said. Singhal also believes that Reliance Retail also enjoys the stance of being part of a conglomerate as opposed to other listed peers within India like DMart, Trent or a Shoppers Stop. “When Reliance Retail does go on to list, the valuation will be higher because of the limited number of ‘good’ companies in India and that too of a certain scale. So, when a global investor comes looking at investments in India, they are going to put their money on those few companies,” he said. Grocery at the centre stage for all three From Reliance to Walmart and even Tesco, grocery is at the centre stage of their e-commerce bets, a business that has only accelerated due to the coronavirus pandemic. Reliance in its first-quarter earnings of FY21 reported that grocery alone saw a 21% growth year-on-year in the operational business of grocery in the first quarter. Ambani’s e-commerce bet, JioMart clocked in big numbers during the lockdown – the company claimed it received over 4 lakh orders on a single day. And now, expansion plans for JioMart are underway. According to a <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/rils-jiomart-to-sell-half-of-all-online-grocery-in-india-facebook-to-help-put-mukesh-ambani-on-top-goldman/2036073/">Goldman Sachs report,</a> JioMart is poised to sell half of all online grocery in India, which is expected to see 5 million orders every day by 2024. It also helps that global tech players like Facebook and Google have invested billions in Jio and backed Ambani’s digital plans. Meanwhile, Walmart has nearly doubled its e-commerce sales during the April-June quarter, thanks to the rising demand in online grocery. And at the other end, Tesco continues to remain the leader in the British market, even with Amazon being bullish about its e-commerce grocery sales in the region. During the lockdown, Tesco saw its grocery sales <a href="https://retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/food-entertainment/grocery/britains-grocery-sales-growth-slows-as-habits-inch-towards-normality/77613018">jump</a> by 12.8%. Reliance Retail is stocking up Reliance Retail current offerings <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><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;">Offline Retail </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;">E-commerce </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;">Reliance Fresh </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;">Jio Mart </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;">Reliance Trends </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;">Ajio.com </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;">Reliance Digital </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;">Reliance digital </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;">Reliance Jewels </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;">Home Shop18 </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;">Reliance Market </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;">BookMyShow </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;">Reliance Smart </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;">Reliancesmart.in </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;">Reliance Footprint </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;">NetMeds </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;">Qwik mart </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;">Zivame </td></tr></tbody></table> 2020 might be an agonising year for most, and especially those businesses that operate in the segments that Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani seems to be interested in. The spate of acquisitions continues. With the buyout of online pharmacy startup Netmeds, and a stake in lingerie retailer Zivame, Reliance Retail is now looking to close the acquisition deal with Kishore Biyani’s mammoth enterprise Future Retail, which runs the chain of Big Bazaar stores over the next few days. It is also in talks with furniture retail startup Urban Ladder. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stocks-to-watch-today-sbi-dlf-pnb-housing-yes-bank-ruchi-soya-titan-company-and-more/articleshow/77646162.cms">Top stocks to watch today— SBI, DLF, PNB Housing, Yes Bank, Ruchi Soya, Titan Company and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/walmart-ceo-defends-flipkart-valuation-says-learnings-from-india-helped-double-their-e-commerce-sales/articleshow/77626799.cms">Walmart CEO defends Flipkart's valuation, says learnings from India helped double their e-commerce sales</a>

Here’s how Reliance Retail stacks up against some of its global peers – Walmart and Tesco

<ul><li>Even with the failures of <keyword id="8143915" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="uber-and-wework">Uber and WeWork</keyword> in the US market, Indian startups are optimistic about their public offer. </li><li>Here’s a list of India’s most prominent startups which could soon head for an IPO. </li><li>Recently, startups like Ola, Lenskart and Policybazaar had appealed to SEBI to make the rules easier for a startup listing.</li></ul>Startups might be looking at new avenues to raise money. And, thanks to their popularity with consumers, it is possible for them to raise it from the public. As the IPO fever has gripped the US markets, Indian founders are watching their performance closely. In spite of tepid response that Uber received and WeWork’s debacle, Indian startups are stubbornly working towards taking their companies public. However, to get funds en masse, companies should be able to show profits. And few startups would qualify. This too is not discouraging startup founders who are confident that their business model will find takers. Recently, <a href="https://inc42.com/buzz/ola-lenskart-and-policybazaar-demand-change-ipo-listing-sebi-guidelines/">startups </a>like Ola, Lenskart and Policybazaar appealed to market regulator SEBI to relax rules for startups to list. Here are the startups who could be making their market debut soon. Uber’s answer: Ola The homegrown ride hailing unicorn has set off strong rumours of an imminent <a href="https://inc42.com/buzz/ipo-is-mobility-unicorn-ola-gearing-up-for-public-listing/">IPO</a> as it has raised fresh funding of ₹35.88 crores from ARK Ola pre-IPO Fund. The fund is based out of Seoul and <a href="https://entrackr.com/2019/09/exclusive-ola-set-up-pre-ipo-trust-public-listing-2-years/">reports</a> say it was formed to aid its IPO plans. The Bhavish Aggarwal-led company has been actively entering new markets across the world, and had also recently set up a technology hub in the Bay Area. Oyo’s fast paced growth and a possible market listing Another company that has been reported to be eyeing an IPO, while also through a fast paced expansion process. Oyo Hotels &amp; Homes is entering new markets or hitting new milestones in a current markets. And reports say, all of its achievements could be leading up to a large IPO that it is planning. A <a href="https://www.livemint.com/companies/start-ups/oyo-s-preparing-to-list-in-next-2-3-years-eyes-up-to-18-billion-valuation-1562609045816.html">Mint</a> report says that the company is looking at a $18 billion valuation and an IPO in 2-3 years. Vijay Shekhar Sharma can’t be far behind Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s PayTm is one of India’s prized payment gateway innovation. At a recent <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/ht-mintasia-leadership-summit-paytm-to-start-planning-ipo-in-22-24-months-says-ceo-vijay-shekhar-sharma/story-67K1gh0yeRbK6Mkd7IfXWK.html">summit</a>, Sharma said that the company will start preparing for an IPO in the next two years. In the financial year 2018-19, Paytm had clocked in a gross transaction value of $50 billion through 5.5 billion transactions. It has also set a target of 12 billion transactions by FY20. <keyword id="143842" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mobikwik">Mobikwik</keyword>’s desire to be the first payments company to be listed Paytm’s competitor Mobikwik is not too far behind. In July, its payment gateway business has turned profitable. “We will march forward towards an IPO in 2023-24. We will aspire to become the first Indian fintech and first Indian payments - company to get listed in India,” the company earlier told <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/mobikwik-aims-to-become-the-first-payments-startup-to-go-for-an-ipo/articleshow/70987513.cms">Business Insider India</a>. Mobikwik’s revenues in FY 2019 was 3.5 times higher than those in previous year, at ₹18.4 billion. After all the troubles, Urban Ladder wants profitability and an IPO Online furniture retailer Urban Ladder has been eyeing an IPO for long now. It has said that it is confident of going ahead with it in the next two years. Urban Ladder is in an expansion mode, and as it hopes to turn profitable by the end of 2019. Urban Ladder underwent an organizational restructuring earlier this year, and had to let go off 90 employees. Some of its marquee investors include Ratan Tata, Sequoia India, Steadview Capital, SAIF Partners, and Kalaari Capital. Talking of furniture, Pepperfry is in too! Another furniture retailer, Pepperfry too is closing in on its IPO plans. In an interview with <a href="https://qz.com/india/1714225/pepperfry-indian-furniture-e-commerce-firm-eyes-profits-ipo/">Quartz</a>, Ashish Shah, co-founder of Pepperfry said that they are planning an IPO in one and a half years. Pepperfry has been scaling up its businesses and is also looking at achieving its $1 billion GMV <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/companies/pepperfry-targets-gross-merchandise-value-of-1-billion-by-2021-3754081.html">target</a> by 2021. With over 6 million customers, Pepperfry has 39 offline studios across 22 cities in India. It is also on an expansion mode.

These marquee Indian startups could be lining up for some big-bang IPOs

<ul><li>Ashish Shah, co-founder and COO of Pepperfry, in an interview with Business Insider shares that the startup turned its business around in 2020 and is now close to profitability.</li><li>Shah shared that in 12-16 months the initial public offering (IPO) dream will become a reality.</li><li>Pepperfry is also currently hiring for their technology and product management teams.</li></ul>Indian online furniture marketplace Pepperfry saw its business, like many other businesses across the world, come to a complete halt in March 2020. A year later, Ashish Shah, co-founder and chief operating officer at Pepperfry in an interview with Business Insider shared that the startup has turned its business around and is now close to profitability, while a market listing is on the cards. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Eyes on the market" comment="subhead" text="Eyes on the market">Eyes on the market</cmsannotation> Pepperfry has been on the radar for an initial public offering (IPO) for a long time now. Shah shares that in the next 12-16 months the IPO dream will become a reality, but he admits that it's all about the timing. If the pandemic would not have happened, Shah said that by now they would have been close to filing for the IPO. “From the process standpoint, we began our IPO preparation six months ago. Last year, we did an IPO day at Pepperfry, most of our documentation is ready and we are moving fast as long as processes are concerned,” said Shah. In order to go for an IPO, they need to show profitability and the idea for Shah is to turn profitable and then remain so. India’s market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) expects companies to have a track record of distributable profits for three out of the immediately preceding 5 years. “Profitability is the agenda we drove significantly during the months of lockdown – from simplifying team structures, supply chain pricing with the customers to our relationships with the merchants, we did a lot of optimisation. Beginning of this year, we were very close to profitability,” said Shah. However, Shah stresses that there weren’t any layoffs at Pepperfry, even though salary cuts had to happen. “When we say that we have to be profitable, we want sustainable profitability. By laying off people for two, three months, we could have turned profitable, but the idea is to do it the right way,” he said. While Pepperfry has no plans to raise funds immediately, they will raise a pre-IPO round to build awareness around the brand. “Somewhere around the third or fourth quarter this year is when we will look at raising funds,” he said. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Work from home orders" text="Work from home orders">Work from home orders</cmsannotation> As the pandemic forced people to work from their homes, the need for chairs, tables and furniture that will help you work from home shot up massively. And for the folks at Pepperfry, this didn’t go unnoticed. By the end of May and June onwards, orders started coming in for chairs, study tables, laptop stands and more. “Chair sales grew 250% year-on-year, study tables grew by 400%. Some of these categories that used to contribute 10% to my business pre-pandemic, now contribute almost 25%,” said Shah. The company now claims a return rate of less than 4% and revenue is also growing. With the end of the financial year ended March 31, Shah expects the firm would have clocked 35% growth in revenue. “In the coming year, we are targeting a 50-60% growth rate,” he said. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Hiring and expansion plans" comment="subhead" text="Hiring and expansion plans">Hiring and expansion plans</cmsannotation> Shah said that they are doubling their technology team as they are opening a technology centre in Bengaluru. The roles they are looking at are for their technology and product management teams. Pepperfry is now also looking at focusing more on the franchise model for expansion. “We opened 10 franchises in the last quarter, and we are looking at 10 more this quarter. In the next six months, we will have 25 more stores through the franchise model,” he said. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The importance of the entry of Reliance and IKEA" comment="subhead" text="The importance of the entry of Reliance and IKEA">The importance of the entry of Reliance and IKEA</cmsannotation> Shah shares that the furniture category is a $30 billion market according to him, but only as much as 9% is held by organised players. So, the concept of branded furniture is important in India. Even though Pepperfry sees competition from Reliance-acquired Urban Ladder or IKEA, Shah believes they are only going to help boost the sales of branded furniture. However, there’s a race. “There can be many billion dollar companies in the furniture market because the sector is so big, but we want to be the first,” said Shah. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/facebook-backed-meesho-raises-300-million-from-softbank-vision-fund-2-valuation-jumps-to-over-2-billion/articleshow/81907721.cms">Facebook-backed Meesho raises $300 million from SoftBank Vision Fund 2 – valuation jumps to over $2 billion</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/heres-a-look-at-what-is-allowed-and-what-is-not-allowed-during-the-maharashtra-lockdown-again/articleshow/81907207.cms">Here’s a look at what is allowed and what is not during the weekend lockdown and night curfew in Maharashtra</a>

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Reliance Retail acquires Urban Ladder for ₹182 crore – at a sixth of the startup’s peak valuation in 2018

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Urban Ladder was the fourth startup from Kalaari Capital’s portfolio to be sold to Reliance – the investment firm’s MD is of the belief ‘selling does not mean sellout’

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Soon, you may spot an Urban Ladder store near you

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Flipkart is expanding its product portfolio, wants to yield profits from furniture category

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Here’s how Reliance Retail stacks up against some of its global peers – Walmart and Tesco

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These marquee Indian startups could be lining up for some big-bang IPOs

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Pepperfry co-founder gets candid about its IPO plans, says profitability is right around the corner

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