In a groundbreaking development, Zepto, the online grocery delivery startup, has successfully raised a staggering $200 million in its Series-E fundraising round.
This monumental achievement catapults the company's valuation to a remarkable $1.4 billion, firmly establishing Zepto as the inaugural unicorn of 2023. This transformative fundraising endeavor was spearheaded by the prestigious US-based private markets investment firm, StepStone Group, representing a significant milestone for Zepto.
StepStone Group's involvement in this venture also marks their debut direct investment in an Indian company, signifying the growing international interest in India's booming startup ecosystem.
Furthermore, this financial feat garnered support from Goodwater Capital, a consumer-focused venture capital firm based in California, as a new investor. Impressively, existing stakeholders, including Nexus Venture Partners, Glade Brook Capital, Lachy Groom, and others, displayed their unwavering confidence in Zepto by significantly increasing their investments in the company.
This latest funding coup follows Zepto's previous successful Series D funding round in 2022, where it secured an additional $200 million.
This round was spearheaded by Y Combinator's Continuity Fund, a prominent American technology startup accelerator, and valued Zepto at $900 million.
Founded in 2021 by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, former Stanford University students, Zepto is now setting its sights on an eventual listing on the public market, with plans to make the move within the next two to three years.
In preparation for this significant step, Zepto elevated several key executives earlier this year.
Zepto's core operational model revolves around the lightning-fast delivery of over 6,000 grocery products within just 10 minutes, facilitated by an extensive network of delivery hubs across the country.
While this model has earned the moniker of "quick commerce," it has not been without its critics. Some have questioned its sustainability due to its high cash burn rate.
In response to these concerns, Zepto has made remarkable strides in optimizing its operations. The company proudly asserts that the majority of its dark stores have achieved EBITDA positivity, significantly reducing its cash burn.
With this trajectory, Zepto anticipates becoming fully EBITDA positive within the next 12 to 15 months. This financial prudence is even more remarkable given the company's continued rapid growth.
Zepto's sales have surged by an impressive 300% year-on-year, positioning the company on track to achieve an annualized sales figure of $1 billion in the upcoming quarters.
In a statement, Zepto emphasized, "This business is about execution, and we are succeeding because our execution is strong. Our culture of deep frugality and unwavering customer focus has brought us to this point, but we are poised for even greater achievements.
We are committed to building a generational company, and it truly feels like this is just the beginning." These words come from Aadit Palicha, co-founder and CEO of Zepto, underscoring the company's unwavering commitment to its mission.
The news of Zepto's substantial funding achievement is particularly noteworthy in light of the challenging capital market conditions prevailing over the past decade.
While other quick delivery platforms, such as Dunzo, are grappling with financial constraints, Zepto's success story continues to shine.
Kaivalya Vohra, co-founder, and CTO of Zepto, shared insights into the company's future strategy, stating, "Even with this capital, we want to maintain our discipline, avoid complacency, and push hard to achieve EBITDA positivity.
In this journey, technology and product development will be our primary drivers of P&L improvement".
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