VilCart Secures USD 10 Mn Funding to Transform Rural Commerce The funding round saw participation from AI-X B.V., Spark Capital, and existing investor Nabventures.
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Rural commerce startup VilCart has raised USD 10 million in bridge funding to accelerate its growth and revolutionise rural retail in India. The funding round saw participation from AI-X B.V., Spark Capital, and existing investor Nabventures. This milestone reinforces VilCart's commitment to digitizing rural retail and expanding its presence across the country.
The new funding will primarily support the expansion of VilCart's Own Brands initiative, aiming to provide hygienically packed groceries and edible oil to rural families, ensuring quality standards comparable to urban households. Additionally, the funds will enhance VilCart's capabilities in rural commerce and drive its growth initiatives.
Prasanna Kumar C, CEO of VilCart, remarked, "This funding validates VilCart's growth and the immense potential in rural commerce in India. It will help us grow faster and transform Kirana stores into Grameen Super Markets. As we scale, our focus remains on strengthening rural supply chains, enhancing technology, and creating sustainable opportunities for rural businesses."
Founded in 2018, VilCart has positioned itself as a tech-enabled rural-to-rural supply chain platform, bridging the gap between village Kirana stores and farmer producer organisations, brands, rural SMEs, and manufacturers. The platform simplifies inventory procurement, logistics, and supply chain management for Kirana stores, empowering them with cutting-edge technology and diverse product offerings at competitive prices.
Operating across South India, VilCart connects rural families to essential goods such as groceries, FMCG products, personal care items, and electronics through its extensive network of over 1 lakh Kirana stores in 30,000 villages. By transforming these stores into efficient Grameen Super Markets, VilCart is making high-quality products more accessible to rural populations.
The Bengaluru-based brand claims to have demonstrated remarkable growth, with private-label contributions rising from 7% of total revenue in April 2024 to 21% by January 2025. VilCart closed FY24 with a topline of INR 883 crore and projects INR 1,200 crore for FY25.
Under the visionary leadership of Prasanna Kumar C, VilCart continues to bridge gaps in the unorganised retail sector through innovation and technology. With this new funding, VilCart is poised to scale new heights, empowering rural entrepreneurs, creating sustainable livelihoods, and driving economic growth across India.
