Personal care startup Laani has secured ₹9.1 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by V3 Ventures and Saama Capital, as it sets out to disrupt India’s body care segment with a focus on high-performance, functional products. The round also saw participation from a strong lineup of industry leaders and angel investors, including Arjun Purkayastha, Manish Taneja, Kunal Bahl, and Dr. Aneesh Sheth, reflecting growing investor confidence in emerging, innovation-led personal care brands in India.
Founded in 2024 by Nirja Bhatt, a Harvard Business School alum, Laani is entering the market with a clear proposition—building high-performance personal care solutions designed specifically for Indian consumers, taking into account local climate conditions, skin types, and evolving lifestyle needs. At a time when the broader beauty and personal care industry is witnessing rapid premiumisation and increased consumer awareness, Laani is positioning itself at the intersection of efficacy, convenience, and modern formulation science.
The company’s strategy is deeply rooted in consumer insights. Prior to launch, Laani conducted extensive research involving over 500 women to identify key gaps in the existing body care market. The findings pointed to a consistent dissatisfaction with current products, particularly around effectiveness, ease of use, and suitability for Indian weather conditions, where heat, humidity, and pollution often reduce product performance. This insight-led approach is shaping the brand’s product development philosophy, ensuring that innovation is not just cosmetic but functional and outcome-driven.
Laani’s debut product, a Clear Deodorant Stick, reflects this thinking. In a category largely dominated by roll-ons and aerosol sprays, the brand has introduced a format-led innovation designed to offer up to 24-hour odour protection while eliminating common pain points such as residue, stickiness, and stains on clothing. By rethinking both formulation and delivery format, Laani aims to elevate everyday personal care routines into more effective and user-friendly experiences.
The fresh capital will be strategically deployed across three core areas: brand building, research and development, and portfolio expansion. On the branding front, Laani plans to invest in building a strong, differentiated identity that resonates with young, urban consumers who are increasingly seeking performance-driven products rather than purely cosmetic benefits. In parallel, the company is doubling down on R&D to develop a pipeline of innovative offerings across adjacent categories within body care, potentially expanding into areas such as hygiene, skin maintenance, and functional grooming.
This funding also comes at a time when India’s personal care market is undergoing a structural shift. Consumers are moving away from legacy, mass-market products toward science-backed, ingredient-led, and performance-oriented brands. The rise of D2C channels, quick commerce platforms, and digital-first discovery has further enabled new-age brands like Laani to scale faster and engage directly with consumers. Investors are increasingly backing startups that can combine strong product innovation with sharp consumer positioning, a space where Laani appears to be gaining early traction.
Speaking on the vision, founder Nirja Bhatt emphasised that the goal is not just to participate in the market but to redefine how personal care products are perceived and used. The brand aims to create solutions that seamlessly integrate into modern routines while delivering measurable results, addressing both functional needs and lifestyle aspirations.
Looking ahead, Laani’s roadmap includes expanding its product portfolio, strengthening its digital presence, and building a loyal consumer base through consistent innovation and performance delivery. As competition intensifies in India’s beauty and personal care landscape, the company’s success will likely depend on its ability to maintain product differentiation, consumer trust, and operational agility.
With a strong founding vision, early investor backing, and a clear focus on solving real consumer problems, Laani is positioning itself as a next-generation personal care brand—one that goes beyond aesthetics to deliver tangible performance in a market that is rapidly evolving.
