Mumbai-based pet grooming brand Captain Zack has raised around ₹11 crore ($1.5 million) in a pre-series A funding. The round was led by industrialists Kushal Desai and Chaitanya Desai through their family office, and Japan Vyas, co-founder of Sixth Sense Ventures, who had been an angel investor in the company.
Other investors that participated in the round include Naval Bir Kumar, former head at IDFC Asset Management & Standard Chartered Asset Management, Sunil Agarwal, owner Joy Cosmetics and experienced investment banker Ketan Shah, who manages Panini Advisors LLP.
The funds raised will be used to further market the brand and create awareness, while a part of the funds will also be used towards Coccoon, another brand owned by EM Personal Care.
Captain Zack, owned by EM Personal Care, was founded by Mohit Lalvani in 2017. The brand offers a wide range of pet care products across categories like shampoo, cologne, and conditioner. The products offered by the brand are claimed to be paraben free, vegan, anti-irritant, and free of harmful chemicals, while consisting of natural actives, essences & oils, to provide a reaction-free experience to the pets.
With a team of 22 members, the brand has a presence across major metros in India.
The brand sells its products through its platform, as well as other e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Paytm Mall, Snapdeal, and MyPetBuddy, among others.
Other startups in the pet care segment competing with Captain Zack include DogSpot, Vivaldis Health and Foods, and TailsLife, among others.
In January 2016, DogSpot raised an undisclosed amount of funds from a clutch of investors including Ratan Tata, Ronnie Scewvala, among others.
Earlier in December 2013, DogSpot raised $5 million in a venture funding round from India Quotient.
According to a researchandmarkets.com report, Indian pet care market is expected to grow with a CAGR of more than 20% in the forecasted period of FY 2017-18 to FY 2021-22, on account of rising nuclear families, double income households, change in lifestyle, urbanization and increasing pet ownership.
The pet care market in India is expected to reach $270 million by 2019.