Culture-led lifestyle startup CUNIN has raised $450,000 in a pre-seed funding round led by ALL IN Capital and Huddle Ventures, marking an important milestone in India’s evolving D2C startup ecosystem. The fresh capital will be deployed to accelerate product development, strengthen the founding team, invest in brand building, expand offline presence, and launch the company’s debut fragrance portfolio alongside its innovative Carryable Perfume Accessories category.
Founded with the vision of building the next globally relevant consumer brand from India, CUNIN is entering the rapidly expanding premium fragrance market with a strategy that goes beyond traditional product-led positioning. Instead of competing solely on fragrances, the company aims to build a culture-first lifestyle brand where products become symbols of identity, self-expression, and community. This differentiated approach reflects broader D2C market trends, where modern consumers increasingly connect with brands through storytelling, design, and shared values.
The founding team brings significant operating experience from NEWME, one of India’s fastest-growing fashion brands. Co-Founder and CEO Kunal Shukla previously led product strategy, partnerships, marketing, and offline expansion at NEWME while also building and exiting earlier ventures. Co-founder Amish Bibhu drove merchandising and category expansion across multiple product categories, while Afsal spent nearly four years building the company’s finance and operational infrastructure that supported its rapid omnichannel growth.
CUNIN is introducing a distinctive product philosophy through its Carryable Perfume Accessories—fragrances designed to be worn, clipped, and displayed as part of an individual’s identity rather than hidden away. Its debut collection also introduces The World of Antonyms, a proprietary creative language featuring names such as IM-Perfect, DIS-Loyal, MIS-Placed, and MIS-Aligned. Rather than using conventional fragrance names, the brand seeks to transform language itself into intellectual property while encouraging consumers to embrace authenticity over perfection.
The funding comes as India’s premium fragrance market continues to witness strong momentum, driven by premiumisation, rising disposable incomes, and increasing demand from Gen Z consumers seeking differentiated lifestyle experiences. Investors believe CUNIN’s culture-first positioning, combined with the founders’ execution capabilities, gives the company the potential to build a globally relevant consumer brand originating from India.
Looking ahead, CUNIN plans to scale its fragrance portfolio while investing heavily in content, community building, creator collaborations, and immersive brand experiences. Over time, the company intends to expand into adjacent lifestyle categories, reinforcing its long-term ambition of building a globally recognised D2C lifestyle brand where culture becomes its strongest competitive advantage.
