Tuco Kids, an Indian personal care brand for kids, just secured $4 million (₹35.27 Cr) in Series A funding. RTP Global led the round, with participation from MG Investments, Whiteboard Capital, and Fireside Ventures. This investment shows strong investor interest in D2C startups that are targeting underserved areas in India’s direct-to-consumer market.
Founded in 2023 by Aishvarya Murali, Tuco Kids is quickly becoming a well-known D2C personal care brand. They offer a range of products for kids aged 3-13, including soaps, shampoos, lotions, gels, body mists, kajal, and beetroot tints. While India’s beauty and skincare D2C market is booming, Tuco Kids is focusing on a category that hasn’t received as much attention.
The company plans to use the new funds for marketing, building brand awareness, creating new products, and expanding its product range. Co-founder Chanakya Gupta, who joined earlier this year, said that distribution and being present on multiple channels will be key to growth. Currently, Tuco Kids sells through its website, marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart, and quick commerce platforms like Blinkit. By 2026, they plan to expand into select retail stores, which will be a key change in their approach.
According to the founders, Tuco Kids has already reached nearly 200,000 mothers in India within 12–14 months. While the company hasn’t shared specific revenue numbers, they aim to reach ₹100 Cr in revenue within the next 18 months, which is the kind of goal investors look for in venture capital-backed D2C brands.
The kids’ personal care segment is a big opportunity in the D2C market. While established brands like Johnson’s Baby and The Moms Co. are in similar areas, few premium D2C brands focus solely on children aged 3–13. Other brands like Mamaearth and Himalaya Wellness have launched kids’ lines, but Tuco Kids is creating a unique space with products made specifically for pre-teens, focusing on safety, innovation, and fun.
Before this Series A round, Tuco Kids raised $2 million in a seed round co-led by Fireside Ventures and Whiteboard Capital in September 2024. With Fireside supporting several fast-growing D2C brands in India, and RTP Global investing in consumer startups with the ability to scale, Tuco Kids is a focus of D2C funding news.
The timing is good. According to Inc42’s State of Indian Ecommerce report, the personal care category, which was worth $6.4 billion in 2024, is expected to reach $28 billion by 2030, growing at a rate of 28% per year. Within that, the children’s segment has a lot of room to grow. As incomes rise, consumer habits change, and parents look for safer options for their kids, Tuco Kids has a great chance to become a leader in the category.
For the D2C market, Tuco Kids’ funding shows that investors are looking beyond popular beauty and fashion categories and backing startups with a unique position and the ability to grow long-term. If the company can grow across online, quick commerce, and offline channels while continuing to create new products, it could become a prime example of successful D2C brand building in India.
