In recent D2C news, Ziffi Chess, a gaming brand in Gurugram, got over Rs 44.2 crore ($5 million) in Series A funding. Tanglin Venture Partners led the round, with help from existing investors like India Quotient and DeVC. This shows that Indian D2C startups are moving beyond just beauty, wellness, and lifestyle products into entertainment and gaming, which changes the D2C landscape.
Akshat Bansal and Aditya Dubey, IIT-B alumni, started Ziffi Chess in 2023. They’re changing how Indians play chess with their quick, 2-minute, 6-move format. Unlike regular chess, this fast-paced model lets players compete for cash prizes. The games are free, but the tournament model, with a Rs 350 prize pool, aims to keep users interested. It’s similar to how successful D2C brands combine new ideas with what they know about consumer behavior.
This funding is a big step for Ziffi Chess. According to filings, they assigned 3,792 Series A CCPS and one equity share at Rs 1,16,583 each. Tanglin Venture Partners now owns 16.67%, and India Quotient owns 15.2%. The founders still have over 53% stake, so they maintain control while gaining from VC-backed growth. With this round, Ziffi Chess is valued at about Rs 206 crore ($23.5 million), making it a top-funded D2C brand in Indian gaming.
For Ziffi, the challenge has been dealing with regulations. When the government banned real-money online gaming, Ziffi quickly switched to a free-play model to stay compliant and keep users. This shows how D2C businesses in India often change to adapt to new rules, trends, and online behavior.
The company is still young, with Rs 1.5 lakh in revenue and Rs 87.65 lakh in expenses in FY24, resulting in losses of Rs 86 lakh. Still, investors are focusing on growth potential. With a solid product and more users, Ziffi Chess could become a top D2C brand in FY25.
Tanglin Venture Partners, which is raising its third fund with a $250 million goal, is backing Ziffi Chess as part of their plan to grow innovative D2C businesses in India, like Pocket FM, Moglix, Scapia, and abCoffee. With ongoing D2C news about funding and expansions, Ziffi Chess shows how new D2C startups are going beyond traditional retail, changing the D2C growth story in India in 2025.
