Funding · Commerce & Consumer Brands
BUILT raises $2 Mn to bring natural movement footwear to India
By Startup Enthusiast ·
- Date
- Company
- BUILT
- What it does
- direct-to-consumer footwear startup
- Kind
- Funding
- Amount
- $2 Mn
- Stage
- pre-seed
- Founded
- 2026
What they do
BUILT is a direct-to-consumer footwear startup that designs and sells shoes with wider toe boxes, minimal heel drop, and greater flexibility to encourage…
What happened
The startup raised $2 Mn (about ₹17 Cr) in a pre-seed funding round from Singapore-based VC firm Tanglin Venture Partners and Lifelong Group founder Bharat…
Why it matters
BUILT plans to use the funds for R&D, proprietary tooling, product design, and manufacturing, as well as inventory expansion and launching 20 apparel and…
The details
- BUILT, a direct-to-consumer footwear startup, raised $2 Mn (about ₹17 Cr) in a pre-seed funding round from Singapore-based VC firm Tanglin Venture Partners and Lifelong Group founder Bharat Kalia.
- The startup aims to bring natural movement footwear to India, a category that promotes wider toe boxes, minimal heel drop, and greater flexibility to encourage natural foot movement.
- BUILT plans to use the capital for R&D, proprietary tooling, product design, and manufacturing, including developing custom footwear molds.
- The startup will also use the funds for inventory expansion and launching 20 apparel and accessories SKUs later this week.
- BUILT currently offers two footwear silhouettes and has launched nine footwear SKUs so far.
The bigger picture
- Natural movement footwear is a growing category, with awareness limited to fitness enthusiasts in India, and BUILT aims to expand awareness and build a lifestyle and performance brand around natural movement footwear.
- BUILT is part of a growing D2C footwear market, competing with brands like Comet, Gully Labs, and CHK, which are more focused on streetwear, and newer brands like State of Joy, Rara Barefoot, and Zen Barefoot in the natural movement segment.
About the business
- BUILT is a direct-to-consumer footwear startup, selling exclusively through its website, with plans to expand into offline retail, including pop-up stores in Mumbai, and later to other metros like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
- BUILT sources technical materials from China, manufacturing in India, with a focus on R&D, proprietary tooling, and inventory expansion.
- BUILT plans to introduce newer iterations of existing footwear, launch professional variants, and expand into additional product categories, with a focus on customer feedback and international markets.
What happens next
- BUILT plans to expand into offline retail, including pop-up stores in Mumbai, and later to other metros like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
- BUILT plans to introduce newer iterations of existing footwear, launch professional variants, and expand into additional product categories, including apparel and accessories.
The deal
- Type
- funding
Investors
- Tanglin Venture Partners (lead) — Singapore-based VC firm
- Bharat Kalia (co-lead) — founder of Lifelong Group
Founders
- Vedant Lamba, co-founder
- Vijayant Dhaka, co-founder
About BUILT
- Product
- Barefoot-inspired footwear with wider toe boxes, minimal heel drop and greater flexibility
- Customers
- Mainstream consumers seeking healthier footwear alternatives
- How it makes money
- Direct-to-consumer sales
- What sets it apart
- Natural movement footwear category
Other articles talking about it
Same day
- SatLeo Labs eyes Gulf region as market13 July 2026 · News
- Dailoqa appoints Sonali Kulkarni as partner13 July 2026 · People
- Kapture CX raises $10 million in pre-series B funding13 July 2026 · Funding · $10 Mn
- AVCF invests ₹60 Cr in Dhruva Space for expansion13 July 2026 · Funding · ₹60 Cr ($6.3 Mn)
- Bhavin Turakhia launches Neo with $30 million personal investment13 July 2026 · Launch · $30 Mn
- GoKwik cuts 120 staff in restructuring push13 July 2026 · Roundup