Pankhuri, a Bengaluru-based social community platform for women, announced it has raised $3.2 million in funding led by Surge, a rapid scale-up programme by Sequoia Capital India. India Quotient and Taurus Ventures also participated in the funding round.
Founded in 2019 by Pankhuri Shrivastava, the platform provides users with information on topics, including beauty and personal care, through live and short videos, and encourages ongoing conversation with expert creators through hosted live sessions. Pankhuri Shrivastava was also the co-founder of home rental startup Grabhouse.
Speaking on the development, CEO and Founder, Pankhuri Shrivastava, said, “For many women, the thought of going online can be a daunting experience, especially given the rise in online bullying and trolling. Very often, these women also face social barriers, which restrict them from pursuing their aspirations and socialising outside of their homes. Pankhuri was created with the ambition to break down these barriers facing millions of women in India, improving their digital literacy and empowering them to regain their right to expression.”
“Beauty products and services are one of the first high involvement verticals, which will get disrupted. The characteristics of the vertical — high AOV, very sticky users, and curiosity for newer products and trends make high engagement, creator-driven social commerce a promising opportunity. The tremendous traction and love from women for creator-driven content is building up a thriving and sticky community on Pankhuri,” said Madhukar Sinha, Founding Partner, India Quotient.
Pankhuri is backed by India Quotient, Taurus Ventures, and angel investors Farid Ahsan, Krishnan Menon, Kunal Shah, Sai Srinivas, and Sweta Rau.
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