SUMMARY
- Actress Samantha Prabhu has invested the D2C wellness company Secret Alchemist.
- She has also become a cofounder of the brand.
- The startup has also announced that it has secured $500,000 in a seed round.
Actress Samantha Prabhu has once again invested in the Indian startup ecosystem by backing D2C wellness company Secret Alchemist.
With this investment, she has also become a cofounder of the brand.
Although the startup has not disclosed the financial details of the deal, it has stated that the new investment will be used to increase its marketing efforts, expand its brand presence, and grow its customer base.
Established in 2021 by Ankita Thadani and Akash Valia, Secret Alchemist is a brand focused on aromatherapy and holistic wellness, offering a variety of products centered around essential oils.
Thadani commented, “Samantha’s personal journey with aromatherapy perfectly aligns with our philosophy of addressing wellness at its roots, and together we plan to utilise the new funds to expand our product line, invest in brand building, and enhance our customer reach while deepening our impact in the personal care industry.”
The startup has also announced that it has secured $500,000 funding in a seed round, led by Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), with contributions from Pharmeasy founder Siddharth Shah and Plix founder Rishubh Satiya.
These funds will be used to hire more team members, scaling operations, and building inventory to get ready for the upcoming holiday season.
Moreover, the startup is planning to introduce a new line of pure-grade essential oils in the form of creams, mists, and shower gels.
Its handmade product collection includes roll-ons, candles, solutions for pain management, hair care, and skin care products. Additionally, the brand offers bulk purchase options and consultations with certified aromatherapists.
Secret Alchemist sells its products through its website and popular marketplaces like Nykaa, Tata Cliq, Cred, Blinkit, Pharmeasy, and Amazon, among others.
Samantha Prabhu has previously invested in at least three startups, including ecommerce marketplace SustainKart, vegan food product startup Nourish You, and casual wear brand The Souled Store.
Earlier in September, Event-tech startup Ticket9 brought on board actress Nayanthara, along with her husband and acclaimed director Vignesh Shivan, as investors.
2023 has seen a record number of celebrity investors, with over 19 personalities contributing to 26 startups.
Actor Hrithik Roshan launched his lifestyle brand HRX in 2013, which now collaborates with Myntra and Cult.fit, while Katrina Kaif debuted her beauty brand Kay Beauty in 2019.
Actress Alia Bhatt launched her D2C kidswear brand Ed-a-Mamma in 2020, which has since become a majority-owned subsidiary of Reliance Retail.
Deepika Padukone ventured into the skincare industry with her brand 82°E in 2022, in addition to making investments in various startups like Blusmart and Bellatrix Aerospace.
Actress Kriti Sanon entered the fitness sector with The Tribe and cofounded skincare brand Hyphen. Actress Preity Zinta cofounded DRIVE FITT, a gym facility, while Priyanka Chopra Jonas created Anomaly, a haircare brand, and Rakul Preet Singh launched a talent discovery platform, Starring You.
