Homegrown sneaker brand Zaydn has raised $681,000 in a seed funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), the company announced on Thursday. The round also saw participation from BeyondSeed and Private Angels.
The Delhi-headquartered company will use the capital to scale inventory and production capacity, strengthen working capital, and expand performance marketing. Zaydn also plans to accelerate growth across direct-to-consumer channels and marketplaces including Myntra, Amazon, and Nykaa, alongside investments in new product development, brand building, technology, and team expansion.
Zaydn positions itself in the mass-premium segment, targeting India’s Gen-Z consumers with trend-led, expressive sneakers designed to look premium at accessible price points. The brand operates with in-house manufacturing capabilities, which it says gives it tighter control over product development, quality, and the speed of launching new designs. Its footwear line includes a wide toe box, lightweight TPR soles, dual cushioning, memory-foam insoles, and breathable uppers.
The brand has built a digital community of more than 170,000 followers through what it describes as a largely bootstrapped, digital-first approach, anchored by its flame logo and “Find Your Fire” brand positioning.
Minal Shah, Principal – Southeast Asia at IPV, said: “We see a strong opportunity for homegrown brands that can build meaningful consumer relevance while maintaining the discipline required to scale. ZAYDN has demonstrated that ability, growing from a self funded business into a ₹10Cr+ annual brand with a strong digital community and an expanding presence across leading marketplaces. Its focus on product, in-house manufacturing and disciplined expansion gives the business a strong foundation for its next phase of growth. We believe ZAYDN is well placed to capture a larger share of India’s evolving sneaker market.”
Zaydn was founded in 2022 by Ankit Dass, who joined his family’s footwear business in 2019 before launching the brand. Dass holds a background in footwear design and technology from FDDI Noida and footwear technology from the University of Northampton, UK. Co-founder Vidushi Chaudhary serves as Chief Marketing Officer, overseeing branding, marketing, and creative strategy. Under her leadership, the brand’s Instagram following grew from 30,000 to more than 170,000, with monthly sales reaching approximately Rs 1 crore.
Ankit Dass, Co-Founder & CEO of Zaydn, said: “Building ZAYDN has always been about creating something young India can proudly call its own, bold, comfortable, premium-looking sneakers that let people express their individuality without stretching their budget. Our goal has never just been to make sneakers that look good; it’s to make sneakers our customers feel confident and proud to wear at a price that keeps them accessible. IPV’s speed, professionalism, and structured approach stood out to me from the start, and we’re excited to have them alongside us as we take that vision to a much larger scale.”
The funding comes as India’s sneaker market continues to expand. The market was valued at roughly $3.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $4.49 billion by 2030, growing at nearly 6% annually, driven by rising consumer treatment of sneakers as everyday fashion rather than solely sportswear. The segment sits within a broader $18 billion Indian footwear market.
