nailinit, a community-first nail care brand focused on Gen Z and millennial consumers, has raised ₹2.5–3 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund (GCCF) and Marsshot VC along with other angel investors, the consumer investment platform backed by entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath. The round also saw participation from a group of consumer, technology, and operator angels. The funds will be utilised to expand distribution across quick commerce and D2C channels, strengthen community-led brand building, and accelerate product innovation in the nail care category.
Founded by Tanishq Ambegaokar and Shubham Singhal, nailinit is building a modern consumer brand in a category that remains high-frequency but under-branded in India. The brand operates at the intersection of beauty, self-expression, and community, with an approach that goes beyond products to include experiences and culture-led engagement.
Commenting on the fundraise, Tanishq Ambegaokar, Co-founder, nailinit, said, “At nailinit, we are building for a generation that sees beauty as a form of self-expression, not just a routine. Nails sit at the intersection of culture, content, and commerce, yet the category in India has largely been underserved by strong brands. This capital allows us to invest in product depth, community, and distribution in a way that is intentional and long-term.”
Shubham Singhal, Co-founder, nailinit, added, “As we scale, our focus is on building a strong operating backbone alongside the brand. This round gives us the ability to strengthen our supply chain, expand across key digital channels, and execute with discipline while staying true to the brand we are building.”
The round attracted participation from notable angels including Shashank Kumar (Founder, Razorpay), Arjit Johri (Marsshot VC), Yash Jain (Ex-Founder, NimbusPost), Karan Jindal (Agency Partnerships, Meta), Jivraj Singh Sachar (GP, ISV Capital), Nishank Jain (EIR, Accel), Yashvardhan Kanoi (Ex-Partner, Alter Global), Ashwarya Garg (Founder, HYPD), Venus Dhuria (Founder, Phot.AI), and Amishi Parasrampuria (Head of Partnerships, The Whole Truth).
“Nail care remains underpenetrated in India, with consumers still largely dependent on time-intensive salon visits. As convenience and self-expression become stronger drivers in beauty choices, press-on nails can unlock more frequent and experimental usage. Nailinit is tapping into this shift with a design-first approach and is well-positioned to expand beyond press-ons into adjacent nail care categories,” said Gauri Kuchhal, Fund Manager at Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund (GCCF).
nailinit is the only nail care brand in India to combine product-led retail with a dedicated kiosk format at Jio World Drive Bandra, allowing consumers to walk in and avail nail services while discovering the brand. Among the fastest-growing players in the category, the brand has built early traction across quick commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit, with an upcoming launch on Instamart, and is also available on Amazon, strengthening its omnichannel presence.
nailinit is addressing this gap through a content-native, community-led approach, with early traction across quick commerce and D2C platforms. With this funding, the company aims to scale thoughtfully while continuing to invest in culture, community, and category creation.
