India's Kindlife, selling authentic Korean skincare products, raises $8 million

Kindlife, a Gurugram-based startup selling skincare, beauty, and wellness products, has raised $8 million in a Series A funding round led by JB-Dooeun TK Fund and MIXI Global Investments.

The round also saw participation from existing investor Kalaari Capital and several angel investors.

Prior to this round, the startup raised $2.5 million in a seed funding round in November 2021 led by Kalaari Capital, Titan Capital, and Java Capital, among others. 

What does Kindlife do?

Radhika Ghai, Vidit Jain, and Manasa Garemella founded Kindlife. Radhika is also the co-founder of Shopclues, an e-commerce marketplace. 

The startup leverages proprietary AI technology to help GenZ consumers discover personalised skincare and wellness routines and products. The platform boasts an influencer community that educates consumers on the latest K-beauty trends through a content-first approach.

It also provides exclusive and priority access to popular and trending global beauty brands, including Korean and Japanese brands.

Purpose of fundraising

Kindlife plans to use the raised capital to enhance its market presence and boost its influence in the Indian beauty landscape, particularly focusing on premium Korean and Japanese beauty brands.

"This capital will enable kindlife to build a strong connection between Korea, Japan, and India. Fuelled by a robust distribution network that ensures seamless delivery of premium Korean beauty brands, their community includes thousands of beauty creators who share recommendations and take a content-first approach, educating consumers on the latest K-beauty trends."

Ghai highlights Kindlife's priorities

"We are very excited to partner with Korean private equity firms JB Investment and Dooeun & Company, as well as the Japanese investor MIXI," said Ghai. 

"At kindlife, we understand that Gen Z prioritises quality and authenticity, and we're committed to making high-quality global beauty brands accessible to them, with a particular focus on premium Korean and Japanese beauty. Our strong AI technology is at the core of how we solve discovery and personalization," Ghai added.

Investors comment

Tak Lee, Managing Director at TKN Advisors, said, "We're always seeking innovative companies with the potential to disrupt industries. kindlife stood out with their focus on Korean Beauty, a hot trend in India, and their AI technology for personalized beauty solutions. The exceptional team at kindlife, with their deep understanding of the GenZ market and commitment to building a best-in- class experience, convinced us to invest in them. We're excited to actively collaborate with them to revolutionize the beauty industry and bring more Korean beauty, culture, and lifestyle trends to India."

Tomoharu Urabe, principal partner at MIXI Global Investments, said, “kindlife is creating a highly user-friendly ecommerce platform featuring AI- enabled discoverability and the built-in influencer community. The early metrics back up that the concept is working great. We're thrilled to join the investment round and provide support to further expand its business.”

South Korea-based private equity firms JB Investment and Dooeun & Company have partnered to form the JB- Dooeun TK Fund, which will lead the Series A round in Kindife. 

TKN Advisors will serve as the exclusive India advisor for the fund.