Rural commerce startup VilCart raises $10 million in a bridge funding round

Rural commerce startup VilCart has raised $10 million in a bridge funding round led by AI-X B.V., Spark Capital, and existing investors Nabventures.

Revolutionizing rural commerce

VilCart, which has already established a strong presence in South India since 2018, is revolutionizing rural commerce by connecting Rural Families through Kirana Stores and linking directly to Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), brands and rural SME manufacturers,. 

The startup said that this model ensures that essential goods in groceries, FMCG, personal care, and electronics are more accessible to every family in rural areas, turning traditional Kirana shops into efficient "Grameen Super Markets."

It claims to have reaching around 16% of Rural populations of South India through its 1 lakh kirana stores network across 30,000 Villages in South India.

Purpose of fundraising

The startup plans to use the raised capital to strengthen the reach of Own Brands by making every rural families to have hygienically packed groceries and edible oil at par with urban households

Prasanna Kumar C, CEO of VilCart, said, "This funding validates VilCart’s growth and the opportunity in rural commerce in India. It will help us grow faster and turn Kirana stores into Grameen Super Markets. As we scale, our focus remains on strengthening rural supply chains, enhancing technology, and creating sustainable opportunities for rural businesses."