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Shark Tank India-featured Hair Originals raises $5 million in funding

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Vivek Vishwakarma
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Hair Originals funding

Jitendra Sharma, CEO of Hair Originals

Hair Originals, a Bengaluru-based hair extensions startup, has raised $5 million (about Rs 43.5 crore) in a Series A funding round co-led by Anicut Growth Fund and 12 Flags Consumer Holdings.

The round also saw participation from Lenskart co-founder Peyush Bansal.

Prior to this round, the startup raised $2.75 million in a pre-Series A funding round in December 2023 from Anicut Capital, Kesh Kala Family Office, and LetsVenture, among others.

Expansion plans and R&D focus

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Hair Originals plans to use the fresh capital to broaden its on-demand “try-at-home” service to 40 cities and to enhance its research and development efforts. 

The Shark Tank India-featured startup intends to launch about 30 experience centres over the next 12 months, offering customers an in-person look at its hair extension solutions. It also plans to boost its manufacturing capabilities and introduce four to five new products every month.

Hair Originals offerings

Founded in 2019 by IIT graduate Jitendra Sharma and co-founder Piyush Wadhwani, Hair Originals provides natural hair extensions and do-it-yourself wigs made from ethically sourced human hair.

The startup, which offers non-surgical solutions to increase hair volume and length, said its products allow users to experiment with colourful looks without resorting to chemicals or other damaging processes.

Salons, stores and global reach

Hair Originals claims to have partnered with more than 1,400 salons and claims to have tripled its business year-on-year. It has opened stores at Hyderabad and Coimbatore airports in partnership with salon chain Naturals and has also joined hands with North America’s Kurves salon chain to establish experience centres overseas. 

The brand originally gained attention through its appearance on the first season of the TV show “Shark Tank India,” where it received funding from investors including Peyush Bansal, BharatPe co-founder Ashneer Grover and Anupam Mittal.

Dhruv Kapoor, partner at Anicut Capital, said, “India has been the global leader in the export of human hair. While India exports more than 85 percent of raw human hair, China captures the majority of the value-added market by selling to global markets in the form of hair extensions and wigs. Hair Originals is capturing value in India by building an omni-channel brand of premium hair extension products through the supply chain and manufacturing focus."

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