Macmerise Celfie Design raises $1M in a pre-Series A round led by IPV

Macmerise, a one-stop-shop platform for themed merchandise, today said it has raised $1 million (approx. Rs 7.5 crore) in a pre-Series A funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures, a Gurugram-based angel investment firm.

The round also saw participation from Amitabh Bachchan, Tarun Katial, Ajmera Group, NAFA Capital, amongst others.

Sahil Shah and Rahul Satia co-founded the Macmerise in 2019. The startup acts as a one-stop-shop platform for themed merchandise for celebs/influencers/brands offering 50+ products across categories such as consumer electronics, fashion & apparel, mobile accessories, games and stationery, home & kitchen, and many more.

Currently, the company has more than 24 licenses and tie-ups with brands like Disney, Marvel, DC Comics, Jim Beam to name a few to sell themed merchandise on their platform, it said.

Macmerise, which is owned and operated by Macmerise Celfie Design Pvt Ltd., will use the raised capital to improve its tech infrastructure, onboarding more brands/celebrities to launch merchandise, reach a wider audience, and develop new innovative products.

“We truly believe the world of merchandising is changing and at Macmerise we have created our products, tech & business model to lead this change from the front. Our conquest is to simplify the customer journey in their search of buying their favorite designer merch," Sahil Shah, Founder & CEO, MCD, said.

The company believes it is disrupting the existing merchandise selling space with its tech-forward platform for celebrities/influencers, brands, and content creators (located in India and across the world), enabling them to co-create and launch their merchandise and ability to customize products.

According to the company's statement, It also sells its products through 35+ retail stores, including Hamleys, Reliance Digital, Cred, ToysRUS, Planet Superheroes, Entertainment Store, and online marketplaces such as ShopDisney, Amazon, Flipkart, and Myntra.

"We aim to join hands with leading celebrities/creators of this generation to build their authentic range of designer products and manage the complete supply chain cycle of these brands. IPV is the perfect strategic partner and mentor in our entrepreneurship journey. Having such credible names onboard backing us, we are determined to scale MCD to greater heights as envisioned," Sahil adds.

MCDs business model is one of the key differentiating factors. While the majority of their competitors operate in an inventory heavy model, MCD has opted for no inventory, just in the time model. This model helps them standardize their operations and costs, hence enabling them to maintain a certain standard of quality and scale faster. MCD has also been able to differentiate itself with the number of brands and celebrities on board, which helps them to create a community around celebs, brands, and their followers, the company said in a statement.

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