LEADING LADY

Falguni Nayar, founder and CEO of Nykaa, is redefining the language of beauty in India. After a bumper IPO, India’s first woman-led unicorn to have gone public is preparing to expand across categories. What the queen of beauty needs to watch out for as she takes the next big step

- SHWWETA PUNJ

Nykaa in Numbers

APRIL 2012

Birth of Nykaa

Seed Funding

Rs 42 lakh Lead investors: Falguni Nayar, Sanjay Nayar, Omprakash Nayar and Rashmi Mehta

JULY 2014

Series A Funding

Rs 20 cr Lead investors: Angel investors Indra Banga and Harindarpal Singh Banga

JULY 2015

Series B funding

Rs 59.6 cr Lead investor: TVS Capital (institutional investor)

MARCH 2019

Series E

Rs 100 cr Lead Investor: TPG Growth

MARCH 2020

Series F

Rs 166.6 cr Lead Investor: Steadview Capital

Source: Traxcn

4,078 No. of national and international brands (as of Aug. 31)

20 No. of warehouses

80 No. of physical stores in 40 cities

17.1 mn Orders placed on the platform for beauty and personal care products in FY21

3,055 Influencers engaged as of Aug. 31

Source: Nykaa Red Herring Prospectus

Her office in Okhla, New Delhi, like the lady herself, is a matter of fact. No grand art or statement furniture, just a basic, no-frills, functional space. When its owner, Falguni Nayar, walks in, on a nippy November morning, she is in a breezy floral sari, by no particular famous designer, wearing sensible block heels, toting a purse, and a jute bag with her lunch.