About Retail sector in India
The Retail sector in India comprises 47.5K companies, including 3.94K funded companies having collectively raised $76.5B in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 1.21K are Series A+ funded, and 38 have achieved unicorn status.
Retail sector in India has seen 469 acquisitions and 192 IPOs.
This sector includes companies providing the sale of goods and services to consumers and businesses directly. It also includes companies providing tech solutions or tech based assistance to companies that help them in their business operations.
Retail sector is also known as Retail Tech, Retail IT, E-Retail, E-Retailer, E-Tailer, Electronic Retail or eRetail.
Companies included in Retail
It includes companies providing FMCG, durable consumer goods, Coupons and deals platforms, cross border ecommerce etc. Companies providing solutions to businesses to manage theirs in-store or e-commerce business operations.Companies excluded in Retail
It excludes companies providing sale and purchase of medical goods and equipment, payment solutions and service providers and manufacturing companies etc.Top Retail Companies in India
There are more than 47.5K companies in Retail in India. Flipkart is the top Retail company in India, ranked using Tracxn Score (what's this?).
Here are 5 of the top Retail companies in India:
Company | Description | Location | Founded | Current Stage | Private Funding Raised |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Online retailer of various products including electronics, fashion, and groceries | Bengaluru (India) | 2007 | Acquired | $12.1B | |
Online brand offering eyewear for men, women and kids | Gurugram (India) | 2008 | Public | $1.08B | |
Retailer of cosmetics, skincare, haircare, and beauty accessories via online channels | Mumbai (India) | 2012 | Public | $103M | |
Online retailer of fashion, lifestyle, beauty, personal care, and home products | Bengaluru (India) | 2007 | Acquired | $125M | |
Platform offering end-to-end parcel delivery, warehousing, cross-border, and fulfillment services | Gurugram (India) | 2011 | Public | $1.25B |
Companies founded year-on-year in the Retail sector in India
22 new startups have been founded so far in 2026 in the Retail sector in India. 4,222 Retail startups in India were founded in 2020 - this is the most number of startups founded in any year in the last 10 years.
- Total Number of Companies
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 22 |
2025 | 373 |
2024 | 1,981 |
2023 | 2,670 |
2022 | 2,978 |
2021 | 3,720 |
2020 | 4,222 |
2019 | 2,867 |
2018 | 2,510 |
2017 | 2,177 |
Stage-wise distribution of Retail sector companies in India
Out of the total 47,451 Retail companies in India, 3,945 have secured funding. Among them, 1,214 have reached Series A or higher, and 896 to Series B or beyond.
Founded - 47,451
Funded - 3,945
Series A+ - 1,214
Series B+ - 896
Series C+ - 782
Company Stage | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Founded | 47,451 |
Funded | 3,945 |
Series A+ | 1,214 |
Series B+ | 896 |
Series C+ | 782 |
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Funding Trends in the Retail sector in India
Total funding year-on-year in the Retail sector in India
The Retail sector in India saw a total funding of more than $62.4B in the last 10 years. The most amount of funding was in 2021 at more than $15B. There has been a total funding of $929M in 2026 till date.
- Total Funding
Year | Total Funding |
|---|---|
2026 | $929M |
2025 | $3.76B |
2024 | $3.41B |
2023 | $5.25B |
2022 | $6.17B |
2021 | $15B |
2020 | $13B |
2019 | $5.58B |
2018 | $3.54B |
2017 | $5.86B |
Recent Funding Rounds in Retail in India
In the year 2026, till April 2026, Retail companies in India have raised $773M in equity funding across 153 rounds.
In the same period last year (i.e. till April 2025), Retail companies in India had raised $1.17B across 264 rounds.
So, 2026 has seen a 33.73% drop in funding in Retail companies in India as compared to 2025.
Here are some recent, important funding rounds in Retail companies in India:
Company | Round Raised | Amount Raised | Funding Date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Angel | 1391 | Apr 23, 2026 | ||
Angel | 7138 | Apr 23, 2026 | ||
Seed | 7971 | Apr 23, 2026 | ||
Seed | 5882 | Apr 22, 2026 | ||
Series A | 2854 | Apr 22, 2026 |
Top Investors in Retail in India
Accel is the top investor in Retail companies in India based on number of companies invested.
Here are some top investors in Retail companies in India:
Investor | Location | Top Portfolio Companies |
|---|---|---|
Palo Alto (United States) | ||
Bengaluru (India) | ||
Mumbai (India) | ||
Bengaluru (India) | ||
Gurugram (India) |
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M&A activity in Retail sector in India
In the year 2026, till April 2026, 11 acquisitions happened in Retail sector in India. Last year, in 2025, a total of 38 acquisitions happened in Retail sector in India.
Here are some recent, important acquisitions in Retail sector in India:
Company | Acquisition Type | Acquisition Date | Acquirers |
|---|---|---|---|
Business Acquisition | Apr 01, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Mar 30, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Mar 10, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Mar 09, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Mar 05, 2026 |
Acquisition trends in Retail sector in India
Here are the acquisition trends in Retail sector in India:
- Total Number of Acquisitions
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 11 |
2025 | 38 |
2024 | 35 |
2023 | 38 |
2022 | 72 |
2021 | 57 |
2020 | 17 |
2019 | 26 |
2018 | 43 |
2017 | 34 |
IPOs in Retail in India
In the year 2026, till April 2026, 3 IPOs happened in Retail sector in India.
Here are some recent, important IPOs in Retail sector in India:
Company | IPO Date | Exchange Symbol |
|---|---|---|
Apr 24, 2026 | Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) | |
Feb 11, 2026 | National Stock Exchange (NSE) | |
Jan 28, 2026 | Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), National Stock Exchange (NSE) | |
Dec 30, 2025 | National Stock Exchange (NSE) | |
Dec 15, 2025 | Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), National Stock Exchange (NSE) |
Colleges which produce the most Retail companies in India
Companies founded by alumni from top colleges in the Retail in India
Most number of Retail startups in India have been founded by alumni from IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay and Indian School of Business.
College | No. of companies |
|---|---|
IIT Delhi | 320 |
IIT Bombay | 228 |
Indian School of Business | 209 |
BITS Pilani | 201 |
IIM Ahmedabad | 190 |
IIT Kharagpur | 179 |
IIM Calcutta | 143 |
IIT Kanpur | 143 |
IIT Roorkee | 142 |
IIM Bangalore | 139 |
Total funding in Retail companies founded by alumni from top colleges in India
In the last 10 years, IIT Delhi graduates' Retail companies in India have raised the most funding among top colleges. Stanford University alumni are second, and Stanford Business School alumni are third.
College | Total Funding |
|---|---|
IIT Delhi | $26.8B |
Stanford University | $8.47B |
Stanford Business School | $7.76B |
IIM Ahmedabad | $6.25B |
IIT Bombay | $5.81B |
IIT Kharagpur | $5.66B |
IIM Calcutta | $4.97B |
IIM Bangalore | $4.95B |
IIT Roorkee | $4.93B |
Indian School of Business | $4.79B |
Top News in Retail in India
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Flipkart Mulls Standalone App for Minutes as Quick Commerce Takes Centre StageMoneycontrol•Apr 23, 2026•Flipkart
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Insight Cosmetics announces collaboration with Udaybir SandhuFashion Network•Apr 21, 2026•Insight Cosmetics
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Pepperfry Launches India’s First Factory Outlet, Expands Pune PresencePunekar News•Apr 15, 2026•Pepperfry
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Charlotte Tilbury opens first flagship store in India with NykaaGlobal CosmeticNews•Apr 13, 2026•Charlotte Tilbury, Nykaa
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Lifelong ROAR Projector Debuts in India with 4K Support & 20W AudioGizmochina•Apr 11, 2026•Lifelong Online
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Beauty marketing turns serious, ingredient-led': The Body Shop India's Rahul Shankerstoryboard18.com•Apr 09, 2026•The Body Shop India
