About Sportswear sector in India
The Sportswear sector in India comprises 198 companies, including 10 funded companies having collectively raised $118M in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 4 are Series A+ funded.
Sportswear sector in India has seen 1 acquisition.
This sector includes companies designing and marketing sports and outdoor apparel and footwear labelled by their own brand.
Sportswear sector is also known as Sportswear Solutions, Advanced Sportswear or Digital Sportswear.
Companies designing and marketing apparel, footwear and accessories catering to team sports (such as cricket, soccer), racket sports (such as tennis), outdoor sports (such as camping, surfing), golf, fitness and exercise and other sports. Also, included would be companies designing and marketing smart/connected sportswear. Companies that manufacture or market sports equipment (such as rackets, gloves, balls, backpacks), fashion apparel and footwear, sports nutrition products, apparel and footwear for dance activities not related to fitness; sports retailers and distributors, sports service providers; sports media companies; online sports platforms; sports software and apps; contract sportswear manufacturers are excluded.
Top Sportswear Companies in India
There are 198 Sportswear startups in India which include Agilitas, Bodycare, ASICS, Columbia Sportswear, Zeven. Out of these, 10 startups are funded, with 4 having secured Series A+ funding.
2026 has seen the creation of 3 Sportswear startups in India. Over the past 10 years, an average of 4 new companies have been launched annually. Notably, several of these startups have been founded by alumni of BITS Mesra, IIM Calcutta and Indian Institute Of Management–Lucknow.
Here is the list of top Sportswear startups in India
1. Agilitas
Manufacturer of sports and casual and athletic footwear.
Key facts about Agilitas
- Founded Year: 2023
- Location: Bengaluru (India)
- Stage: Series C
- Total Funding till date: $98.1M
- Investors: Nexus Venture Partners, Spring and 75 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series C, Feb 01, 2026, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 66/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 25 Competitors
2. Bodycare
Key facts about Bodycare
- Founded Year: 1992
- Location: Noida (India)
- Stage: Seed
- Total Funding till date: $591K
- Latest Funding Round: Angel, Aug 16, 2011, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 56/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 2 of 138 Competitors
3. ASICS
Internet first brand of apparel & footwear for women, men, kids and accessories. It other products include running, sportstyle, flip flop and slides, indoor & tennis footwear, tops, jackets & vests, shorts, hoodies & sweatshirts, pants, tights & leggings, sports bras and track suits, caps & headband, socks and backpacks.
Key facts about ASICS
- Founded Year: 2012
- Location: Gurugram (India)
- Stage: Unfunded
- Tracxn Score: 53/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 10 of 186 Competitors
Columbia Sportswear is an outdoor apparel brand offering jackets, vests, t-shirts, polos, sweatshirts, shirts, shorts, capris and other accessories. They sell their products through their own website as well as their own stores.
Key facts about Columbia Sportswear
- Founded Year: 2008
- Location: Delhi (India)
- Stage: Unfunded
- Tracxn Score: 44/100 What is this?
5. Zeven
Sportswear brand. It offers activewear, footwear, and accessories engineered keeping body types, terrain, and weather in mind.
Key facts about Zeven
- Founded Year: 2013
- Location: Bengaluru (India)
- Stage: Series A
- Total Funding till date: $8.16M
- Investors: KBE, Brand Capital and 6 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Angel, Aug 23, 2018, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 44/100 What is this?
Companies founded year-on-year in the Sportswear sector in India
3 new startups have been founded so far in 2026 in the Sportswear sector in India. 8 Sportswear startups in India were founded in 2023 - 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 | 3 |
2025 | 2 |
2024 | 4 |
2023 | 8 |
2022 | 5 |
2021 | 6 |
2020 | 5 |
2019 | 1 |
2018 | 4 |
2017 | 5 |
Stage-wise distribution of Sportswear sector companies in India
Out of the total 198 Sportswear companies in India, 10 have secured funding. Among them, 4 have reached Series A or higher, and 2 to Series B or beyond.
Founded - 198
Funded - 10
Series A+ - 4
Series B+ - 2
Series C+ - 2
Company Stage | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Founded | 198 |
Funded | 10 |
Series A+ | 4 |
Series B+ | 2 |
Series C+ | 2 |
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Funding Trends in the Sportswear sector in India
Total funding year-on-year in the Sportswear sector in India
The Sportswear sector in India saw a total funding of more than $115M in the last 10 years. The most amount of funding was in 2023 at more than $62.3M. There has been a total funding of $26M in 2026 till date.
- Total Funding
Year | Total Funding |
|---|---|
2026 | $26M |
2025 | $10M |
2024 | $1.78M |
2023 | $62.3M |
2022 | $500K |
2020 | $305K |
2019 | $430K |
2018 | $3.73M |
2017 | $6.02M |
Recent Funding Rounds in Sportswear in India
In the year 2026, till February 2026, Sportswear companies in India have raised $26M in equity funding across 1 round.
Here are some recent, important funding rounds in Sportswear companies in India:
Company | Round Raised | Amount Raised | Funding Date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Series C | 6367 | Feb 01, 2026 | ||
Seed | 7330 | Nov 01, 2025 | ||
Series C | 2645 | Aug 11, 2025 | ||
Series C | 8227 | Mar 07, 2025 | and 2 more | |
Series C | 4199 | Aug 30, 2024 |
Top Investors in Sportswear in India
Brand Capital is the top investor in Sportswear companies in India based on number of companies invested.
Here are some top investors in Sportswear companies in India:
Investor | Location | Top Portfolio Companies |
|---|---|---|
Mumbai (India) | ||
Delhi (India) | ||
Menlo Park (United States) | ||
New York City (United States) | - | |
Bengaluru (India) |
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M&A activity in Sportswear sector in India
In the year 2023, till September 2023, 1 acquisition happened in Sportswear sector in India.
See a more detailed list of acquisitions Here are some recent, important acquisitions in Sportswear sector in India:
Acquisition trends in Sportswear sector in India
Here are the acquisition trends in Sportswear sector in India:
- Total Number of Acquisitions
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | - |
2025 | - |
2024 | - |
2023 | 1 |
2022 | - |
2021 | - |
2020 | - |
2019 | - |
2018 | - |
2017 | - |
Colleges which produce the most Sportswear companies in India
Companies founded by alumni from top colleges in the Sportswear in India
Most number of Sportswear startups in India have been founded by alumni from BITS Mesra, IIM Calcutta and Indian Institute Of Management–Lucknow.
College | No. of companies |
|---|---|
BITS Mesra | 1 |
IIM Calcutta | 1 |
Indian Institute Of Management–Lucknow | 1 |
S P JAIN School Of Global Management | 1 |
Total funding in Sportswear companies founded by alumni from top colleges in India
In the last 10 years, Indian Institute Of Management–Lucknow graduates' Sportswear companies in India have raised the most funding among top colleges. IIM Calcutta alumni are second, and BITS Mesra alumni are third.
College | Total Funding |
|---|---|
Indian Institute Of Management–Lucknow | $98.1M |
IIM Calcutta | $8.16M |
BITS Mesra | $2M |
S P JAIN School Of Global Management | $2M |
Top News in Sportswear in India
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Agilitas Sports Co-Founder Reveals Virat Kohli's Investment StrategyMint•Dec 10, 2025•one8, Agilitas
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