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Tag: Bertelsmann

  • Nat Habit secures $10.2M in Series B, targets four times growth with Bertelsmann India investments

    Nat Habit secures $10.2M in Series B, targets four times growth with Bertelsmann India investments

    Mumbai: Nat Habit, a pioneering D2C natural beauty and wellness brand has raised $10.2Mn in series B funding led by Bertelsmann India Investments (BII). The round also saw participation from existing investor Fireside Ventures and other investors including Amazon India Fund, Mirabilis Investment Trust, and Sharrp Ventures. Born out of the founder’s (Swagatika Das) personal commitment towards holistic wellness Nat Habit remains steadfastly committed to its ‘100 per cent Natural Care’ mission. The company is currently clocking an ARR of 82Cr. It plans to allocate the funds strategically to propel growth and expansion (new categories, retail, R&D, and talent). With this strategy, Nat Habit sees a four times growth in the $30Bn beauty and personal care market to land at 350Cr ARR in the next 24 months.

    Commenting on the announcement, Founder Swagatika Das said, ‘’Nat Habit was founded with a vision to make true & wholesome natural care available to all. We have been doing that with Fresh products from our Ayurvedic Kitchen. Over the years, we have witnessed great support from our investors who have helped us deliver high-quality, sustainable, and truly natural personal care products. Natural or ayurvedic care is not merely a trend for us; it is a lifestyle or habit we would like consumers to adopt for a safer, longer and happier life. With the recent Series B funding, we aim to double down on our efforts in terms of building a stronger community and making larger strides towards making Nat Habit the go-to brand for every Indian’s daily personal care needs.’’

    Commenting on the fundraise Bertelsmann partner Pankaj Makkar, said, “Nat Habit has taken personal care to a new level by offering fresh products using proprietary techniques and natural ingredients. We are excited by their unique products that have led to immense customer love and strong retention. This investment is a sign of our confidence in Nat Habit’s potential and our relationship with its founders. We’re excited about a future filled with mutual success and ongoing teamwork.”

    Speaking on the investment Fireside Ventures partner, Dipanjan Basu said, “India’s beauty & personal care market is on a steep growth trajectory with multiple emerging needs and gaps of consumers. We are extremely impressed with what Nat Habit is trying to achieve in this market, with its disruptive products & strong commitment to goodness. This certainly is a brand that’s here to win. Fireside will continue to support such visionary purposes & entrepreneurship – it also strongly aligns with our fund’s purpose of building responsible brands that do good for the environment and people.”

    The Industry and Business Model:

    Over the last five to five years the BPC industry in India has seen a significant shift towards clean and natural ingredients owing to the increasing consumer awareness and demand. According to Statista, India’s Natural Cosmetics market is projected to generate a revenue of Rs US $0.90bn by 2023 and is anticipated to experience an annual growth rate of 3.52 per cent (CAGR 2023-2028). This, in turn, has given rise to homegrown clean ingredients-led brands like Nat Habit that are committed to making fresh, 100 per cent natural personal care products more accessible to consumers across the country.

    Since its inception in 2019, Nat Habit has been committed to making true natural personal care accessible to every Indian household. With a strong R&D backing, NatHabit creates proprietary formulations out of fresh ingredients such as raw milk, fruits & herbs. The products are made and shipped fresh daily, straight from its Ayurvedic kitchen. Nat Habit beats all levels of natural. It is one of the rarest brands to serve NOT just natural but 100 per cent natural personal care. Strong founder commitment, own R&D & own manufacturing allow for such high-quality servings. This in return breaks the clutter of BPC and brings immense brand love and cheer from users. Nat Habit today serves nearly 14 lakh customers, ships 15,000 units per day, and has 35 product lines. More than 70 per cent of its users hail from tier one and tier two cities while the brand sees a good 30 per cent demand from tier three cities and beyond.

    Next Steps:

    Over the next 24 months, Nat Habit envisions expanding its product portfolio which currently includes Malais (moisturisers), Hair Oils, Facewash, Ubtans and more. There will be channel expansion into offline and a substantial focus on creating more brand awareness. Additionally, approximately two mn USD will be used to give exit to angels and very early-stage investors – nearly 4.5 to five times returns over four years.

    Past Funding:

    In 2022, Nat Habit secured $4 million in its Series A round, spearheaded by Fireside Ventures, renowned for its focus on consumer brands. It also has Peak XV Partners as an investor. Past funding has helped the brand grow more than four times in revenue, improve its reach in marketplaces, invest in R&D and expand its portfolio of products in the last two years.

  • Bertelsmann launches intl VC fund focussed on digital media

    Bertelsmann launches intl VC fund focussed on digital media

    MUMBAI: Global media firm Bertelsmann has established a venture capital fund called Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI) and a Luxembourg company to execute and house the BDMI investments.

    The fund is designed to ensure direct access to emerging technologies and businesses. With an initial funding of €50 million, BDMI’s mission is to tap into new technologies and digital media innovations to support the continued leadership of Bertelsmann’s divisions across the media landscape.

    Richard Sarnoff, who has been President of Random House’s corporate development group and its venture arm, Random House Ventures LLC, additionally has been named President of BDMI, and will report to Bertelsmann CFO Thomas Rabe in this capacity.

    BDMI’s international team based in the US and Germany will concentrate on digital media opportunities that can enhance or extend Bertelsmann’s existing strengths in broadcast television, book and magazine publishing, music, media services, and direct marketing. Investments will primarily be minority stakes in early-stage companies, but can also include majority stakes and external fund investments where appropriate.

    Bertelsmann chairman and CEO Gunter Thielen says, “Bertelsmann has a keen focus on new technologies and fosters expertise within each of its divisions. We are committed to further extending our innovative spirit and media leadership by creating a fund dedicated to emerging technology opportunities.

    “Richard Sarnoff is the ideal candidate for this assignment, since he has excellent experience in funding such opportunities, strong connections in the venture capital industry, and broad familiarity with all of Bertelsmann’s businesses above and beyond his responsibilities at Random House”.

    Sarnoff said, “Technology continues to play an increasing role in all Bertelsmann divisions as digital media, the Web, and mobile access continue to converge on a global scale. This new fund will allow us to supplement the existing in-house knowledge base and support ongoing divisional technology initiatives through investments in pioneering companies”.

    BDMI will operate in partnership with each Bertelsmann business division, taking investment cues from new business models and digital media trends identified by the divisions as strategic to future growth. It will work with the appropriate Bertelsmann division on each investment for initial evaluation, due diligence and ongoing oversight of portfolio companies.

  • EU court reverses EC decision on approval of Sony BMG deal

    EU court reverses EC decision on approval of Sony BMG deal

    MUMBAI: In what has come as a shock to the global music industry, The Court of First Instance of the European Communities annulled a decision made by the European Commission a couple of years ago.

    That decision had given the nod to the merger of Japan’s Sony and Germany’s Bertelsmann. The ruling marks the first time that the courts have overturned a commission decision to clear a deal. It could affect other acquisitions in the music space. Warner and EMI are belieevd to be talking to merge.

    Media reports indicate that Sony BMG which is the world’s second largest music company has to return to the European Commission within a week to seek new approval. The EC will decide in a month’s time whether to approve the merger while considering current market conditions. The 2004 decision was annulled on the argument that regulators did not show whether a monopolistic situation would be created in the event of the merger or that there wasn’t one at the time of the merger.

    In a statement Bertelsmann said, “Today’s judgment does not affect the validity of the Sony BMG joint venture, which has been up and running since August 2004.” If the EC does not aprove the merger things will get tricky.

    A suit had been filed by Impala, the Independent Music Publishers and Labels Association, in December 2004 due to concern over dominance of the market by firms like Sony BMG, a newly created joint venture.

  • Bertelsmann reports strong growth in first-quarter revenues

    Bertelsmann reports strong growth in first-quarter revenues

    MUMBAI: International media company Bertelsmann recorded considerable growth in its revenue and operating results for the first quarter of 2006.

    Consolidated revenues rose by 17.3 per cent to €4.5 billion, versus €3.8 billion in the first three months of 2005. Bertelsmann achieved growth both in its European core markets and in the US.

    An essential contributor to this positive performance were the acquisitions made in 2005, which were not yet consolidated in the first quarter of 2005. Adjusted for portfolio and currency effects, revenue was up by 4.5 per cent. Operating EBIT grew by 35.2 per cent to €215 million (2005: €159 million), an increase that is attributable to positive business performance in the divisions. Bertelsmann confirms its forecast of a significant year-on-year improvement in revenue and result for fiscal year 2006.

    Bertelsmann’s CFO Thomas Rabe said, “Bertelsmann got off to an excellent start this year. The record first-quarter results continue the positive business development of 2005. Building on this strong foundation, Bertelsmann is well-equipped to meet the challenges of the future. We will pursue outside opportunities and continue to rely on healthy core businesses, systematic acquisitions and expansion to new markets.”

    Net income nearly doubled year on year, reaching €90 million after €48 million in the first quarter of 2005. Investments during the first quarter of 2006 amounted to €309 million (2005: €200 million). Economic debt at 31 March 2006 was €3.9 billion as expected (31 December 2005: €3.9 billion). The number of employees increased to 89,409 (31 December 2005: 88,516).