Experiential learning platform Habbit, home décor startup KraftInn raise early funds

Habbit E-Platform, a New Delhi-based startup operating an interactive learning solution for new age skills and hobbies, has raised $320,000 in a pre-Seed round of funding.

The investment, a statement said, was led by Ashok Goyal, former supervisory board member of Sanjeev Goenka Group and ex-managing director at Philips Carbon Black, with participation from angels such as RT Vision Technologies CEO Rajinder Mohan, Sanctum Wealth Management regional head Gaurav Vij, Aanchal Apparels founder Geeta Ahluwalia, and Techno Relief Group chairman Kunal Ojha.

Habbit said it plans to use the funding to develop its product as well as to grow its user and mentor base.

Founded in September 2020 by BITS Pilani Somnath Sandeep and Raghav Goyal, Habbit connects mentors with learners looking to upskill in new age areas such as yoga, art, design, gaming, and music.

The platform offers one-on-one personalized live sessions and group workshops for 42 skills under 7 different categories.

“In just three months of full-fledged product launch, we have expanded our community to 5,000-plus learners and conducted 400-plus learning sessions,” Sandeep said while commenting on the fund-raise.

“We couldn't ask for better partners than our current investors who have tremendous experience and strategic vision.

The new investments will primarily accelerate product development, expanding our content, and creator base to cover unique learning experiences for our learners,” he added.

KraftInn

Assam-based home décor startup KraftInn said it has raised an undisclosed sum in seed funding from NEDFi Venture Capital’s North East Venture Fund.

The round will be used by the company to expand its inventory and design as well as to strengthen its sales, marketing, and distribution teams.

Founded in 2015 by Parikshit Borkotoky and Pramathesh Borkotoky, KraftInn works towards building home décor products and crafts using sustainable materials such as bamboo, water hyacinthand cane, helping reverse climate change.

“Our approach is to directly reach out to the target customers, and build a digitally native brand. In addition to this, we closely work with the customers to understand their preferences and habits in the real-time.

This equips us with the required understanding that goes into building the new products,” Borkotoky said following the fund-raise.

“Climate change is one of the most pertinent issues of our generation and home décor companies need to change how we make things. We aspire to be India’s largest direct-to-customer sustainable home décor brand,” he added.