Yoho Raises Fresh Funding to Accelerate Offline Expansion and Running Category Growth - SMEStreet

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Direct-to-consumer footwear brand Yoho has closed a new funding round from new and existing investors. The Delhi-based startup previously raised ₹27 crore in a Pre-Series A round in 2022, backed by Gulf Islamic Investments, Rajeev Misra, Rukam Capital, and Vijay Shekhar Sharma.

The fresh capital will be deployed toward expanding Yoho's offline retail footprint and scaling its performance running range.

Since its 2021 launch, Yoho has sold over three million+ pairs of footwear across its own website (yoholife.in) and major e-commerce platforms including Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart, Ajio, and Nykaa. The brand has also established a presence on quick commerce platforms — Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart.

India's sneaker market is among the fastest-growing in Asia-Pacific, expected to reach USD 6 billion by FY32 on the back of a young, fashion-conscious population and the rising wave of athleisure culture. For a homegrown D2C brand like Yoho — competing on comfort, design, and performance — the timing couldn't be better.

On the offline front, Yoho is targeting partnerships with 2,500 Multi-Brand Outlets (MBOs) across tier I and tier II cities. The company also plans to expand on Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBOs) that will integrate AI-driven solutions to address fitting issues, reduce returns, and optimize inventory management.

Building on the strong reception to its Catapult with Carbonburst™ shoes — designed specifically for marathon runners — Yoho plans to broaden its performance running portfolio.

Pankaj Gupta of GII said "In a cluttered market, true differentiation is everything. Ahmad and Prateek demonstrated exactly that — a sharp, distinctive perspective on a massive opportunity that immediately aligned with GII's investment thesis."

Founded by Ahmad Hushsham and Prateek Singhal, Yoho offers casual and formal footwear for both men and women, positioning itself at the intersection of comfort, design, and performance.