Indian startups are increasingly bringing celebrities into their businesses as investors, co-founders and co-creators, moving beyond traditional advertising partnerships. According to reports from Business Standard, celebrities from Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Shraddha Kapoor to Shilpa Shetty Kundra and Triptii Dimri are taking equity stakes while getting more involved in products, creative direction and brand-building. This trend is supported by funding data showing that India's top 10 celebrity investors have participated in 49 disclosed funding rounds across 34 startups between 2021 and 2026 year-to-date, with the total value of these rounds at around $460 million. The move comes as celebrities are taking frequent bets on startups, with data from market intelligence platform Tracxn showing this significant investment activity.
Based on market intelligence data from Tracxn, actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra leads the ranking with 10 disclosed rounds, followed by cricketers MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar with six rounds each. Actor Shraddha Kapoor and cricketer Virat Kohli follow with five rounds each. One notable example is Peep Beauty, which has onboarded actor Triptii Dimri as an investor and co-creator, raising ₹12 crore with the actor working closely on creative direction, product conversations and brand storytelling from early stages. Speaking on the announcement, Dimri said, "The eye is one of the most expressive parts of who we are, yet coloured lenses have always been spoken about as a functional or medical category... Being part of building a brand from the ground up, contributing creatively, and helping shape its vision made this partnership incredibly exciting for me."
According to Business Standard, celebrity partnerships are generating measurable business results. Rosada kids' lifestyle startup reported that revenue has almost doubled compared to the previous period after Shilpa Shetty Kundra's investment, with improved conversion rates and repeat purchases. Fizzy Goblet footwear startup has grown to an annual revenue run rate of around ₹60 crore with 16 stores, targeting to cross ₹100 crore next year. Palmonas jewellery company achieved a four-fold increase in revenue after Shraddha Kapoor's 21% equity stake, with her social reach of over 90 million followers significantly expanding brand awareness. For Palmonas, founder Pallavi Mohadikar explained that the decision to offer equity rather than simply sign Kapoor as a brand ambassador was driven by the need to build credibility for the relatively new demi-fine jewellery category, stating that "since she genuinely liked and wore Palmonas jewellery even before our association, the partnership was very natural."
As reported by Business Standard, celebrities are transitioning from customers to investors, creating organic partnerships. Kareena Kapoor Khan at Fizzy Goblet had been wearing the brand before becoming brand ambassador in 2022, subsequently making a strategic investment. Shilpa Shetty Kundra at Rosada was already a genuine customer before deciding to invest, making the partnership truly organic. According to Laksheeta Govil, founder and CEO of Fizzy Goblet, Khan's association had strengthened brand recall and credibility, particularly as the company expanded into newer cities and categories. She noted that "She's (Khan) much more involved than what people typically associate with celebrity partnerships. Of course, she'll continue to be a part of our campaigns, but we also have regular conversations around products, collections and the overall direction of the brand." Companies report that celebrity investors bring brand equity and consumer influence beyond the capital and strategic guidance provided by traditional angel investors and venture capital funds.
