RARA Barefoot raises $500K pre-seed to expand across India
What's the deal? RARA BarefootDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an Indian barefoot-style footwear startup founded in 2024, has raised $500,000 in an oversubscribed pre-seed round. Investors include Prashant TandonDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, co-founder and CEO of Tata 1mg, and Akshat Babbar, managing director at ChrysCapital.
Who else is in? The round drew founders and senior executives from Zomato, Urban Company, Tata 1mg, Shyft, and HexaHealth, plus managing directors and partners from ChrysCapital and Boston Consulting GroupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
What's the endgame? Founders Varun Mimani and Manas Tripathi are building footwear designed for natural foot movement rather than fashion. Every RARA Barefoot shoe is made in India with a zero heel-to-toe drop, a wide toe box, and a flexible sole.
Why now? The company will use the funding to grow its direct-to-consumer business, increase Indian manufacturing, and add offline retail. It plans to reach multi-brand stores and open pop-up stores in major cities in 2026.
What's the traction? Tripathi said the startup first raised a friends-and-family round to test the idea before this raise. Several shoe sizes sold out within the first two months after launch.
The signal: India's sneaker market is expected to reach $4.67 billion by 2030, growing at 5.7% a year, according to Grand View Research. RARA Barefoot is one of several startups — alongside BUILT — betting that natural-movement footwear can carve a share of that growth.
Read more: BharatFast
Image credit: Mr Thinktank
