In an ecosystem where venture-backed direct-to-consumer (D2C) startups frequently chase scale at the expense of sustainability, Powerhouse91 has quietly emerged as a high-efficiency outlier. The roll-up e-commerce brand aggregator has crossed a major milestone: achieving INR 100 crore in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and turning EBITDA profitable as of April 2025, all with a modest USD 2.5 million (~INR 21.15 crore) in total funding.
Founded in early 2022 by Aqib Mohammed and Shashwat Diesh, Powerhouse91 exemplifies a new wave of digital-first consumer brand builders focused on operational rigor, financial discipline, and category depth rather than blitzscaling. The company runs two core brands:
- Azah: A feminine hygiene and wellness brand.
- Slovic: Focused on fitness and lifestyle products.
According to some reports, the startup processed approximately 2.4 lakh orders in March 2025 alone, predominantly via online channels including Blinkit, Zepto, and Amazon. Monthly order volumes continue to grow at a healthy double-digit rate, signaling robust consumer traction.
EBITDA Breakthrough with Frugality at Core
Powerhouse91’s path to profitability is particularly noteworthy in a funding environment where burn-heavy D2C models have faced increased investor scrutiny. While many roll-up startups raised large venture rounds in their early stages, Powerhouse91 has managed to scale sustainably with just USD 2.5 million from investors including Titan Capital, FJ Labs, Crossbeam Venture Partners, and Mamaearth’s co-founder Varun Alagh. The company has not raised funds in nearly four years.
The company achieves EBITDA profitability by April 2025, despite posting a INR 4 crore EBITDA-level loss in FY25 and INR 5.97 crore in losses on INR 40 crore revenue in FY24. The turnaround demonstrates the startup’s strong margin improvement and cost-control efforts over the past year.
Strategic Focus: Depth over Breadth
Unlike traditional roll-up players that aggressively acquire multiple brands, Powerhouse91 has deliberately chosen to focus on a lean portfolio, co-founder Shashwat Diesh acknowledged the inherent complexities in scaling D2C brands: “Buying brands is the easier part. Running and growing them is relatively complex as every category/niche has its own nuances.”
Rather than diluting resources across a wide brand mix, the company has honed in on building Azah and Slovic into category leaders. This focused strategy echoes a broader trend among high-performing D2C players like Mosaic Wellness (INR 333 Cr revenue in FY24) and Innovist (INR 127 Cr), which have emphasized niche brand depth and capital efficiency.
Diesh also noted that while the Indian e-commerce space is still nascent, sectors like personal care, wellness, fitness, home & kitchen, and elderly care offer high growth potential. Powerhouse91 is poised to capitalize on this with its operations-first DNA and infrastructure built from cross-brand experience.
Global Ambitions
The company had previously indicated plans to expand into global markets including the USA and UAE, which may serve as the next growth frontiers. While no recent updates have been shared publicly, the company’s current profitability and ARR scale may provide a strong foundation for overseas forays.
Lessons from the Powerhouse91 Playbook
Powerhouse91’s journey underscores several critical lessons for the D2C and roll-up e-commerce sectors:
- Capital Discipline: Sustainable scale is possible without over-dependence on venture capital.
- Operational Excellence: Deep focus on category-specific challenges leads to better brand outcomes.
- Digital-First Distribution: Leveraging e-commerce and quick commerce for scalability without offline retail costs.
- Pragmatic Brand Strategy: Quality over quantity in brand roll-ups leads to long-term viability.
While Powerhouse91 declined to comment on the recent developments, the metrics speak for themselves. In a market saturated with high-burn D2C failures, Powerhouse91’s INR 100 crore ARR and EBITDA profitability on frugal capital is a benchmark that others may now look to emulate. For more details related to Startup Funding, IPO GMP, SEBI IPO Approval, and Live Subscription stay tuned to IPO Central.