Inc42 and Rukam Capital select 14 D2C brands for inaugural D2CX Runway accelerator

Programme details and cohort selection

Inc42 and Rukam Capital have launched the first edition of the D2CX Runway accelerator programme, a seven-week initiative designed to support direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands in scaling their operations. The programme selected 14 brands spanning sectors such as fashion, food and beverages, babycare, jewellery, and automotive.

The cohort includes a mix of bootstrapped and venture-backed startups. According to Inc42, several of these brands are already generating multi-crore annual revenue, reflecting the maturity of some participants in the programme.

Focus on omnichannel growth

The accelerator programme aligns with a broader trend in India’s D2C ecosystem, which has grown into a $65 Bn market. While digital-first strategies continue to drive new brands, established players are increasingly adopting omnichannel distribution to sustain growth.

Inc42 reports that consumer brands are no longer limited to selling through websites or marketplaces. Instead, they are leveraging quick commerce, ecommerce platforms, owned channels, and offline retail to reach customers across multiple touchpoints.

What this means

Lazyfounder analysis — our interpretation, not reported fact.

The launch of the D2CX Runway cohort signals a maturation phase for India’s D2C market, where brands are moving beyond digital-only strategies to embrace omnichannel distribution. For founders, this shift underscores the importance of building flexible sales infrastructures that can adapt to diverse customer preferences. The programme also highlights the value of peer learning and expert-led guidance in navigating this transition, particularly for brands aiming to scale beyond early-stage growth.

Key takeaways

• Founders in the D2C space can use this programme to benchmark their strategies against peers and tap into proven growth tactics shared by industry experts.
• The inclusion of both bootstrapped and venture-backed startups highlights that scalable revenue models are achievable regardless of funding status, which may influence how founders approach growth.
• The shift toward omnichannel distribution in India’s $65 Bn D2C market signals that founders must diversify beyond digital-first strategies to remain competitive.