Direct-to-consumer footwear startup Yoho has secured fresh funding from existing investors as the company looks to accelerate offline retail expansion and strengthen its presence in India’s rapidly growing performance footwear market.
The bridge round comprises Rs 15 crore in equity and Rs 8 crore in debt, led by Gulf Islamic Investments and Rajeev Misra, with participation from existing investors including, Vijay Shekhar Sharma and former executives associated with the SoftBank Vision Fund ecosystem.
The Delhi-based company had previously raised Rs 27 crore in a Pre-Series A funding round in 2022 backed by Gulf Islamic Investments, Rajeev Misra, Rukam Capital, and Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
As this is a bridge round involving existing investors, the company has not disclosed a fresh valuation.
Founded in 2021 by Ahmad Hushsham and Prateek Singhal, Yoho operates in the casual, formal, and performance footwear categories for men and women, positioning itself around comfort-driven and design-led products.
The brand plans to utilise the fresh capital to scale its offline distribution network, expand its exclusive retail presence, and deepen investments in the performance running segment.
Yoho is currently targeting partnerships with over 2,500 multi-brand outlets (MBOs) across tier I and tier II cities. The brand is also expanding its exclusive brand outlet (EBO) strategy, with plans to integrate AI-led solutions across stores to improve fit accuracy, reduce returns, and optimise inventory management.
The brand has sold more than 3 million pairs of footwear since launch through its own D2C website and marketplaces, including Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart, Ajio, and Nykaa. The brand has also expanded into quick commerce platforms such as Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart.
Yoho is also betting heavily on the running category following strong traction for its Catapult with Carbonburst™ footwear range designed for marathon runners. The company now plans to broaden its performance portfolio as competition intensifies in India’s fast-growing sports and lifestyle footwear segment.
