Brainbees Solutions, the India-based, corporate-backed operator of maternity and childcare e-commerce platform FirstCry, is in talks with investors to raise up to $75m, DealStreetAsia reported today, citing three people aware of the development.
FirstCry claims to stock in excess of 20,000 products on its online platform, including maternity wear, nappies, prams, nursery accessories, toys, school stationery and clothes for children aged nine and lower.
In addition to e-commerce, FirstCry has expanded into brick-and-mortar stores. It currently operates around 150 stores across 85 Indian cities and has formed distribution agreements with some 5,000 hospitals. It aims to increase its store count from 150 to 700 in the next three to four years.
The company has raised approximately $69m since it was founded, most recently closing a $36m series D round in April 2015 backed by IDG Ventures India, media company International Data Group’s local VC affiliate, as well as Valiant Capital, New Enterprise Associates, Vertex Venture Holdings and SAIF Partners.
Brainbees has initiated work on a new round and is being advised by investment bank Avendus Capital, according to a source, who said it could also involve one or more existing investors divesting shares.
The source said: “The round will have both a primary and secondary share sale component. Depending on how much stake some of the existing investors decide to sell in the round, the size of the round could vary between $50m and $75m.”
IDG Ventures India has been an investor in the company since its $14m series B round in 2012. It also contributed to a $15m round two years later.