Arjun Vaidya - Co-Founder @ V3 Ventures, Founder @ Dr. Vaidya's (acquired)

Arjun Vaidya

Co-Founder @ V3 Ventures, Founder @ Dr. Vaidya's (acquired)

More about Arjun Vaidya

Co-Founder @ V3 Ventures I Founder @ Dr. Vaidya's (acquired) I D2C Founder & Early Stage Investor I Forbes Asia 30U30 I Business World 40U40

Hi, I’m Arjun, and I’m a D2C founder & early stage consumer investor. I built Dr. Vaidya’s to India’s largest Ayurveda brand online and took it to an acquisition. I now lead venture investing for Verlinvest through a new fund called V3 Ventures. 

I'm also an active angel investor and mentor to brands in India’s startup ecosystem. If you’re an early-stage founder DM me - I'm happy to chat!

Here's my story:

‘Vaidya’ my last name means Ayurvedic doctor and I come from 150 years of Ayurveda legacy. I grew up with asthma and after 14 years of treatment, I was cured. More than just being a family legacy, I became a believer in the potential of the science and so I promised him I’d take forward this legacy.

In 2009, I went to Brown University for my undergrad. I witnessed the natural and organic products revolution there. I also saw yoga become a multibillion-dollar industry with a repackaged identity for modern consumers. This made me think about the opportunity we had with Ayurveda…

In 2013, I moved back to India and joined a consumer sector focused growth private equity fund called L Catterton. Here, I spent time understanding and investing in the Indian consumer story. I was also fortunate to see the advent of e-commerce in India closely.

In this time, my grandfather passed and so, I decided to action the promise I had made him. 

In October 2016, I quit my job to take on my family’s Ayurveda legacy. Dr. Vaidya’s repackaged the ancient Indian science of Ayurveda for modern consumers and emerged as India’s largest Ayurveda brand online. In 4 years, we successfully reached 2m+ consumers across 16,500+ pin codes in India and launched 80+ products and clocked 5,000+ orders per day!

I was the first Ayurvedic Entrepreneur to be featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia List for and Business World 40 Under 40 List! We also won Youth SMB of the Year from Amazon and the Retail Startup Award from the Retailers Association of India. In June 2019, we partnered with the USD 4b RP Sanjiv Goenka Group and led the business to an acquisition by the group – making it one of India’s first successful D2C exits. 

Post the exit, I have become an active early stage investor. 
 
Outside work, I’m a World Economic Forum Global Shaper and a part Brown University’s Young Alumni Advisory Council. I’m also a massive sports fan (love cricket, football, Padel, pickleball and squash) and a marathon runner.

To get in touch/collaborate email me on [email protected]

Signing up on our website is completely free! If you encounter any issues with profile or notice something unusual, please don't hesitate to report it to us. We're here to help ensure a smooth and secure experience.
Featured speaker at previous eChai events:
Building Consumer and D2C Brands : Mumbai Edition
Founders and startup folks who joined past eChai startup events

The eChai Effect - In Their Words

"We found eChai to be a force multiplier throughout our startup journey. Through it, we connected with folks from DevX, Allevents, Plutomen, and more - many of whom became friends of IndiaBizForSale.com and even part of our clientele."
Bhavin S Bhagat - Co-founder of Indiabizforsale and IBGrid, TiE Ahmedabad President
Bhavin S Bhagat
Co-founder of Indiabizforsale and IBGrid, TiE Ahmedabad President
“When we launched LegalWiz.in back in 2016, concept of procuring legal and compliance services through a digital commerce platform wasn't as prominent in India. eChai played a significant role in providing the early adopters, and building significant positioning in the startup fraternity. Overtime, eChai grew to be a massive network of like-minded entrepreneurs and extended that benefit to all the members in a true "co-rise" spirit. I personally love to attend eChai events, learn from subject matter experts who share relatable and actionable insights and experiences. For startup journeys, it is so important to be surrounded by people who can add relevance, perspective, and push you to do better. Most importantly a group of people where you aren't being judged about things going right or wrong, but be a motivational force that keeps you going, yet keeping you in check. eChai is that place for me!”
Shrijay Sheth - Founder at LegalWiz.in and Hire4Higher Consulting
Shrijay Sheth
Founder at LegalWiz.in and Hire4Higher Consulting
“I have no hesitation in saying that my association with eChai has been a gateway into the startup ecosystem. Through this platform, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with many young and dynamic entrepreneurs. These interactions have been immensely enriching - I’ve learned a great deal and have always tried to offer guidance whenever approached. It’s a truly symbiotic relationship that I deeply value, and it wouldn’t have been possible without eChai.”
Syed Nadeem Jafri - Founder, Hearty Mart
Syed Nadeem Jafri
Founder, Hearty Mart

eChai Partner Brands

eChai Ventures partners with select brands as their growth partner - working together to explore new ideas, open doors, and build momentum across the startup ecosystem.