Aukera Raises ₹90 Cr Debt To Scale Lab-Grown Diamond Store Network
Bengaluru-based D2C lab-grown diamond brand Aukera secured ₹90 Cr debt led by Alteria Capital to fund store expansion, omnichannel infrastructure and product innovation. The brand has grown from 13 to 35 stores and targets ₹1,000 Cr in revenue.
What happened
Bengaluru-based lab-grown diamond D2C brand Aukera raised ₹90 Cr debt led by Alteria Capital to fund store expansion, omnichannel infrastructure, and product
Key facts
- ₹90 Cr debt
- $10 Mn
- $15 Mn Series B
- 13 to 35 stores
- $28.2 Mn total funding
- ₹1,000 Cr target
- 14.8% CAGR
- $2 Bn market by 2036
Why this matters
Aukera's rapid store rollout and D2C brand equity in lab-grown diamonds make it a watchlist candidate for larger jewellery players or omnichannel retailers seeking category entry via acquisition.
What to watch
- Same-store sales growth vs new-store contribution split
- Store-level payback period and blended gross margin trend
- New debt or equity announcements from LGD competitors
- Movement in lab-grown diamond wholesale prices
- Any covenant breach or refinancing news signaling cash strain
- Progress toward the ₹1,000 Cr revenue guidepost
- Accelerate store openings in Tier-1 metros while lease terms are favorable
- Deepen omnichannel stack (try-at-home, virtual try-on, unified inventory) to lift conversion
- Push product innovation into higher-margin bridal and solitaire segments
- Signal path to profitability publicly to set up a future equity raise
- Lock supplier contracts to hedge against falling LGD wholesale prices
Also reported by
- Inc42 — Same time