BEENEXT also participated in the fundraising round.
The money will be used to develop R&D, create a fashion-engineered textile design studio, andincrease supply chain efficiency throughout Asia
India’s Bengaluru, January 28, 2025: Lightspeed led a $4.2 million seed investment round for Whizzo, a materials science manufacturing startup that is leading the way in engineered fashion and technological textiles. BEENEXT also participated. The funding will help Whizzo’s initiatives to promote developments in R&D for materials science, build a cutting-edge design laboratory for fashion-engineered textiles, and fortify its supply chain infrastructure in Bangladesh, Vietnam, China, India, and Indonesia.
Established in 2024 by former Zetwerk CEO, IRMA alumni, and gold medallist Shrestha Kukreja, Whizzo is revolutionising textile production with a comprehensive strategy that blends sustainability, innovation, and cutting-edge materials research. The business makes its own mixes of textiles, Comprising fibres based on cellulosic and polymer materials, which are adapted to various industry demands and greatly shorten time-to-market.
“Our vision is to establish Whizzo as an IP-driven leader in fashion-engineered and technical textiles,” stated Shrestha Kukreja, founder of Whizzo, in reference to the company’s distinctive features. By using a cross border Contract Development and Manufacturing platform and developing unique mixes By using the CDMO concept, we want to close important gaps and revolutionise the textile sector via global connection, sustainability, and innovation.
When discussing the revolutionary potential of Whizzo’s strategy, Romit Mehta, VP-Investments at Lightspeed, stated, “Technical textiles and man-made fibres represent the future of the textile market.” India is positioned to emerge as a worldwide hub for innovation in this field, propelled by robust government assistance and forward-thinking entrepreneurs. Shrestha is an exceptional leader who exemplifies the drive and know-how required to create a “India to the world” narrative in this field. We are ecstatic to accompany Shrestha and the Whizzo group on this revolutionary adventure as they utilise cutting-edge materials science and a full-stack manufacturing approach to position India at the forefront of technical textiles.”
“India’s textile industry is one of its oldest, so it demands innovation to meet modern challenges like sustainability and efficiency,” Saksham Pant, Principal, BEENEXT, said in response to the grant. Whizzo is spearheading this change with cutting-edge technology and environmentally conscientious procedures. Within the next ten years, the firm, supported by Shrestha’s vision and experience, plans to establish India as a leader in technical textiles. India’s technical textiles industry, which was estimated to be worth $45 billion in 2026, is expected to reach $123 billion by 2035, propelled by industries including defence, infrastructure, and healthcare. With goods in the clothing, mobile, pack, and agrotech sectors, Whizzo is ideally situated to serve markets like industrial manufacturing, automobiles, and agriculture.
Concerning Whizzo:
Founded in 2024, Whizzo is a materials science manufacturing firm situated in Bengaluru. It focusses on technological and engineering textiles, using composite, woven, and non-woven technologies to provide creative solutions for sectors including Clothtech, Medtech, Packtech, and Indutech. With a strong supply network that includes Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, and India, Whizzo is dedicated to providing innovative textile solutions quickly and on a large scale.