IAN Backs Waterless Personal Hygiene Startup Clensta International

Delhi based biotechnology start-up Clensta International, has raised an undisclosed amount of seed funding from Indian Angel Network and its maiden VC Fund, IAN Fund, led by IAN members – Rishabh Mehta, Founder & CEO LOCAD Pte Ltd., Pradeep Gupta, Co-Founder IAN, Anirudh Agarwal and Sajiv Dhawan. Clensta has been working towards creating innovative healthcare solutions to make hygiene accessible for anyone, anytime and anywhere. Currently operating in the B2B market space, the investment will assist Clensta to launch its products in the B2C space and develop newer products in the personal hygiene category. Rishabh Mehta will be taking the board seat in the start-up.
Founded in the year 2016 by Dr. Puneet Gupta (Founder & CEO), an IIM Calcutta Alumnus, in association with IIT Delhi and Prof Anurag S. Rathore, Chemical Faculty at IIT Delhi, Clensta is working on Waterless Technology and has launched a range of waterless personal hygiene products which consists of waterless shampoo and body bath. Clensta Waterless Body Bath & Shampoo is designed free of alcohol, parabens and SLS, or any other harmful ingredients to provide a bathing experience but WITHOUT using a drop of water.
The unique feature of zero utility of water makes the product novel and drives the vision of “universal access to innovative & exemplary hygiene centric healthcare solution”. It can be directly applied to hair and body, massaged and then can be dried off using a towel. The product would not only remove dirt, oil, and grease completely but also provide a shining and moisturizing look to the hair and body. Since there are no such resources available to maintain hygiene, Clensta’s products will be a big relief to the society, providing innovative healthcare solutions that make hygiene Quick, Accessible & Simple for everyone anytime and anywhere, irrespective of availability/accessibility of water.
The products are already live on Government E-Marketplace (GeM), being supplied both to Government and Private Hospitals and have also been considered to be patronised for Indian Defence and Paramilitary Forces.
Speaking on the recent fund raised, Dr. Puneet Gupta, Founder & CEO said, “We are glad to develop a range of products which will help us address the global concern of Personal Hygiene and Water Scarcity. We endeavour to bring science and technology to introduce advanced personal hygiene products which can improve existing standards of Personal Hygiene and hence address a huge unaddressed market of close to 11000 Crore. We are honoured that IAN has recognised the potential of our brand and has invested their interest and expertise to help us strengthen our roots in the industry. Apart from the Monetary Benefit, IAN brings aboard a wide range of experience as well as opportunities from its Individual Investors which we believe will ensure Clensta’s exponential growth”.
Angel Investors and Prominent Business Personalities in the country are also investing into the company as part of IAN. Apart from the lead group some of the other investors include: Ajai Chowdhry, Co-founder HCL; Arvind Singal, Founder & MD Technopak Advisors; Bikky Khosla, CEO Trade India, Chairman ASSOCHAM; Jaideep Mehta, CEO VC Circle; Raman Roy, Chairman NASSCOM as well as Anand Ladsariya, Founder Everest Flavours.
The current Indian market size for waterless personal hygiene is close to 11000 Crores. Not just in India, but globally daily personal hygiene and sanitation has always been and still is seen as an impossible reality without water. Being the pioneer in developing waterless technology in India, and with no direct competition, Clensta has a clear market distinction to become the leaders in this sector. The company currently services sectors such as Defence and private & government hospitals, however, the products’ utility can be applied to plethora of other domains. Clensta’s waterless body bath and shampoo that can be used by patients in hospitals, old age people, defence soldiers, in tourism and space industry and adventure enthusiasts to maintain their hygiene and take a bath without water. Clensta is already in the process of exploring Alliances for strategic partnership with Future Group, Apollo Pharmacy, Railways, Decathlon.
The start-up signed MoU with IIT Delhi and is also accelerated by US Embassy (Nexus) in India and World Startup Factory in the Netherlands, where the company also has a subsidiary company by the name of Clensta International B.V. and has been widely recognized worldwide, including Indian Defence (where it was named among the top 5 start-ups of the year for showcasing to PM Modi), IIT Delhi (Top 10 Innovators), Leaders of Tomorrow, BIRAC, Krypto Lab, Start-up Chile, Singularity University and Wharton India among others. Clensta has also been approved for Department of Science and Technology Grant.
Clensta had previously raised seed round of funding lead by Mr. Sanjeev Jain, an IIT Delhi Alumni, a Businessman and a seasoned Angel Investor.
Recently, Clensta became a member of Moon Village Association, an organization which, along with its member companies, work together towards making Moon expeditions possible. The company is also in discussion with Marico Foundation for collaboration. Additionally, the start-up has signed an MoU with L’Oreal and are exploring opportunities in the beauty and fashion industries as well.