Venture Catalysts, in conjunction with Nocking Point Advisors, has spearheaded a $400,000 seed funding round for FreeStand, a pioneering B2B marketing platform. Revolutionizing the execution of product sampling campaigns for major Indian FMCG companies, FreeStand ensures targeted and measurable outreach.
This funding round also witnessed the active participation of IIM-Calcutta Innovation Park, SucSEED Indovation, and strategic angel investors, including Guneet Singh and Varun Singh Hooda. Co-founded by Sneh Soni, Kavach Chandra, and Konark Sharma, FreeStand is reshaping the FMCG marketing landscape. By curating and offering a diverse range of sampling channels, FreeStand guarantees that product samples reach their intended consumers with precision.
The innovative approach of FreeStand has captured the interest of leading FMCG players such as HUL, Nestle, Reckitt Benckiser, and L’Oreal, among others. With this fresh infusion of capital, FreeStand is poised to expand its offerings. The startup intends to incorporate event and retail sampling channels, thereby enhancing the breadth of its services. Moreover, the strategic integration of AI technology lies at the heart of their strategy, aiming to streamline and enrich the product experience for FMCG marketers.
Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, MD & CEO of Venture Catalysts, underscored the potential impact of FreeStand in the FMCG sector. With an estimated 20,000 products sampled annually in India, the product sampling market is anticipated to burgeon to $1.5 billion–$3 billion by 2027. FreeStand’s platform, equipped with its comprehensive array of sampling channels and advanced dashboard for campaign performance measurement, is poised to emerge as a pivotal player in this growth trajectory.
Konark Sharma, co-founder and CEO of FreeStand, expressed optimism for the future, asserting, “FreeStand’s tech supercharges what FMCG brands can achieve with product sampling.” The startup’s ambition to expand its offerings and integrate AI capabilities signifies a significant leap toward simplifying and enhancing the FMCG marketing experience, promising a more efficient and targeted approach to product sampling campaigns.
