Listen to this article in summarized format
Loading...
××
Subscribe to
Unlock AI Briefing and Premium Content
New Year Offer 24 Hours Left
Subscribe NowAlready a member? Sign In
What's Included
- Exclusive Stories
- Daily ePaper Access
- Smart Market Tools
- Curated Investment Ideas
- Ad-lite Experience
Subscription
Since the start of 2026, Reliance Industries has added two more beauty and personal care brands — Pahadi Local and Anomaly Haircare — to its startup kitty.
Between 2018 and 2026, Reliance and its subsidiaries bought or backed internet-first brands across furniture, pharmacy, edtech, innerwear, AI, quick commerce, drones, retail technology, and consumer products. A closer look at these deals suggests that the investments were largely about plugging these companies into Reliance’s larger retail, telecom, commerce, and technology ecosystem.
The outcomes have been mixed. Haptik and Fynd have found clearer roles inside Reliance’s technology stack, while Netmeds, Urban Ladder, and Clovia continue as category plays in crowded markets. Embibe has been absorbed into Jio, TagZ under Reliance Consumer, and Dunzo became the sharpest reminder that not every boom-time startup could be rescued by a deep-pocketed parent.
Between 2018 and 2026, Reliance and its subsidiaries bought or backed internet-first brands across furniture, pharmacy, edtech, innerwear, AI, quick commerce, drones, retail technology, and consumer products. A closer look at these deals suggests that the investments were largely about plugging these companies into Reliance’s larger retail, telecom, commerce, and technology ecosystem.
The outcomes have been mixed. Haptik and Fynd have found clearer roles inside Reliance’s technology stack, while Netmeds, Urban Ladder, and Clovia continue as category plays in crowded markets. Embibe has been absorbed into Jio, TagZ under Reliance Consumer, and Dunzo became the sharpest reminder that not every boom-time startup could be rescued by a deep-pocketed parent.
