Venturi Partners, a consumer fund in India and Southeast Asia, has invested $25 million in JQR (Just Quick Run), a brand in the affordable footwear segment. This marks the first venture capital funding for JQR, with Venturi acquiring an undisclosed minority stake.
Founded in 2014, JQR Sports is a footwear brand with vertically integrated manufacturing, in-house design capabilities and strong offline distribution. In 2015, the brand launched India’s first fluorescent shoes.
This funding will used to expand JQR’s offline presence to new markets as well as launch its online channel, and further enhance its product offerings.
Rishika Chandan, Managing Director of Venturi Partners, said, “We are very excited to partner with JQR. The footwear industry is seeing strong support from government policies, and we believe there is a significant gap in the price segment that JQR operates in. India’s consumer market continues to have a dearth of high-quality, affordable brands, and our mission at Venturi is to identify and scale such businesses across categories. JQR has impressed us with its product quality, design aesthetic, in-house manufacturing, and well-established distribution network. We look forward to working closely with the founders to accelerate their growth trajectory.”
The promoter brothers of JQR, Rinku, Sunil and Manish Garg said, “The partnership with Venturi Partners marks an exciting milestone in JQR’s journey. The investment will not only allow us to accelerate our growth and deliver value to our consumers, but, with their support and expertise, we are also confident that JQR will emerge as the leading brand in its category and deliver strong value to all stakeholders.”
Founded in 2020, Venturi Partners is an Asia-focused investment platform that enables consumer-facing businesses to build disruptive brands in India and Southeast Asia. The firm provides growth funding to consumer-centric, purpose-driven brands, with a focus on retail, education, healthcare, and fast-moving consumer goods, that have a shared desire to create a positive impact on the world.
Venturi’s existing portfolio includes Livspace, Country Delight, Believe, Pickup Coffee, DALI, and K-12 Techno.
