Indian footwear startup RARA Barefoot has secured $500,000 in an oversubscribed pre-seed (or seed) funding round.
Co-founded in 2024 by Varun Mimani and Manas Tripathi, RARA Barefoot aims to pioneer the barefoot / minimal / natural movement in Indian performance footwear.
Why This Funding Matters
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The round was led by founders and senior operators from top Indian startups (Zomato, Urban Company, Tata 1mg, Shyft, HexaHealth), along with participation from senior partners from ChrysCapital and BCG.
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The capital will be used to scale D2C rollout, build offline retail partnerships, and ramp up local manufacturing capacity.
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RARA plans to expand to multi-brand stores and experience-driven pop-ups in major Indian cities by 2026.
What Is RARA Barefoot?
RARA designs performance barefoot sneakers combining evolutionary biomechanics with contemporary aesthetics.
Each sneaker is built with:
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A flat sole with zero heel-to-toe drop
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A wide toe box to let toes splay naturally
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A flexible sole that bends with all 33 joints of the foot.
All products are manufactured in India, using locally sourced, high-performance materials.
The Market & Opportunity
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The Indian sneaker market is poised to reach $4,665.9 million by 2030, with a CAGR of ~5.7%.
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Barefoot / minimal footwear is a niche yet growing category globally — India is ripe for a homegrown brand that blends performance, wellness, and fashion.
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By combining D2C reach + select offline distribution + “experience” pop-ups, RARA aims to build brand love alongside sales.
Founders & Vision
Varun Mimani and Manas Tripathi, though relatively new to the footwear world, bring a fresh vision — not just to sell shoes but to change how the foot moves.
The founders believe that many modern shoes inhibit natural biomechanics, leading to weak feet or joint problems. RARA’s mission is to give back freedom, strength, and natural movement to every Indian walker, runner, and everyday user.
What to Watch Going Forward
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How aggressively RARA can scale manufacturing without compromising quality
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The pace and success of offline retail ties and pop-up presence
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Adoption by athletes, wellness enthusiasts, and fitness communities
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Brand storytelling — barefoot movement is aspirational, but needs deep education
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Unit economics and retention — can they build repeat users for footwear (which has lower frequency)
Why This Story Resonates
RARA is not just another D2C startup. It’s a wellness + performance + Indian manufacturing story.
It signals that innovation, biomechanics, and conscious design can emerge from India — not always imported.
If execution aligns, RARA could become India’s signature barefoot brand, inspiring others in the “good design & movement” space.