GVFL and Malpani Ventures Back DOCO’s Tech-Driven Rural Distribution Model with ₹4.5 Cr Funding

GVFL, one of India's pioneering venture capital firms, has led a Rs. 4.50 crore pre-seed funding round in rural distribution platform DOCO (Distrisy Technologies), alongside Malpani Ventures. The round also saw participation from existing investor Kunwar Asheesh Saxena, Ex-Cofounder and CTO of RedDoorz, and other angel investors.

Founded in 2023 by Jitendra Yadav and Nishant Agarwal, DOCO operates as a Rural Distribution-as-a-Service (Rural DaaS) platform. It enables fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands to efficiently reach rural and semi-urban markets through a tech-driven network of dark stores and local partners, helping bridge the last-mile distribution gap across emerging India.

DOCO's platform combines technology-led supply chain management with on-ground execution by trained last-mile delivery partners, offering brands a lean, cost-efficient, and scalable way to expand rapidly into underserved regions. The company currently runs ten dark stores, serving over 5,000 retailers across western Uttar Pradesh, and works with more than 15 FMCG brands, including Bikano, Jabsons, Yellow Diamond, and Kingfisher.

Commenting on the investment, Mihir Joshi, Managing Director of GVFL, said,

DOCO has built a technology-enabled and transparent model that addresses inefficient rural distribution, which is one of the most persistent challenges in the FMCG space. Its approach of integrating grassroots entrepreneurship with digital infrastructure positions it well to capture the growing consumption potential across India. We are pleased to partner with DOCO at this early stage and support its next phase of expansion.

Druv Sane, Principal at Malpani Ventures, said, “At Malpani Ventures, we are bullish on innovative solutions that solve problems for Bharat. We are pleased to partner with the team at DOCO as they solve the challenge of last mile distribution in rural markets with a tech-enabled platform and bringing on board local partners.”

The newly raised funds will be deployed to strengthen DOCO's technology platform, expand its dark store network, enhance its presence in rural clusters, and build operational capabilities to serve a wider base of FMCG brands and rural retailers. Over the next 12 months, the company aims to grow its footprint to 25 dark stores and reach more than 25,000 retailers. In the long run, DOCO envisions becoming the leading rural distribution platform in India, connecting hundreds of FMCG brands with millions of rural retailers and empowering thousands of partners.

Jitendra Yadav, CEO of DOCO, said, “The successful closure of the pre-seed round is a strong validation of our vision to modernise rural distribution and enable FMCG brands to scale faster. With GVFL and Malpani Ventures as our partners, we aim to accelerate expansion, enhance our technology stack, and empower local youth to drive inclusive market.”

GVFL’s investment in DOCO aligns with its focus on supporting innovative, technology-driven enterprises that are solving large-scale problems across emerging sectors of the Indian economy.

Biotech Startup Mestastop Raises $500K to in Funding led by 92 Angels and Malpani Ventures

Mestastop Solutions, a biotechnology startup, has raised Rs 4.5cr or $500k in a Pre Series A round led by 92 angels & Malpani Ventures. In 2021 the company had secured a seed funding of Rs 2cr led by IIM Ahmedabad’s CIIE with participation from IKP and angel investors.

Founded by Arnab Roy Chowdhury and Debabani Roy Chowdhury, Mestastop is creating a cancer metastasis focussed platform, which uses wet lab biology and predictive analytics to identify and distinguish unique properties of metastasis and leverage them for drug discovery and patient treatment.

Dr Arnab’s shared “Over the last three years, we have been involved in extensive R&D, which has created novel platforms. We are ready to leap forward and use these platforms for our discovery and diagnostics efforts. I thank all existing investors for supporting us and the incoming investors for sharing our vision and passion. ”

The funds will be used to generate proof of concept data with small molecules around the identified first-in-class targets and also help progress drug repurposing efforts to delay metastasis by identifying probable clinical candidates. New animal models and clinical studies will also be supported, along with strategic business development activities.

Alok from 92 Angels said ”Mestastop is on a noble mission to defeat cancer, a dreaded disease that takes millions of lives every year. 92Angels, a group of investors whose specific goal is to support companies that make a better world, is privileged to be part of Mestastop's journey”

“We are pleased to back Arnab, Debabani and the team at Mestastop. The company's vision of developing novel platforms and predictive diagnostics to solve for cancer metastasis resonates well with our thesis at Malpani Ventures to back purpose-driven tech-first founders in healthcare” - said Dr Anirudh Malpani from Malpani Ventures

The global cost of cancer as a disease burden is poised to be around $25Tn by 2050. The spending on treating and research for curing cancer across would hit $400bn by 2030. Of this global drug discovery market size is poised to hit $150-180bn around that time (Source:Globe Newswire). Metastasis in cancer tackles a complex problem and addresses a potential problem that has plagued cancer cure pharmacos for years leading to diminished return on R&D as well.