Influencers Turn Startup Founders: The Startup Story You Can’t Ignore!

A New Breed of Entrepreneurs Is Emerging from the Creator Economy. Are We Witnessing the Birth of India’s Next D2C Wave?

They began by dancing to trending audio clips, sharing makeup tutorials, daily vlogs, and relatable reels. But today, a growing number of India’s top influencers are going beyond likes and views—they are building businesses.

The rise of influencer-led startups in India is no longer a passing trend—it’s quickly becoming a defining shift in the country’s digital commerce ecosystem. Popular digital creators like Kusha Kapila, Nitibha Kaul, Neetu Bisht, and Sunny Chopra—once known for their viral content—are now making their mark as entrepreneurs. Their brands span across fashion, skincare, shapewear, and lifestyle products, directly leveraging the deep trust and loyalty they've built with their audiences over the years.

From Followers to Founders

What makes this transition significant is not just the celebrity status of these influencers—but the fact that their startups are rooted in authenticity, relatability, and community-driven brand building.

• Kusha Kapila, known for her candid and bold content, has launched Underneat, a shapewear brand aimed at promoting body positivity and comfort.

• Nitibha Kaul, a digital creator known for beauty and self-care, has entered the skincare segment with her brand AltK Beauty.

• Neetu Bisht, popular among regional followers and young women, has introduced her own clothing line, Netose Clothing.

• Sunny Chopra, a dance and fashion influencer, has rolled out his fashion label Ksunch, targeting Gen-Z consumers.

Interestingly, this movement mirrors what’s already matured in the West—where YouTubers and content creators like MrBeast (Feastables), Kylie Jenner (Kylie Cosmetics), and Logan Paul (Prime) have successfully turned audiences into consumers and built multi-million dollar brands. India is now catching up.

Why Influencers Are Primed for D2C Success

Behind the influencer-to-founder trend is a powerful new business model. Social media creators already hold what legacy brands spend millions to acquire—trust, relatability, and consistent audience attention. Their fans aren’t just passive viewers; they’re micro-communities deeply invested in their journeys.

Unlike traditional brands, these creators don’t rely on huge ad budgets. Instead, they tell stories—stories of their own lives, experiences, challenges, and aspirations. And that storytelling becomes their marketing engine. In an age of decreasing attention spans, these influencers know exactly how to hold it.

Even in saturated segments like beauty and fashion, creator-led brands are finding "white spaces" to occupy. Instead of competing on volume, they are winning through sharper positioning and speed. Traditional brands may have the scale, but influencers have agility—and that’s a game-changer in the digital-first retail space.

India’s Creator Economy: Fueling the New Startup Boom

India’s digital landscape is primed for this shift. With over 800 million internet users, many of them consuming content in regional languages, the creator economy here is incredibly diverse. It’s not just the metro-based influencers anymore—Tier 2 and Tier 3 creators are now building loyal follower bases in niches that were once untouched.

This democratisation of influence is creating fertile ground for category-specific brands that speak directly to local needs and aspirations. It’s not a pyramid where only the top few thrive—rather, it’s a web of micro-communities, each ready to be tapped for entrepreneurial opportunities.

According to EY estimates, India’s influencer marketing industry alone is projected to reach ₹3,375 crore by 2026, and the larger creator economy will add significantly more value by turning audiences into customers.

On a global level, social media has already surpassed traditional advertising formats, with $247.3 billion in annual spend forecasted for 2024. India is now the third largest market in this space, signalling the maturity and readiness of the ecosystem.

The Rise of the Creator-Entrepreneur Ecosystem

Backing this creator-led revolution are enablers—companies that are helping influencers transition from content to commerce. Firms like Pocket Aces and AnyMind Group are acting as startup incubators for these new-age founders. Their services go beyond campaign management and include product development, branding, testing, go-to-market strategies, and distribution support.

The idea is simple: co-create brands that retain the creator’s voice and offer real value to their communities. These support systems are proving crucial, especially for influencers who might not come from business backgrounds but have the audience and ambition to build something bigger.

From Influence to Impact

Ultimately, this shift is about more than commerce—it’s about control, ownership, and long-term brand building. For years, influencers have lent their names to sponsored products and brand deals. But now, many are taking ownership of the narrative—and the revenue stream—by launching their own products.

What started as a movement of monetizing popularity is evolving into something more meaningful: a blueprint for creator-led entrepreneurship in India. As more influencers step into the founder’s shoes, they’re redefining what it means to build a brand in the digital age.

And if the early signs are anything to go by, we’re just at the beginning of a booming wave—one where India's next generation of retail disruptors could very well emerge from Instagram feeds and YouTube vlogs.