The Indian cricketer, Ajinkya Rahane, has taken an equity stake in direct-to-consumer footwear brand Chupps, joining the company as both an investor and strategic advisor in a move that reflects the accelerating shift from endorsements to athlete-led business involvement.
The investment is part of Chupps’ ongoing pre-Series B round, with financial terms undisclosed. Participation from existing investors signals continued confidence in the brand’s trajectory as it transitions from early-stage validation to a more aggressive scale-up phase across India and select international markets.
Rahane’s mandate goes beyond capital. The Kolkata Knight Riders captain is expected to play an active role in product development, particularly in the emerging recovery and comfort footwear segment. He will work closely with the brand, advancing its ERGO-Charge technology and shaping products designed around post-performance recovery, a category gaining traction among both elite athletes and lifestyle consumers.
Ajinkya Rahane said, “What drew me to Chupps wasn’t the pitch. It was the product. You can tell when something is built with intention and when it isn’t. This one is.”
Yashesh Mukhi, Co-founder, Chupps Footwear, added, “We’re at a point where the brand has moved beyond early validation and is now scaling with clear intent. This phase is about building depth across product, distribution, and brand. Ajinkya’s involvement comes at the right time for us, as we start building for a more evolved consumer need. It’s a partnership that strengthens how we build, not just how we grow.”
Founded in 2020, Chupps has carved a niche in design-led comfort footwear, focusing on open categories such as sliders and sandals. The company operates through its D2C platform and major marketplaces while expanding its offline footprint and international presence, including the UAE.
For Rahane, the investment adds to a growing portfolio that includes ventures such as Senora Asset Management, Oatey, and You Need Contents, reinforcing a broader trend of athletes seeking long-term value creation over short-term endorsement deals.
The partnership underscores a deeper shift in India’s sports business landscape, where credibility, product insight and authentic alignment are fast becoming more valuable than visibility alone.
