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Misfits Raises ₹1 Crore Seed Investment to Scale Offline Hobby Communities

Misfits Raises ₹1 Crore Seed Investment to Scale Offline Hobby Communities
Misfits Raises ₹1 Crore Seed Investment to Scale Offline Hobby Communities

Quick Overview

Hyperlocal community platform Misfits, featured on Shark Tank India, has raised ₹1 crore in funding after pitching its vision of building a “third space” — an offline environment beyond home and work for people to connect through shared hobbies. The deal closed with investor Kanika Tekriwal acquiring 3% equity for ₹1 crore, valuing the company at ₹33.33 crore. The funding will support expansion into new cities, strengthen local operations, and scale community-led experiences nationwide.

Funding Details

Misfits entered Shark Tank India seeking ₹1 crore for 1.25% equity but closed the deal with Kanika Tekriwal, who secured 3% equity at ₹1 crore. The implied post-money valuation is ₹33.33 crore. This marks the startup’s first institutional-style investment and provides both capital and strategic support from a prominent investor in India’s startup ecosystem. The deal highlights investor confidence in Misfits’ traction, market potential, and scalable offline community model.

Use of Funds

The ₹1 crore funding will be used to expand Misfits into new cities, enhance local operations, and scale community-led experiences across India. Investment will also support hiring, app enhancements, and operational infrastructure to facilitate offline meetups and ensure seamless experiences for users across geographies. Strategic backing from Kanika Tekriwal provides mentorship and industry insight in addition to capital.

About Misfits

Founded by Shashwat Narhatiyar, Shaswat Kar, Saurabh Sharma, and Chaitanya Dhawan, Misfits is a hyperlocal community platform focused on hobby-based offline social groups. The app enables users to discover and join local communities around sports, board games, hiking, fitness, music, and other shared interests. Misfits has recorded over 95,000 app downloads, maintains 25,000 monthly active users, and hosts around 700 offline meetups per month in Delhi NCR alone. By prioritizing consistent, safe, and community-led experiences, Misfits aims to create a “third space” where social connections are driven by shared passions rather than professional or home contexts.

Conclusion

Misfits operates in the growing segment of offline community engagement and social networking, catering to urban users seeking meaningful, hobby-based social connections. With a proven model in Delhi NCR, the startup addresses the gap for safe, consistent offline interactions in India’s urban centers. The funding validates investor confidence in platforms that bridge digital discovery with real-world experiences, a niche that remains underexplored relative to conventional social media or coworking solutions.

The startup’s early traction — including 700+ monthly meetups and 25,000 active users — demonstrates a scalable demand for hobby-based community engagement. This seed investment positions Misfits to consolidate its presence in key cities and expand India’s “third space” ecosystem.

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