Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar is set to take on a new challenge beyond the cricket field. He’s venturing into entrepreneurship by co-founding a sports athleisure brand with Karthik Gurumurthy, former head of Swiggy Instamart, and Karan Arora, another ex-Swiggy executive, according to a report by The Economic Times.
To initiate the venture, a holding company, SRT10 Athleisure Pvt. Ltd., has been registered. Sachin Tendulkar, along with early-stage venture fund Whiteboard Capital, has incubated the startup. As per official filings, Tendulkar and Whiteboard Capital are currently serving on the board of directors of the holding firm.The startup is reportedly at an advanced stage of securing funding from prominent venture capitalists, according to sources cited in the report.
Despite being one of the most sought-after cricketers for brand endorsements, Sachin Tendulkar’s new venture takes a different approach. Unlike his usual lucrative endorsement deals, Tendulkar won’t receive a stake in the company based on his celebrity status. Instead, he’s actively involved in product development alongside his co-founders, contributing his expertise and passion in a personal capacity, according to sources.
“They are likely to position it like a rival to top brands like Nike, but at an affordable pricing with a local manufacturing at play as well as government policies promoting local manufacturing. They will soon launch products in sports like cricket and badminton.” A source mentioned in an ET report stated
The sports goods market is dominated by footwear, which accounts for approximately 60% of sales, followed by apparel at 30%. The remaining 10% consists of accessories. Notably, Sachin Tendulkar has already ventured into the menswear market with True Blue, a joint venture with Arvind Fashions, where he also serves as the brand ambassador. Additionally, he endorses several prominent brands, including Spinny, Boost, and BMW.
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