New parents have always been scrambling for trusted baby gear amid sketchy online options and pricey stores since decades, to our fortune, FirstCry has swooped in like a lifeline, delivering everything diapers, strollers, toys, clothes and all baby-care essentials straight to doorsteps with quality you could count on.
Launched in 2010 by Supam Maheshwari and Amitava Saha from Pune, this parenting powerhouse turned e-commerce chaos into a one-stop wonderland for India’s growing families.
In this blog we’ll delve into the story of FirstCry and its founders.
About FirstCry
FirstCry was established in 2010 in Pune, born from the sharp minds of two IIM grads, Supam Maheshwari as CEO and Amitava Saha, who spotted a real pain point for new parents hunting reliable baby and kids’ stuff without the hassle or high prices.
It started off as a smart online fix and later bloomed into a full-on omnichannel powerhouse, blending e-commerce ease with brick-and-mortar stores and their own trusted private labels.
Meet the Founders
FirstCry’s journey wouldn’t be what it is today without the vision of its founder. Let’s take a quick gander at the brain behind the brand!
- Supam Maheshwari
Supam Maheshwari, born around 1974 and started his journey at Apeejay School before grabbing a Mechanical Engineering degree from Delhi College of Engineering (1991-1995) and a PGDM from the powerhouse IIM Ahmedabad (1995-1997).
This sharp entrepreneur first teamed up with Amitava Saha to launch Brainvisa Technologies in 2000, an eLearning startup he led as co-founder and CEO until 2009, pioneering online stores way back in 2012.
Spotting a gap in quality baby products during his own parenting days, Supam co-founded FirstCry in August 2010, stepping up as CEO to build it into India’s go-to for kids’ gear. He also founded ExpressBees, one of India’s major logistics and supply chain companies.
- Amitava Saha
Amitava Saha, the acting COO and co-founder of FirstCry, boasts a BTech in Mechanical Engineering from IIT (BHU) Varanasi and a PGDM from IIM Lucknow.
He first linked up with Supam Maheshwari at Brainvisa Technologies, scaling it big-time before they teamed up again to launch Xpressbees in 2015, born from FirstCry’s own delivery headaches.
FirstCry Product Portfolio
FirstCry packs a massive product offering for moms and babies, covering everything from pre-birth essentials right up to early teen years with over two lakh products across diapering, feeding, clothing (ethnic, casual, party wear), toys, nursery furniture and decor, gear like strollers and car seats, health and safety, and maternity must-haves.
They stock thousands of top brands alongside their own trusty Babyhug line, plus a vibrant FirstCry Parenting community dishing out real-talk advice from fellow parents and experts.
Key categories shine with apparel and footwear for boys and girls, from dresses and tees to socks, shoes, and swimsuits, nursery goodies like beds, bedding, and mosquito nets, travel gear including prams, carriers, and tricycles, fun toys and games for development, feeding/diaper basics, maternity lingerie, and bath-time hygiene picks.
FirstCry’s Funding Journey
FirstCry has scooped up USD 513 million across 9 funding rounds since its debut back in February 2011, with the latest Series E for USD 13.1 million on March 27, 2021, led by Premji Invest.
It is backed by Powerhouses like SoftBank Vision Fund (their biggest backer), Elevation Capital, Vertex Ventures, Premji Invest and 34 other institutional investors, plus 26 angels.
Breaking Down FirstCry’s IPO
Brainbees Solutions (FirstCry) hit the market with its IPO from August 6-8, 2024, priced at INR 440-465 per share, raising INR 4,193.73 crore through a fresh issue and offer for sale.
Allotment wrapped on August 9, shares credited on August 12, and listing displayed on August 13 with a minimum bid of INR 14,080 for 32 shares (1 lot).
Afterword
Beyond an e-commerce platform, FirstCry has built trust with millions of Indian parents. With a successful IPO and strong omnichannel presence, it’s proven that understanding your customer deeply can turn a niche into a category-defining business. For parents across India, FirstCry is a part of their parenting journey!