"In the next five years, we aspire to have 50 pc of India wearing our specs," says Lenskart

Omnichannel eyewear startup Lenskart has secured a $95 million investment from global investment firm KKR through a secondary stake acquisition. According to the transaction, existing investors TPG Growth and TR Capital, who first invested in Lenskart in late 2014, will each divest a portion of their holding in the company.

With the latest investment, KKR will help the Delhi-based firm in expanding its presence in India and scaling its growing operations overseas. The company will also help in enhancing Lenskart’s digital offerings to augment customers’ virtual and omni-store experience.

Avendus Capital advised Lenskart on the transaction.

Peyush Bansal, CEO of Lenskart, said, “At Lenskart, we are obsessed with our customers, technology, and making the world a better place through easily accessible, best-quality eyewear. More than 600 million people in India and 4.5 billion people globally need vision correction, but only a fraction of them use it due to a lack of access, awareness, and high-quality, affordable solutions.”

“In the next five years, we aspire to have 50 percent of India wearing our specs. Today’s announcement is a milestone and a step towards that goal. We are thrilled to welcome KKR as an investor given their significant experience working with leading global eyewear retailers such as National Vision and 1-800 Contacts as well as technology-focused businesses globally. We look forward to working alongside KKR to elevate Lenskart to its next phase of growth,” he added.

Gaurav Trehan, Partner at KKR, stated, “As a technology-driven business, Lenskart is a strong, homegrown disruptor in India’s rapidly expanding eyewear industry. We are truly excited to work with Peyush and Lenskart’s impressive management team to support Lenskart’s growth and innovation in India and internationally, in addition to advancing its mission to provide affordable, accessible eyewear products for everyone.”