Celebrating D2C visionaries: Top leaders win ‘e4m D2C Entrepreneur of the Year’ honour

The leaders were awarded for their instrumental role in shaping India’s evolving D2C landscape

by e4m Desk
Published: Sep 11, 2026 5:30 PM | 2 min read

The fifth edition of the e4m D2C Awards, held on September 10, celebrated entrepreneurs in India's direct-to-consumer ecosystem, recognizing their contributions to the industry.
Several founders were honored with the 'e4m D2C Entrepreneur of the Year' title for their leadership in creating consumer-first businesses that resonate with audiences.
Notable awardees included Sifat Khurana (Innovist), Gurukeerthi Gurunathan (Caratlane), and Sidhant Keshwani (Libas), among others, highlighting their roles in building distinctive brands and fostering consumer relationships.
The awards emphasized the importance of innovation, digital marketing strategies, and understanding consumer needs in transforming product development and sales in the competitive D2C market.

The fifth edition of the e4m D2C Awards on September 10 put the spotlight on the entrepreneurs driving India’s fast-growing direct-to-consumer ecosystem. Alongside recognising leading brands and agencies, the spectacular awards night celebrated founders whose vision, leadership and business acumen have helped shape the country’s evolving D2C story.

Founders of some of India’s most prominent D2C companies were honoured with the ‘e4m D2C Entrepreneur of the Year’ title for their role in building consumer-first businesses that have created a strong connect with audiences. Their journeys reflect the growing influence of entrepreneurship, innovation and customer-centric thinking in a highly competitive market.

The winners who were felicitated for their leadership and vision were Sifat Khurana, Co-Founder & CMO, Innovist; Gurukeerthi Gurunathan, Co-Founder & CPTO, Caratlane; Sidhant Keshwani, Founder & CEO, Libas; Srishti Tanwani, Co-Founder & CEO, Indo Era; Midhula Devabhaktuni, Co-Founder & CMO, Mivi; Kusha Kapila, Co-Founder, Underneat; Pankaj Vermani, Founder and CEO, Clovia; Vimarsh Razdan, Co-Founder & CEO, Underneat.

e4m D2C Awards 5.0: Celebrating brands, agencies for innovation & marketing brilliance.

The recognition also highlighted how D2C founders are going beyond simply launching products to building distinctive brands and creating lasting consumer relationships. From identifying emerging consumer needs to leveraging digital platforms and new-age marketing strategies, these leaders have played a key role in transforming the way products are built, marketed and sold.

The recognitions highlighted the people behind the brands and their role in driving innovation, identifying emerging consumer needs and creating businesses that have made a strong impact in their respective categories. By recognising the individuals behind some of the country’s successful D2C ventures, the awards acknowledged the ideas, risks and relentless execution that continue to fuel India’s D2C revolution.