Indian co-founder raises ₹90 lakh after tweeting about needing ₹2 crore funding

What started as a simple post on X has turned into a funding round for one ambitious startup. The co-founder shared that a tweet posted in December last year requesting capital resulted in an unexpected windfall, with investors and consumers alike pledging nearly ₹2 crore. Ultimately raising ₹1.9 crore, the founder noted that the most surprising element wasn’t the money, but the fact that their daily customers were eager to become stakeholders.Co-founder of Up and Run Chanakya Shah. (LinkedIn/Chanakya S)“We raised ₹1.9 crore,” co-founder of Up and Run Chanakya Shah posted. He explained, “Two months ago, if someone had told us we could raise money for our startup from X, we wouldn’t have believed it. So we needed about ₹80 lakh, so I posted a tweet. What happened next was unexpected. From that single tweet, we had over ₹2 crore in confirmed cheques. I never imagined the consumers we sell to would want to become our investors. What surprised me the most was the sheer number of people who wanted to back us. In the end, we raised ₹1.9 crore. ₹1 crore from our angel network and approximately ₹90 lakhs from X.”Also Read: ‘Not a balanced person, healthy workaholic’: Bengaluru founder’s unusual hiring post sparks debateHe continued, “We were careful about who we accepted money from. We only brought in investors who could add an edge, open strategic doors, and were aligned with our long-term vision. Deeply humbled and grateful for the support.”How did social media react?An individual posted, “Have been watching your journey, and you guys have done incredible work. As a fitness freak, I am sure this product will change the game. Congratulations!” Another added, “Really happy for you. Great job. Keep building bigger and better.”Also Read: Bengaluru founder says ‘Instagram addiction is very real’ after observing metro commuters glued to their phonesA third commented, “This is the real power of personal branding and an honest, loyal audience. When people trust you enough to become investors, that’s something special. You guys will definitely make it. Good luck!!” A fourth X user wrote, “A single tweet outperforming most VC pitches is my new favourite genre of story.”Chanakya Shah launched his startup in 2024. The company claims to make “Science-backed salts for recovery & dehydration – all in 1 sachet.” The other co-founder of this Mumbai-based company is Ritu Hathi.(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)