Supam Maheshwari’s story is an inspiring story. He co-founded FirstCry in 2010 in Pune, India, alongside Amitava Saha. As of 2025, FirstCry has transformed into Asia’s leading omnichannel baby and child products platform, with a market valuation of approximately $2.7 billion, a public listing in August 2024, and annual revenue of around ₹7,659 crore (~$930 million) . By combining e-commerce with a network of over 1,000 stores, private label brands (BabyHug, CuteWalk), and innovative marketing like the FirstCry Box for new parents, FirstCry offers unparalleled reach, trust, and convenience to millions of parents across India.
Basic Details
| Origin Country | India |
| Legal Name | BrainBees Solutions Limited |
| Brand | FirstCry |
| Founder | Supam Maheshwari |
| Co-Founder | Amitava Saha |
| CEO | Supam Maheshwari |
| Industry | Retail |
| Website | www.firstcry.com |
| Year of Founding | 2010 |
| Valuation | $2.7 billion (2025) |
| Employees | 2,000+ |
| Headquarters | Pune, Maharashtra, India |
| Status | Active |
FOUNDER OVERVIEW – SUPAM MAHESHWARI
➤ Net Worth (2025)
As of 2025, Supam Maheshwari’s estimated net worth is between $400–600 million, driven by his substantial equity in FirstCry and partial stake in GlobalBees. The successful FirstCry IPO in 2024 further boosted his personal wealth and entrepreneurial reputation.
➤ Ownership in Company
Supam remains the largest individual shareholder and serves as CEO of FirstCry. His influence spans strategic direction, product innovation, retail expansion, and global partnerships. He also holds an influential stake and co-founder role in GlobalBees.
➤ Ventures Founded
- FirstCry (2010): India’s largest baby & kids retail platform, both online and offline
- BrainBees Solutions: Parent company of FirstCry
- GlobalBees (2021): Co-founded with Nitin Agarwal to scale D2C consumer brands across sectors
➤ Investments
Supam is also an investor and mentor to emerging consumer startups, particularly in health, parenting, and D2C ecosystems. He actively advises both tech founders and legacy retailers on digital transformation.
➤ Recognition & Awards
- ET Retail Entrepreneur of the Year (2022)
- Forbes India Tycoons of Tomorrow (2023)
- LinkedIn Top Voices – Business Leaders (2021)
- Featured in Fortune India 40 Under 40, and keynote speaker at TechSparks, TiE Summit, and India Retail Forum.
PERSONAL STORY: SUPAM MAHESHWARI
Supam Maheshwari grew up in a middle-class household in India where education and entrepreneurial grit were core values. After earning a mechanical engineering degree from Delhi College of Engineering, he pursued his MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, one of India’s most prestigious institutions. Early in his career, Supam built and exited Brainvisa Technologies, a successful e-learning company that was acquired by Indecomm Global in 2007.
It was parenthood that sparked his next big idea. As a new father, Supam struggled to find quality, affordable baby products in Indian retail. Frustrated by limited access and inconsistent brands, he realized there was a massive gap in the Indian parenting market—especially for first-time urban parents. That insight became the foundation of FirstCry, launched in 2010.
Starting from Pune with limited funding and a small team, Supam and co-founder Amitava Saha built an e-commerce site dedicated to baby care, toys, diapers, and clothing. He understood the importance of trust and repeat behavior in parenting commerce, which led to innovations like the FirstCry Box—a sample care package delivered to new mothers in hospitals.
Supam also bet early on omnichannel retail, believing that Indian customers still wanted the physical experience. Under his leadership, FirstCry expanded to over 1,000+ stores while maintaining strong digital growth. His approach combined product depth, parent engagement, loyalty programs, and proprietary private labels like BabyHug and CuteWalk—which now drive a large portion of revenue.
While FirstCry scaled rapidly, Supam quietly co-founded GlobalBees in 2021 to help other D2C brands scale the way he scaled FirstCry. But FirstCry remains his core mission—bringing world-class parenting solutions to Indian homes, with empathy, technology, and reach.
Supam’s story is a rare blend of serial entrepreneurship, category creation, and long-term thinking. He doesn’t chase hype—he builds ecosystems. His humility, operational sharpness, and vision have made him one of the most admired consumer-tech leaders in India.
FOUNDING STORY: FIRSTCRY
Inspiration Behind the Idea
The idea for FirstCry came directly from Supam Maheshwari’s personal experience as a first-time parent. Frustrated by the lack of access to quality baby products in India, he realized the baby and kids care segment was deeply underserved—fragmented, unorganized, and often dependent on foreign travel or high-cost stores. He saw an opportunity to build India’s first organized, trusted platform for parenting needs.
Founding Team
Supam Maheshwari partnered with Amitava Saha, a fellow entrepreneur and long-time collaborator. Together, they founded BrainBees Solutions in Pune, which became the parent entity of FirstCry. Supam led product, brand, and fundraising while Amitava focused on logistics and operations.
Starting Capital
FirstCry began with an angel round and early seed funding from private networks. Initial capital was used to build inventory-led e-commerce infrastructure—a bold choice when most startups preferred a marketplace model. Early believers included IDG Ventures (now Chiratae) and SAIF Partners (now Elevation Capital), followed later by Premji Invest and SoftBank.
Early Challenges
Unlike fashion or electronics, the parenting category had complex product needs, frequent replenishment, and high trust requirements. Managing perishable inventory (diapers, wipes, food), building local delivery, and convincing hospitals and clinics to distribute the FirstCry Box were uphill battles. The team also had to educate users—especially in Tier 2 and 3 cities—on how to buy baby products online.
Breakthrough
The game-changer came with the hospital outreach strategy. Supam launched the FirstCry Box—a curated sample box of baby products delivered free to new mothers across 70,000+ hospitals. This seeded early brand trust, created repeat demand, and positioned FirstCry as a companion brand for young parents.
Parallelly, the launch of FirstCry’s private labels like BabyHug and CuteWalk helped the company improve margins, control quality, and retain loyalty. As India’s internet penetration grew, FirstCry scaled its website, launched an app, and opened retail stores—blending online discovery with offline trust.
By 2019, FirstCry had become the go-to brand for baby care in India. Its acquisition of BabyOye further consolidated the market. In 2024, FirstCry went public with a $500 million IPO—cementing its legacy as India’s parenting brand leader.
Today, FirstCry serves millions of families, with a portfolio of 2 lakh+ SKUs, over 1,100 stores, and a presence in every Indian state. Supam’s vision of building India’s “Babies ‘R’ Us” came true—only bigger, more inclusive, and built for Bharat.
COMPANY PROFILE: FIRSTCRY
FirstCry is India’s largest omnichannel brand for babies, kids, and parenting essentials. Founded in 2010, it offers an integrated ecosystem of e-commerce, physical retail, and private-label products—serving millions of young families. With over 2 lakh products, 500+ global and Indian brands, and its own line of high-margin goods, FirstCry dominates the baby and kids category in India. Its unique blend of affordability, access, and trust has made it the go-to parenting platform across metros and small towns alike.
Area Served
Headquartered in Pune, FirstCry has:
- Over 1,100+ physical stores in India, including 500+ company-owned outlets
- E-commerce operations covering 24,000+ pin codes
- International presence in the Middle East and Southeast Asia via partnerships and app distribution
- Hospital programs in 70,000+ medical centers
Vision & Mission
Vision: To be the most loved and trusted parenting brand in the world.
Mission: To offer every parent quality, affordability, and access to the best products and advice at every stage of their journey—from pregnancy to pre-teen.
Services / Products Offered
FirstCry provides a comprehensive ecosystem of parenting solutions—offering everything from newborn essentials to pre-teen products, both online and offline. Its offerings are structured across five key areas:
1. Product Categories
- Baby Essentials: Diapers, wipes, feeding bottles, formula, pacifiers, and bath care
- Maternity Care: Pre- and post-natal products, nursing gear, hospital bags, and apparel
- Toys & Books: Educational toys, puzzles, activity sets, and learning tools for all age groups
- Apparel & Footwear: Clothing and accessories for newborns to 12-year-olds, including seasonal and festive collections
- Nursery & Furniture: Cribs, strollers, walkers, car seats, and safety gear
2. Private Label Brands
- BabyHug: A flagship in-house brand offering affordable, high-quality babywear, essentials, and bath care
- CuteWalk: Footwear brand offering baby shoes, sandals, and toddler sneakers
- IntelliPlay: Learning-focused toys and activity kits
- FC Home & BabyOye: Home décor, feeding tools, and nursery accessories
These private labels offer strong control over quality, price, and availability, while delivering high margins.
3. Omnichannel Retail Network
- Over 1,100+ retail stores (company-owned and franchise) with dedicated sections for:
- Trial zones (for clothing and gear)
- Expert parenting consultations
- Personalized shopping experience
- Loyalty programs and gift registry services
4. E-commerce Platform & App
- FirstCry.com and mobile app offer over 2 lakh+ SKUs from 500+ global and Indian brands
- Features include:
- Personalized recommendations
- Subscription plans for recurring essentials (like diapers, wipes)
- Real customer reviews, tutorials, and “shop-the-look” bundles
5. Hospital Outreach Program – FirstCry Box
- Distributed in 70,000+ hospitals across India
- Offers free curated samples to new mothers
- Acts as both a brand introduction and customer acquisition engine
Business Model
FirstCry runs a hybrid inventory + private label + franchise model, earning via:
- Direct product sales (online/offline)
- Private label margins (40–60%)
- Franchise fees and profit-sharing from stores
- Subscription services (e.g., diaper delivery)
- Sponsored brand placements and ad campaigns
Revenue Model
- Direct Sales: Core revenue from baby products, apparel, and toys
- Private Labels: High-margin sales from BabyHug and CuteWalk
- Retail Network: Company-owned and franchise stores contribute 35–40% of revenue
- Ad Monetization: Sponsored listings, homepage banners, and co-branded campaigns
- Subscription & Loyalty: Repeat orders and retention through FirstCry Parenting Club
Market Landscape & Competitors
FirstCry competes with Amazon (baby category), Flipkart, Hopscotch, and legacy players like Mothercare. Its strong retail presence, private label dominance, and early-parent outreach differentiate it significantly.
USP (Unique Selling Proposition)
- End-to-end parenting ecosystem
- First-mover advantage in baby-tech retail
- High trust via hospital program
- Deep SKU variety and regional access
- Blend of commerce, content, and community
Growth Highlights
- ₹7,659 crore revenue in FY25
- 1,100+ stores, 2 million+ monthly active users
- $500M IPO in 2024 with strong investor interest
- Fastest-growing category: maternity and toddler clothing
- High repeat rate in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities
Funding & Investment History
- Raised over $513 million from SoftBank, Premji Invest, Elevation Capital, Chiratae, and others. Used funds for private label expansion, logistics, and international growth.
Awards & Recognition (Company)
- ET Retail Omnichannel Leader of the Year (2023)
- CNBC Young Business Icon – Supam Maheshwari
- LinkedIn Top 25 Indian Startups (multiple years)
- YourStory D2C Brand of the Year (2022)
Team Size & Culture
2,000+ employees across tech, retail ops, supply chain, and merchandising. Company culture emphasizes customer-first thinking, long-term brand equity, and operational efficiency. Many regional managers are former franchisees turned full-time operators.
Future Plans
- Expand to 2,000 stores by 2027
- Launch a subscription-only “FirstCry Premium” for early access, parenting concierge, and content bundles
- Increase global reach via e-commerce exports
- Invest in AI for product recommendation and regional logistics mapping
- Explore category adjacents like school gear and edtech toys
CONCLUSION
“Being a parent changes everything. Building FirstCry was my way of making that journey easier for millions like me.”
—Supam Maheshwari, during FirstCry IPO announcement (2024)
Supam Maheshwari’s journey with FirstCry is one of vision, empathy, and execution. What started as a frustrated father’s mission has become India’s most trusted parenting brand—serving millions of families through an end-to-end ecosystem of products, services, and support. With first-mover advantage in baby-tech retail, strategic use of hospital outreach, unmatched SKU variety, and a deep offline presence, FirstCry blends commerce, content, and community like no other. Supam didn’t just build a retail company—he built a lifelong parenting partner. His story stands as a case study in solving real problems with real purpose at scale.
