Venture Catalysts has fully exited its stake in women’s hygiene and wellness brand Pee Safe after nearly nine years, realising almost 9.6x on its initial investment. The liquidity followed Pee Safe’s $32 million (about ₹291 crore) funding round led by healthcare-focused private equity firm OrbiMed, underscoring growing investor interest in India’s D2C hygiene sector.
Long-term investment delivers outsized returns
Venture Catalysts backed Pee Safe during the startup’s early stages and remained invested as the company scaled its product range and distribution. The nearly 10x return highlights the payoff from patient capital in India’s startup ecosystem and provides a successful case study for early-stage investors seeking exits through late-stage fundraising.
Pee Safe’s expansion and market positioning
Pee Safe initially gained traction with toilet-seat sanitizers and subsequently broadened into menstrual hygiene, intimate care, grooming and sexual wellness. The company employs an omnichannel distribution strategy, selling via e-commerce platforms as well as offline retail networks to reach a wider consumer base.
Post-pandemic shifts in consumer behaviour and heightened hygiene awareness have supported strong revenue growth and improved unit economics, factors that made Pee Safe an attractive target for late-stage capital such as the OrbiMed-led round.
Implications for the broader ecosystem
The exit signals maturing dynamics within India’s D2C and personal-care segments, where early investors are beginning to realise meaningful returns as startups scale and attract larger funding rounds. Successful liquidity events like this can help mobilise additional early-stage capital and validate venture strategies focused on consumer health and hygiene.
With fresh funds from the latest round, Pee Safe is expected to accelerate product development and deepen market penetration, while Venture Catalysts adds another significant exit to its track record in the evolving Indian startup landscape.
