Bollywood actor Aamir Khan’s recent investment in furniture-rental startup, Furlenco, is the latest in a series of investments by Bollywood celebrities. In addition to funding, startups who receive investments from Bollywood actors also grab eyeballs for having a famous investor. The movement from the acting world to the one of business has become more and more commonplace over time. NewCrop gives you a list of Bollywood celebrities-turned investors who have forayed into the world of startups.

Aamir Khan – Furlenco:

The furniture-rental startup based in Bengaluru received an investment from the Bollywood actor worth Rs 2 crore, this year. The company, which was founded in 2012 by Ajith Mohan Karimpana designs the furniture, which is then built by third-party vendors and then rented by customers through its furniture rental subscription. The company has a presence in 6 cities throughout India, so far.

Alia Bhatt – StyleCracker:

Alia Bhatt turned investor when she invested in an online startup earlier this year. StyleCracker is a fashion startup, which around four months ago released a ‘StyleCracker Box,’ containing products picked by celebrity stylists. Having sold 50,000 boxes since its launch, the individually customised box comes with products in different categories including apparel, cosmetics, accessories and footwear. It is available in three prices – Rs 2,999, Rs 4,999, and Rs 6,999.

Amitabh Bachchan – Ziddu:

In 2015, the Singapore-based cloud-storage platform received a $250,000 investment from
Amitabh Bachchan, who has been a prominent figure in Bollywood for over 40 years. Ziddu
provides users with cloud-based online storage, which can be used to store and share files.

Dino Morea – Unlaze:

Dino Morea, another Bollywood actor is an investor in Unlaze, a personal networking platform through which users can sign up for free and meet people in their area. The app connects users through the common interests that they select for their profile, after which they can communicate through the app when one person requests communication and is accepted by the other.

Jacqueline Fernandez – Rakyan Beverages:

Founded in 2013 in Mumbai, by Anuj Rakyan, Rakyan Beverages is a juice production company
under the Raw Pressery brand. The company, which received an investment worth Rs 3.5 crore
from Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez, uses a process without heat, helping the juice
maintain freshness for longer.

Salman Khan – Yatra:

Salman Khan has been a Bollywood sensation for over two decades and has most recently starred in movies such as Sultan and Tubelight. In 2012, the actor invested in Yatra, an online travel agent service and gained a minority stake in the company. Yatra’s website can be used to book hotels, flights, home-stays and holidays and can even be used to find activities, buses and trains.

Karisma Kapoor – Babyoye:

Babyoye is an e-commerce startup which specialises in products for babies and mothers. In 2011, Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor became an investor for the company and owns a 26 percent stake.

In addition to Bollywood actors, sports stars such as Yuvraj Singh, Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar have also invested in startups. Globally, celebrities such as Ashton Kutcher are also making a name for themselves in the investment sphere. Kutcher, for instance, is an investor in companies such as Airbnb and Spotify. It is a trend that is just catching on and is sure to witness more such participants from the world of cinema and sports.

(Picture courtesy: StyleCracker)