GVFL and Malpani Ventures lead ₹4.5 crore pre-seed round in DOCO

Brands to efficiently reach rural and semi-urban markets through a tech-driven network of dark stores and local partners. VFL has led an INR 4.5 crore pre-seed funding round in rural distribution platform DOCO (Distrisy Technologies), alongside Malpani Ventures. The round also saw participation from existing investor Kunwar Asheesh Saxena, co-founder and CTO of RedDoorz, and other angel investors.

DOCO was founded by Jitendra Yadav and Nishant Agarwal in 2023 as a rural Distribution-as-a-Service (Rural DaaS) platform with an aim to enable fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands to efficiently reach rural and semi-urban markets through a tech-driven network of dark stores and local partners.

Founded in 2023 by Jitendra Yadav and Nishant Agarwal, DOCO operates as a Rural Distribution-as-a-Service (Rural DaaS) platform. It enables fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands to efficiently reach rural and semi-urban markets through a tech-driven network of dark stores and local partners, helping bridge the last-mile distribution gap across emerging India

DOCO's platform combines technology-led supply chain management with on-ground execution by trained last-mile delivery partners, offering brands a lean, cost-efficient, and scalable way to expand rapidly into underserved regions. The company currently has ten dark stores, serving more than 5,000 retailers across western Uttar Pradesh, and works with more than 15 FMCG brands, including Bikano, Jabsons, Yellow Diamond, and Kingfisher.

Mihir Joshi, Managing Director of GVFL, said, "DOCO has built a technology-enabled and transparent model that addresses inefficient rural distribution, which is one of the most persistent challenges in the FMCG space. Its approach of integrating grassroots entrepreneurship with digital infrastructure positions it well to capture the growing consumption potential across India. We are pleased to partner with DOCO at this early stage and support its next phase of expansion."

Druv Sane, Principal at Malpani Ventures, said, "At Malpani Ventures, we are bullish on innovative solutions that solve problems for Bharat. We are pleased to partner with the team at DOCO as they solve the challenge of last-mile distribution in rural markets with a tech-enabled platform and bring on board local partners."

DOCO said that the newly raised funds will strengthen DOCO's technology platform, expand its dark store network, enhance its presence in rural clusters, and build operational capabilities to serve a wider base of FMCG brands and rural retailers. Over the next 12 months, the company also aims to grow its footprint to 25 dark stores and reach more than 25,000 retailers.

Jitendra Yadav, CEO of DOCO, said, "The successful closure of the pre-seed round is a strong validation of our vision to modernise rural distribution and enable FMCG brands to scale faster. With GVFL and Malpani Ventures as our partners, we aim to accelerate expansion, enhance our technology stack, and empower local youth to drive an inclusive market."