Zepto Opens Its Platform to Manufacturing Startups With Nova Cohort

As quick commerce platforms mature beyond last-mile delivery, their role in shaping India’s startup ecosystem is beginning to shift. Zepto’s newly announced Nova innovation programme reflects this transition, positioning the platform not just as a marketplace but as an enabler of early-stage manufacturing and product innovation.

The IPO-bound company has selected eight startups for the first cohort of Zepto Nova, an initiative launched in partnership with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). The programme is designed to help young manufacturing-led startups test market demand, gain visibility, and navigate logistics using Zepto’s hyperlocal delivery network.

From Applications to Onboarding

The inaugural cohort was selected from 49 applications, with 25 startups shortlisted for a final pitch round. After a two-day evaluation process, eight companies were chosen for onboarding. The startups operate across food and beverages, sustainable energy, toys and learning, and consumer products, reflecting a broad view of manufacturing innovation rather than a single-sector focus.

The selected startups are:

• Milleto Nutto

• Aloe Ecell

• Flavours of Calicut

• Thy Chocolates

• No Cap Foods

• Nesta Toys

• Watch Out

• Makerverse

Several of these ventures are women-led and first-generation startups, underlining the diversity of India’s early-stage manufacturing landscape.

Why Market Access Matters for Manufacturers

Unlike software-first startups, manufacturing-led ventures often struggle with distribution, discoverability, and logistics costs in their early stages. Zepto Nova attempts to address this gap by offering founders direct access to a ready consumer base and an established delivery network.

Products in the cohort range from Kerala-origin packaged snacks and artisanal bean-to-bar chocolates to toys and experimental energy technologies. Aloe Ecell, for instance, is working on aloe vera–based battery technology, while Flavours of Calicut is focused on scaling regional snacks to a national audience.

By placing these products within a quick commerce environment, Zepto enables startups to observe real-time consumer demand, iterate faster, and manage supply chains without building distribution from scratch.

A Platform Strategy Takes Shape

For Zepto, Nova is less about brand incubation and more about strengthening its supply-side ecosystem. As competition in quick commerce intensifies, exclusive or differentiated products, particularly from small manufacturers, can become a lever for customer retention.

“By enabling these founders with go-to-market opportunities and visibility, we aim to play a meaningful role in supporting homegrown brands for the future,” said Vinay Dhanani, President, Supply Chain and Category, Zepto.

The programme also aligns with Zepto’s broader push to deepen categories beyond groceries, including consumer products, toys, and speciality food, areas where local manufacturing can offer differentiation.

Government Push Meets Platform Scale

Zepto Nova was launched following a memorandum of understanding signed with DPIIT in August 2025, as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen India’s manufacturing startup ecosystem. The six-month programme focuses on hardware, IoT, packaging, and sustainable manufacturing technologies.

“As we mark a decade of Startup India, initiatives like Zepto Nova showcase the maturity of India’s startup ecosystem, where startups actively enable the growth of other startups,” said Sanjiv Singh, Joint Secretary, DPIIT.

DPIIT has signed similar agreements with other corporates over the past year, including partnerships with Maruti Suzuki for automotive technology startups and Hero MotoCorp for mobility and clean technology ventures. The Zepto collaboration adds a consumer distribution layer to this mix.

Zepto plans to launch the second edition of the Nova programme in February 2026, signalling that the initiative is intended to be ongoing rather than experimental. For participating startups, the next six months will be less about scale at all costs and more about product-market fit under real-world constraints.

For the broader ecosystem, Zepto Nova illustrates how quick commerce platforms are evolving into infrastructure partners for manufacturing startups, blending logistics, data, and demand discovery. As more platforms follow this path, the boundary between marketplace and incubator may continue to blur, reshaping how physical products reach consumers in India.