Merak Ventures, a sector-agnostic early-stage venture capital (VC) firm, has announced its fifth significant investment this year, leading a INR 4.52 Cr (~$550k) pre-seed funding round in Helium, an AI platform that integrates product and visitor intelligence into eCommerce websites to enhance conversion rates. The funding round also saw participation from angel investor Alok Mittal.
In the rapidly growing digital market, online commerce is thriving, and brands are striving to deliver top-notch storefront experiences to strengthen brand positioning and boost topline performance. Helium addresses this need by incorporating advanced product and visitor intelligence into eCommerce platforms, enabling seamless digital product buying experiences.
Sheetal Bahl, Partner at Merak Ventures, expressed his enthusiasm about the investment: “As online commerce surges post-pandemic, the need for tools to eliminate business inefficiencies has never been more pressing. Helium is addressing these critical gaps, set to boost conversions and revenue streams for eCommerce businesses. The relentless drive and innovation Shray, Sidharth, and Deepak have shown in their early careers are truly exceptional, and we’re excited to champion their vision and journey.”
Helium’s dynamic co-founding team includes Shray Arora, Sidharth Sahni, and Deepak Kapoor, each bringing a unique skill set to the table. Shray, the product and strategy lead, has extensive experience from his tenure at McKinsey and as Chief of Staff at Indifi. Sidharth, a prodigy developer, has been coding since he was 12 and previously worked as a Software Developer at Nados. Deepak, based in North America, is a seasoned marketing professional with over a decade of experience in growth roles with retail brands like Lindt, Ecobee, and Baffin. He most recently served as VP of Ecommerce & Digital at Baffin Footwear (a Canada Goose company). Together, they leverage their cross-functional expertise to drive Helium’s vision of revolutionizing the eCommerce landscape with advanced AI technologies.
“At Helium, our mission is clear: to revolutionize the ecommerce landscape by empowering brands with the most advanced, intelligent, and seamless digital brand purchasing experience. We believe that every brand, regardless of size or budget, deserves the opportunity to provide an exceptional online shopping experience akin to the standards set by industry giants like Apple and Amazon,” stated Shray Arora, Co-founder of Helium.
Helium collaborates with leading brands in the fashion and consumer tech sectors to create intelligent collection and product landing pages. By leveraging AI, Helium tags each product and UI element, understanding their context through anonymized behavioral interactions of visitors. This allows Helium to curate the perfect combination of content, copy, and product for each visitor, similar to how Spotify tailors music preferences. The result is higher brand affinity and increased conversions.
The new funding will be strategically deployed to build a high-performing team and further develop Helium’s product offerings. The company aims to collaborate with top eCommerce brands globally, focusing on the North American market. Helium’s vision is to become the go-to solution for eCommerce excellence, pushing the boundaries of digital retail and setting new industry standards. The company plans to scale rapidly, innovate continuously, and establish itself as a leader in eCommerce technology.