FUNDING

Bangalore Watch Company Funding: Indian Watch Brand Raises $1.4 Million From Customers

By Karostartup

The Bengaluru-based independent watchmaker, Bangalore Watch Company, has raised $1.4 million in seed funding. But not from traditional investors; the round is backed by a group of its existing customers. This includes family-office principals and high-net-worth individuals from India and overseas. 

• Unlike a typical startup funding round involving venture capital firms, Bangalore Watch Company chose to raise money from people who already buy and collect its watches. 

• The company says this approach allows it to bring in investors who already understand its products and independent-watch positioning.

• The $1.4 million round is currently the only publicly reported funding round.

Bangalore Watch Company was founded by Nirupesh Joshi and Mercy Amalraj, a husband-and-wife team who previously worked in the technology sector overseas. 

• They started the company in 2018 after developing a strong interest in mechanical watches and wanting to build a premium Indian watch brand with a distinctly modern Indian identity.

• The founders had initially built the business largely with their own savings. In a 2023 interview with The Economic Times, Joshi said the company was assembling around 1,200-1,500 watches annually and had become profitable while remaining self-funded.

• That makes the 2026 fundraise particularly notable: the company spent years building the brand before bringing in external capital.

Who Invested in Bangalore Watch Company?

The latest Bangalore Watch Company funding round was backed by the brand's own customers. The investor group includes existing customers, family-office principals and high-net-worth individuals from India and overseas.

• The company has not publicly disclosed individual investor names, the exact investment instrument or its post-money valuation. 

• The customer-led funding model is also different from conventional venture capital. 

• Instead of raising money from investors who may have no previous connection with the product, BWC brought in people who already owned its watches.

Why Did Bangalore Watch Company Raise Funding?

The main objective is global expansion.

BWC plans to use the new capital to strengthen its presence in international markets where independent-watch and luxury-watch collector communities are already established.

• The company is considering 2-3 overseas markets, while also evaluating the possibility of another location in India.

• The company does not appear to be pursuing a large retail footprint. Instead, its strategy is to remain selective and focus on markets where there is an existing audience for independent watch brands.

• BWC also wants to increase production significantly. It currently produces around 1,500 watches annually and plans to quadruple production over the next three to five years.

Where Are BWC Watches Made?

Bangalore Watch Company designs, engineers and assembles its watches in Bengaluru while operating with a global supply chain.

• The company has increasingly localized parts of its production and now operates an owned workshop and laboratory for assembly, testing, regulation and quality control. 

• According to co-founder Nirupesh Joshi, Swiss-trained watchmakers carry out assembly and testing in Bangalore.

• The watches also use Swiss automatic movements in many collections, combining Indian design and storytelling with established international watchmaking components.

How Much Do BWC Watches Cost?

The watches of Bangalore Watch Company belong to the premium and luxury market segments.  According to the company's latest funding announcement, its current watches generally sell for around ₹1.5 lakh to ₹3 lakh.

The brand follows a small-batch approach rather than mass production. It currently has an annual production capacity of about 1,500 watches, and around 30% of its customers are repeat buyers. 

What’s Ahead?

The new funding gives BWC an opportunity to move from being a niche Indian watchmaker to a more internationally recognized independent watch brand.

Its immediate focus is expected to be on increasing production, entering selected international markets and building its global collector community. The company has already increased its international visibility through events such as Dubai Watch Week and Geneva Watch Days.

Importantly, the company says it wants to remain selective rather than build a large retail network. That means its growth strategy is centered on reaching the right collectors rather than simply selling the largest possible number of watches.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bangalore Watch Company Funding

Ques. How much funding has Bangalore Watch Company raised?

Ans. Bangalore Watch Company has raised $1.4 million in seed funding in 2026. The round was backed by its existing customers, including family-office principals and HNIs.

Ques. Who are the founders of Bangalore Watch Company?

Ans. Bangalore Watch Company was founded in 2018 by Nirupesh Joshi and Mercy Amalraj. 

Ques. Who invested in Bangalore Watch Company?

Ans. The latest funding round was backed by a group of existing BWC customers, including family-office principals and high-net-worth individuals from India and overseas. Individual investor names have not been publicly disclosed in the funding announcement.

Ques. Is Bangalore Watch Company profitable?

Ans. In a 2023 interview, co-founder Nirupesh Joshi said the company had become profitable. However, the company has not publicly disclosed detailed current financial statements alongside the 2026 funding announcement.

Ques. Is Bangalore Watch Company an Indian watch brand?

Ans. Yes. Bangalore Watch Company is an Indian independent watch brand founded in Bengaluru. It designs, engineers and assembles its watches in India while sourcing components through both Indian and international suppliers

Ques. Does Bangalore Watch Company sell affordable daily wear watches?

Ans. No, Bangalore Watch Company does not sell affordable daily wear watches in the traditional sense. They are positioned in the "bridge to luxury" or affordable luxury micro-brand segment, with watches typically ranging from ₹1,20,000 to over ₹2,80,000.