Urban Ladder Co-Founder’s Cooling Solutions Startup - Optimist Bags $12 Mn Funding

Urban Ladder’s co-founder Ashish Goel and Pranav Chopra co-founded a startup Optimist and it has raised $12 million in seed and pre-Series A funding from marquee investors Accel and Arkam Ventures.

Over the past few years, India has witnessed rising temperatures, increasing electricity costs, and growing demand for energy-efficient appliances. This move is marking a significant development in India’s consumer appliances and climate-tech ecosystem.

Key Facts about Optimist’s $12 Mn Funding

Let's take a look at the funding details:

About Optimist and Its Founders

Optimist was founded in 2024 by Ashish Goel and Pranav Chopra. The objective was clear - to build air conditioners designed specifically for Indian conditions. 
The startup is focused on developing cooling solutions that address challenges such as extreme heat, power fluctuations, rising electricity costs, and energy efficiency, which remain persistent issues with many existing air-conditioning systems in India.

Ashish Goel is best known as the co-founder and former CEO of Urban Ladder, one of India’s leading online furniture brands, which was later acquired by Reliance Retail. His experience in building a large consumer brand, managing complex supply chains, and scaling distribution provides Optimist with a strong execution advantage in a capital-intensive category of products like air conditioners.

Co-founder Pranav Chopra brings complementary expertise, working closely on product development and operational strategy as the company prepares for its first commercial launch.

Use of Funds and Business Strategy

The $12 million funding will be utilised across multiple critical areas of the business, including:

• Product research and development
• Setting up manufacturing and supply chain capabilities
• Building go-to-market and distribution infrastructure
• Hiring talent across engineering, operations, and leadership

Optimist plans to launch its first range of air conditioners in early 2026. The initial go-to-market strategy will involve a direct-to-consumer (D2C) model, complemented by select offline brand stores in key markets such as Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Rajasthan, and Telangana. 

This approach allows the company to control customer experience while building brand trust in a high-consideration category.

Role of Venture Capitalist Firms - Accel & Arkam 

The participation of Accel and Arkam Ventures in Optimist’s $12 million seed and pre-Series A round highlights strong investor confidence in hardware-led and tech-differentiated startups.

Accel, a globally recognised venture capital firm, has been active in India for over a decade and recently closed its eighth India-focused fund with a corpus of around $650 million, bringing its total investment commitments in India close to $3 billion across sectors such as consumer, AI, fintech, and manufacturing. 
Accel is also known for backing category-defining startups including - Flipkart, Swiggy, and Freshworks.

Arkam Ventures, founded in 2020 and focused on early-stage opportunities, manages a fund targeting tech startups that serve India’s emerging consumer and digital markets. Its portfolio already includes multiple startups across fintech, agritech, SaaS and logistics, further signalling investor interest in innovative ventures with strong product and go-to-market strategies.

Summary 

Optimist’s $12 million funding shows growing interest in startups building products specifically for Indian conditions. Backed by experienced founders and well-known investors, the company is aiming to address the rising need for efficient and reliable cooling solutions.

As demand for air conditioners increases due to higher temperatures and energy costs, Optimist’s journey from development to its planned 2026 launch will be closely watched by the industry and investors.

Author: Komal Bhatt

Komal Bhatt is a finance content writer at InvestKraft, specialising in research-based articles on financial products, markets, and investment opportunities, including unlisted shares. She holds a Master’s degree in Commerce from the University of Delhi, providing a strong academic foundation in finance and business.

With over three years of experience in digital content, she focuses on simplifying complex financial topics into clear, accurate, and reader-friendly information. Her background includes creating content related to finance certifications such as wealth management and NISM programs, strengthening her understanding of financial markets and investor education.