STCH, a tech start-up focused on the textile segment, has raised US $5.5 million in a pre-Series A round led by Omnivore, with participation from investors Kae Capital and WVC.
STCH will use the capital to expand its AI capabilities, R&D, and partnerships with textile mills and global fashion brands, under the contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) model.
The company is also developing “fabric GPT,” a system trained on large datasets of textile recipes and production outcomes. This can significantly reduce the R&D lifecycle instead of multiple iterations, it can arrive at the right fabric much faster and at a lower cost.
Founded in 2025 by Narahari Payala and Aseem Chitkara, STCH is building an AI-driven fabric R&D and manufacturing platform that helps brands such as Shein, Crocodile, and Being Human design, develop, and source trend-aligned, high-performing, and sustainable fabrics at scale.
According to STCH, it can take a fabric from concept to production in around 45 days. The company primarily works with brands in the UK and Europe, with manufacturing carried out through partner factories across India and Bangladesh.
STCH is targeting a revenue of around Rs. 100 crore (US $10.62 million) in FY ’27, while currently deriving most of its business from the UK which is its biggest market, followed by India and select regions in Europe. The company is looking to expand into Germany, France, and Spain, with plans to enter the US.
The start-up is positioning itself to benefit from macroeconomic trends, as recent trade agreements between India and key markets such as the United Kingdom and Europe, along with evolving tariff structures, are improving the global competitiveness of Indian textile manufacturing.
