Before FirstCry became a household name for millions of Indian parents, Supam Maheshwari was just another father struggling to find quality baby products for his newborn. Frustrated by the limited choices and lack of reliable supply chains in smaller cities, he didn’t just spot a gap in the market, he experienced it firsthand. That personal challenge became the seed for India’s largest baby and kids’ product retail brand. Now, FirstCry has become India’s largest omnichannel platform selling baby, kids, and maternity products.
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A Beginner to Entrepreneur: Supam at the Early Stage
Supam was born in Delhi, and his education at Apeejay School led to a degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Delhi College of Engineering (19911995), and a postgraduate degree in management (PGDM) at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (19951997). After his MBA, he did not join a corporation, but along with Amitava Saha, he started a company, Brainvisa Technologies, in 2000. The online learning platform, which started as online test prep, has since pivoted to B2B learning solutions, and is now operational in India, the US, Europe, and Australia. During his ten years as CEO, Brainvisa became one of the leading e-learning firms in India, which was later sold to Indecomm Global in 2007 at approximately USD 25 million.
After the acquisition, he stayed in the Brainvisa until 2009 gaining corporate leadership experience and capital, which led to his next entrepreneurial move.
How FirstCry was Born: A Frustrated Father Turns into an Opportunity for India
It was around the early 2000s when Supam, a new dad, travelled overseas and imported high-quality baby products to his daughter. When he returned home he discovered that the market of childcare in India was disorganized, unstructured, and of poor quality and variety. This was the sore spot that led to the formation of FirstCry.
In 2010, he and Amitava Saha spent 2.5 cr of their own money to start BrainBees Solutions and launch FirstCry.com to fill the gap. They establish warehouses in major metros- Pune, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata- to store premium brands and have a reliable delivery.
Clicks to Bricks: How FirstCry Developed a Billion-Dollar Omnichannel Brand
By 2011, Supam had a GMV of 100 cr with its digital-first, inventory-based model. However, he understood that long-term success meant being in person. In this way, by 2011, FirstCry started to open stores in Tier‑2 and Tier‑3 cities on a franchise basis, creating an omnichannel presence in India, which now has more than 1,000 stores.
He introduced his own brand of products- BabyHug (clothes) and CuteWalk (shoes) and started the FirstCry boxes where he gave free samples through collaboration with 6000+ hospitals. Not only did these efforts create brand loyalty as they exposed parents to new products but they were also intelligent marketing devices.
Steering FirstCry: Supam on Culture, Innovation and Results
The history of Supam exemplifies courageous and disciplined leadership. A Forbes India interview noted his strategic shift to offline retailing due to expanding competition, particularly from Mahindra-owned Mom & Me + BabyOye, necessitating a refined go-to-market strategy.
As CEO, he has guided FirstCry’s rapid expansion, with the company achieving 5,633 cr in revenue for FY23 (a 135% year-over-year increase), although net losses surged to 585 cr due to high marketing, depreciation, and ESOP expenses. He emphasised the need for a 482 cr marketing investment in FY24 to enhance the brand’s digital and regional presence in new markets, anticipating operational leverage over time.
Supam sold 300 crore worth of shares in January 2024 ahead of its August IPO.
Challenges and Solutions: The Way Supam Addressed a Dismal Market
Supam has addressed a number of challenges:
- Disjointed supply chain: FirstCry established warehouses, own brands, and logistics company Xpressbees (which he also co-founded in 2012) to take care of quality and delivery efficiency.
- Customer outreach: The availability of dual online/offline presence, loyalty boxes, and franchising introduced the convenience and trust to parent consumers.
- Competition: It was able to outsmart the existing players in the market such as Mom & Me/BabyOye, with its scale and flexibility in marketing.
- Funding & profitability: Supam was able to raise significant funds, even after incurring losses early on, due to its emphasis on scale, brand, and operational leverage: investors such as SoftBank ($400 m in Series E), Temasek, SAIF, and IDG.
Awards and Recognition
The leadership of Supam has gained a high-profile recognition:
- Entrepreneur of the Year (March 2025), Forbes India, hailing his contribution to the establishment of the most prominent omnichannel children retailer in India.
- Child Awards 2013, which declared FirstCry the most popular online site of parenting essentials.
Constructing Purpose-Driven Businesses
Supam Maheshwari, an engineer and e-learning entrepreneur, leads a 22,000 cr baby-care empire, illustrating problem identification and customer-centric innovation. He recognised a lack of quality baby products in India and addressed it through supply chain mastery, clever marketing, own labels, acquisitions, and logistics integration.
This not only generated significant shareholder and social value but also changed how Indian parents shop for their children. In a competitive landscape with evolving consumer patterns, his leadership, willingness to take risks, and operational rigour ensure FirstCry’s ongoing growth.
His narrative, rooted in personal parenting experiences and strategic vision, inspires entrepreneurs and leaders. As FirstCry expands into new geographies and verticals, Supam Maheshwari’s story demonstrates how simple, customer-focused solutions can create transformative businesses.
