NEW DELHI: In a candid post shared on X, Vedang Nalawade, 22-year-old founder of toy-maker ClapStoreToys, opened up about the grueling journey behind his startup’s recent fundraising round.
“Fundraising is fun, but definitely not easy,” he wrote, calling the process “mentally and physically exhausting, challenging, and yes, rewarding too.”
Over the last 90 days, Nalawade said, he and his team approached about 57 potential investors, including venture capital funds, family offices and angel investors.
like every other part of building, fundraising is fun, but definitely not easy.
it’s mentally and physically exhausting, challenging, and yes, rewarding too.we’ve been at it for the last 90 days.
approached ~57 people, VCs, family offices, and angels.
50 took proper meetings.…— Vedang Nalawade (@veddaang) November 10, 2025
Of those, 50 committed to proper meetings, 21 engaged in multiple calls or in-person conversations, and the startup closed deals with 14 — marking what he called “the majority of our round is done.”
Still, the road was not easy. In a reflective tone, Nalawade listed five hard-earned lessons from the process:
- “Nobody owes you anything, simple, but brutally true.”
- “No deal is a deal until the term sheet is signed.”
- “Sometimes you’ll need to be a bit of a cry baby and push harder than you’re comfortable with.”
- “Keep your business and your fundraise separate, one should never slow down because of the other.”
- “Don’t let this process decide your mood or mental health. It’s not worth it.”
He admitted that before this round, fundraising for him meant nothing more than filling out forms, doing sporadic online calls and sharing basic data – no exit plan, no storytelling, no real engagement. This time, he said, it’s been a “whole different world.”
Grateful for the support he received, Nalawade thanked the investors who backed ClapStoreToys and the broader community of founders – especially those from X and the D2C (direct-to-consumer) space – who offered guidance and encouragement.
He also revealed that ClapStoreToys is working on launching two new product categories – both “super exciting and fun (and very different).”
Nalawade concluded by urging other early-stage entrepreneurs to prepare not just for the highs but also for the emotional and physical toll of fundraising. For him, the journey has been “fun, but very, very tiring.”
At 22, Pune-based Nalawade – who credits a feature on Shark Tank India for initial visibility – is building more than just toys. Through ClapStoreToys he’s attempting a larger mission: to wean children off screens and give parents meaningful, creative alternatives. His candour about the darker side of startup life offers a sobering, realistic note for anyone chasing their entrepreneurial dreams.
