Startup Originals Team
Bengaluru-based Escape Plan, a lifestyle and travel startup, has secured a $5 million seed funding round led by Jungle Ventures and Fireside Ventures. This funding aims to power the company’s ambition to launch over 100 offline stores across India and transform the way travel accessories are offered to Indian consumers.
About Escape Plan:
Escape Plan was founded in 2025 by Abhinav Pathak, previously the founder of Perpule (later acquired by Amazon), and Abhinav Zutshi, an industry veteran with extensive experience in India’s retail sector at brands such as Big Bazaar, Forever 21, and Landmark Group.
The startup is India’s first all-in-one platform focused on design-forward and functionally innovative travel accessories. Their mission is to plug the gap between global trends and local market availability for Indian travelers seeking quality travel gear.
Funding Details and Utilization:
The $5 million raised will be invested primarily in three areas:
- Opening over 100 retail outlets across major cities and emerging markets in India within 18–24 months.
- Accelerating customer acquisition and building brand presence.
- Enhancing quick-commerce integrations for faster and more efficient delivery of travel essentials, including 1-hour and 2-hour delivery options in key cities.
What Escape Plan Offers:
Escape Plan is not just another luggage brand-it’s a comprehensive travel platform. Their product range spans luggage, duffels, backpacks, slings, pouches, and modular accessories. In addition to in-house branded merchandise, they collaborate with select partners to provide an extensive portfolio of travel solutions for every kind of traveler-from frequent business flyers to last-minute trip planners.
Their retail approach is hybrid, combining:
- Physical experiential stores.
- Hyperlocal delivery services.
- Online and QR-enabled shoppable experiences.
This omni-channel model ensures that Escape Plan reaches customers both online and offline, catering to Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 cities.
The Market Opportunity:
India’s travel and luggage market is currently estimated at $3.5 billion and is projected to grow beyond $5 billion by 2028. With the rise of travel as an integral part of lifestyle choices and the growing expectations for both design and convenience, Escape Plan sees itself as fulfilling a clear market gap.
Founders’ Vision:
Abhinav Pathak emphasizes that travel is no longer an occasional event but a core element of modern living across age groups in India. However, despite increased demand and rapidly evolving tastes influenced by global exposure, Indian consumers still find limited options locally that truly resonate with their sensibility. Escape Plan aims to be the brand that bridges this divide by focusing on curation, functionality, and design.
Industry Impact and Future Plans:
Escape Plan promises to differentiate itself from legacy players by combining technology and retail innovation. Their strategies include:
- Integration of a rewards ecosystem for loyal customers.
- Exploration of second-hand and refurbishment services to make travel accessories more accessible.
- Building deep partnerships with both traditional and online travel discovery platforms for wider outreach.
Backed by a team with deep expertise in retail and technology, the company is confident in redefining the experience of buying travel gear for Indian consumers, as well as potentially influencing global market standards for travel and lifestyle brands.
Escape Plan’s latest funding round marks a significant milestone for India’s travel gear market, one that underscores rising consumer expectations and the fast-changing nature of lifestyle retail in the country.
