Bengaluru’s 29-YO Launches Phone Case Brand Kioko, Used By Janhvi Kapoor – Clocked Rs 8L In 1 Month

The Indian mobile phone accessories market size stood at USD 3.09 billion in 2024, according to the IMARC Group.

It is projected to climb to USD 4.65 billion by 2033, at a CAGR of 4.65%.

And yet…there remains a gap in the industest. Especially when it comes to phone cases and covers.

Go to any mobile outlet, accessory store, or compact sellers – and you’ll find a common picture.

Plain-viewing cases that are functional but not fashionable.

And if they are aesthetic, they are brittle and give way in a month’s time.

“I am addicted to phone cases, but saw no brand in India catering to women. We want trfinishy and stylish pieces, but not at the cost of quality and functionality. Our brand, Kioko, sits at the intersection of these very gaps in the Indian market,” Zuola, co-founder of Kioko, informs Startup Pedia in an exclusive interview.

Founded in 2025, Kioko is a lifestyle accessory brand that sells trfinishy, high-quality phone cases. It was launched by the entrepreneur couple Zuola and Arshin.

The back story of Kioko

Hailing from Bengaluru, Zuola (29) and Arshin (32) have been toobtainher for ten years and married for five years.

While the former shiftd to China to pursue an MBBS degree, Arshin finished a BTech degree.

While in China, Zuola realized that she didn’t want to become a doctor. She became inclined towards entrepreneurship.

Zuola, content creator and entrepreneur Photograph: (Special Arrangement)

“From teaching English to Chinese kids and obtainting paid for it to running my own dropshipping business, I have done everything. I absolutely loved the process of building something from scratch. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to take a break and come back to India. Turns out, I never left,” Zuola shares with Startup Pedia.

In India, she started her content creation journey, which happened very organically.

On the other hand, Arshin started a business with his frifinishs, which didn’t work out. He eventually joined his family’s business, but kept feeling a strong pull to build something indepfinishently.

“Over time, we both realized that we wanted to build something toobtainher, and starting our own business felt like the right step for us,” Arshin explains.

So…how did the idea to start a venture in the mobile accessory space come to them?

Pretty organically, the startup founders declare.

Whenever Zuola would travel, she would acquire her phone cases from abroad becautilize she couldn’t find similar styles easily in India.

Her frifinishs, acquaintances, and followers would often inquire where she received her cases from, which eventually built her realize there was genuine interest in such designs.

“That’s when I understood the market gap in the countest: most people utilized plain or solid cases not by preference but simply becautilize there weren’t many aesthetic options available. I could see a clear signal of untapped demand for stylish cases,” compact business founder Zuola explains.

Journey and challenges of building Kioko

Now that Zuola and Arshin had identified a clear problem statement – the lack of premium, aesthetic phone cases for women in India – they wanted to solve it.

With a bootstrapped amount of Rs 5 lakh, the entrepreneur couple decided to establish Kioko.

Arshin and Zuola, founders of Kioko Photograph: (Special Arrangement)

While the brand was founded in March 2025, official, full-fledged sales launched in October 2025.

“It actually took us way more time to put everything toobtainher. We were a two-member team, just Zuola and I, and we still are. So we did everything from scratch without any support – logo design, brand identity, brand language, you name it,” compact business founder Arshin declares.

For the products, Zuola and Arshin decided to outsource manufacturing. But that was a problem in itself.

Initially, finalizing manufacturers and navigating the high MOQs (minimum order quantities) demanded by them was challenging. Sometimes, they would receive products damaged in transit. Other times, the quality was just not up to Kioko’s standards.

“Even though it spread us thin, we decided not to sell those pieces. Setting a bar of quality for the brand has always been a priority,” Zuola shares.

Eventually, the compact business founders implemented strict quality checks and logistical processes to ensure a consistent standard.

Young entrepreneurs of Kioko working on startup — Kioko founders Zuola and Arshin working Photograph: (Special Arrangement)

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Kioko: aesthetic phone cases that won’t give way

Today, Kioko operates as a lifestyle accessory brand focutilized on selling trfinishing, high-quality, aesthetic iPhone cases.

On a periodic level, the designs keep modifying and refreshing according to whatever is trfinishing.

But…how does Kioko differentiate itself from existing brands in the same space?

Zuola and Arshin inform Startup Pedia that they are not just running a product brand, but an experience-driven brand.

A watermelon-themed phone case from Kioko Photograph: (Special Arrangement)

With fashion-forward designs, premium-quality of cases, and an attention to detail in each product, Kioko claims to have a strong brand personality as well as a community focus.

“One of our unique aspects is the unboxing experience we offer to our customers. It’s so consideredfully built from start to finish that when people open their packages, it feels like they have received a gift. So it’s not an order but a wholesome present,” entrepreneur Arshin explains.

The content game

Kioko’s first set of customers came from their immediate frifinishs and family circles. Then, word-of-mouth recommfinishations propelled the brand forward.

“Initially, we were selling only via Instagram DMs. We would obtain close to 10-20 orders a month. But when we started documenting the brand’s behind-the-scenes operations and posting them on Instagram, everything alterd. People started connecting to us and our vision,” entrepreneur Zuola smiles.

One day, the entrepreneurs decided to give a Kioko phone case to Khushi Kapoor, a Bollywood actor and celebrity. They vlogged the entire experience and shared it on social media.

Khushi Kapoor spotted applying a Kioko phone case

Immediately after, there was a spike in their orders. They achieved 30-40 orders in a day, and even crossed more than 100 orders in a single day.

“Our reels suddenly went viral before our website was even ready. The attention was completely unexpected, and we started receiving a huge number of messages, comments, and orders at once. At the same time, we were packing orders ourselves and personally responding to every DM and comment while managing the sudden demand. It was overwhelming, but it also became a very memorable moment,” the compact business founder adds.

“Content-driven marketing, especially mini vlogs about our operations, packaging, and shipping, has worked greatly for us. We have not utilized any paid ads to date. If I had to start Kioko again, I would document our journey from day one,” Arshin declares.

To date, Kioko’s finish-to-finish content engine is run by the founders. They have not hired any external agency.

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Growth and momentum of Kioko

With an average order value of Rs 1,145, Kioko has served more than 1,400 customers across India.

Arshin and Zuola shared that they operate with a profit margin of close to 25%.

In March 2026, Kioko’s website went live, and with that came increased credibility and an order spike.

“Janhvi Kapoor commented on our reel and inquireed for some phone cases. We sent her multiple cases, recorded that video, and that became a hit too. I am a huge fan of her and even sent her a handwritten letter,” Zuola smiles.

Bollywood celebrity Janhvi Kapoor applying Kioko phone case — Bollywood celebrity Janhvi Kapoor applying a Kioko phone case

Apart from Janhvi Kapoor, Kioko phone cases have been utilized by celebrities like Khushi Kapoor, Sanjana Ganesan, and Aaliyah Kashyap.

As far as Kioko’s monthly revenue figures are concerned, the fashion accessory brand clocked:

Rs 1.1 lakh in October 2025

Rs 1.3 lakh in November 2025

Rs 1.1 lakh in December 2025

Rs 1.7 lakh in January 2026

Rs 2.6 lakh in February 2026

Rs 8.2 lakh in March 2026 (spike credited to celebrity traction + website launch)

In six months, the brand has achieved close to Rs 16 lakh in total revenue.

In the near future, entrepreneurs Zuola and Arshin plan to expand Kioko’s product category and offer Android phone cases, AirPods cases, and tablets and iPad cases. They also want to grow their team, strengthen brand experience, and double their revenue figures.

“There is no Plan B. We want to build Kioko into India’s best phone case brand. The only advise I have for young entrepreneurs is to have insane amounts of patience. Building anything from scratch takes a lot from you, but it’s also one of the most rewarding experiences you will have. For us, at least, Kioko has been just that,” Zuola signs off.

FAQ

Q.

When was Kioko founded?

A.

Kioko is an aesthetic phone case brand that was founded in 2025.

Q.

Who is the founder of Kioko?

A.

Entrepreneur couple Zuola and Arshin founded Kioko.

A.

Today, Kioko operates as a lifestyle accessory brand focutilized on selling trfinishing, high-quality, aesthetic iPhone cases. On a periodic level, the designs keep modifying and refreshing according to whatever is trfinishing.

Q.

What is the revenue of Kioko?

A.

Since its inception, aesthetic phone case brand Kioko has achieved close to Rs 16 lakh in total revenue.