Recode Studios

Rahul Sachdeva (Co-founder) is a B.Com graduate with hands-on experience in the professional cosmetics industry at Make Over. He identified that Indian consumers were paying premium prices for international brands when equivalent quality could be made in India at a fraction of the cost. Dheeraj Bansal (Co-founder & Director) comes from a manufacturing background — his transition from bicycle spare parts to cosmetics is a reminder that operational discipline and management capability transfer across industries. Together, they built a customer acquisition strategy so distinctive it became the most discussed business idea in Season 2: free makeup masterclasses.

Recode Studios is India's most aggressively accessible premium cosmetics brand — manufacturing and selling international-quality makeup products (lipsticks, foundations, eyeshadow palettes, nail paints, kajal, eyeliners, concealers, setting sprays) at prices accessible to India's middle-class consumer, while simultaneously running an online marketplace hosting 60+ cosmetics brands for consumers who want variety beyond Recode's own line. The brand's most distinctive commercial innovation is its offline makeup masterclass model: The brand offers a customer acquisition strategy by conducting offline makeup classes for women at five-star hotels. Attending an event in a five-star hotel is an attractive proposition for them. Also, they get free goodies and lunch.