Athena, a high-protein food brand focused on everyday consumption in India, has raised its pre-seed round from Campus Fund. The company currently operates in Bengaluru and Hyderabad and has now expanded its presence to Chennai.
Athena’s first product, a clean-label Greek yogurt, delivers 22g of protein in a single 200g cup priced at INR 75. This price point makes high-protein dairy accessible for daily consumption rather than occasional use. By comparison, similar protein servings in the premium chilled category typically retail for INR 125 to INR 150.
The company spent more than a year developing the formulation. Delivering 22g of protein in a single cup while maintaining a smooth texture presents a significant challenge, with most global players stopping below 17g. However, Athena achieved its protein target through ultrafiltration, milk protein concentrate, and added milk solids. The product contains no protein isolates, stabilizers, or preservatives, while the flavoured variants also contain no added sugar. Furthermore, Athena achieves a 30-day shelf life through the use of bioprotective cultures.
Customer demand emerged immediately after the launch. Athena generated approximately INR 1 lakh in sales on its launch day from a single organic post on r/Fitness_India, which later recorded 1.1 million views, 4,024 upvotes, and 1,058 comments. The company achieved this traction without a media plan, performance marketing, or influencer roster. Since launching in June 2025, Athena has developed a 40% to 45% returning customer rate, while prepaid subscriptions contribute approximately 70% of its revenue. In addition, customers have created more than 500 organic posts about the brand. Athena has also become a category leader on FirstClub, extending its momentum beyond its direct-to-consumer channel.
“Athena felt like an obvious product the moment we tried it. Consumers want more protein, but they want it from clean, familiar food they can eat every day. Adarsh and Siddhant have delivered 22 g of protein in a great-tasting INR 75 cup and then built the supply chain and operating systems that make that price point actually work at scale. Several of us at Campus Fund were paying customers before Athena arrived as a deal. That is not something a diligence process can manufacture.” – Richa Bajpai, Founder and CEO, Campus Fund.
Meanwhile, Athena has developed a reliable operating model based on subscriptions, demand forecasting, and delivery planning. This approach helps the company manage its perishable products, minimise wastage and maintain operational efficiency as it enters new markets.
Athena Protein was co-founded by Adarsh Humne. He oversees technology, growth, and finance. Siddhant Humne leads product R&D, cold chain, fulfilment and on-ground operations. The founders bootstrapped the business entirely through their personal savings, without taking on borrowings or raising prior external capital.
“We started Athena because protein shouldn’t have to mean another powder, shake, or bar in your day. We wanted to make something people look forward to eating, with enough protein to matter and at a price that makes daily consumption possible. The response in Bengaluru and Hyderabad tells us this can be a much larger everyday food brand.” – Adarsh Humne, Co-founder, Athena Protein.
The newly raised capital will support Athena’s expansion into new cities, quick-commerce onboarding with platforms including Blinkit and Zepto, increased manufacturing and cold-chain capacity, team expansion, and new product development. Over the coming year, Athena plans to grow from two cities to five or six, with Chennai already living and Pune and Mumbai next in line. At the same time, the company is developing new products as it works to make high-protein food a part of everyday consumption in India.
