New Delhi: Estate planning and inheritance platform WillJini has raised its first external round from a group of SPJIMR batchmates, close friends and some of its own channel partners, marking a new phase for a business that has spent three years building and growing without institutional capital. Founded by Jugal Popat, Jatin Popat and Rahul Shah, the company plans to deploy the capital towards expanding its advisory team, strengthening its technology infrastructure and entering new geographies.
From ₹3 Lakh to ₹50 Lakh a Month Without External Capital
The fundraise follows a period of entirely bootstrapped growth during which WillJini increased its monthly revenue from around ₹3 lakh to ₹50 lakh. The company chose to build the business through customer acquisition, partnerships and operational expansion rather than raise venture capital at an early stage. That approach also meant operating with tighter constraints. Several growth initiatives had to be deferred because the resources required to execute them were not available immediately. The new capital is expected to give the company greater room to invest in people, technology and market expansion.
A Round Led by People Who Knew the Business
Rather than approaching the traditional VC ecosystem, WillJini's first round came from people who had followed the founders and the business closely. SPJIMR batchmates and close friends approached Jugal and Rahul with an interest in investing, while some of WillJini's existing channel partners also participated in the round. In all, 11 batchmates, including Jugal's own roommate from campus, invested in the round, and five influential wealth management companies backed this seed round.
For the founders, the participation of channel partners represents more than financial backing. These partners already understand the company's proposition, have interacted with customers and operate within the financial-services ecosystem that WillJini is attempting to build around estate planning. The round values WillJini at $3.5 million post-money. The structure of the round also reflects the company's decision to bring in investors who have a direct understanding of the problem it is solving, rather than raising capital simply because institutional funding is available.
Investors who participated echo that understanding.
"In my career spanning almost three and a half decades, I have seen more wealth destroyed by the absence of a Will or a trust. Bharat has 1.4 billion people and crores of new crorepatis popping up, but almost no one has a succession plan. WillJini is making Will-making as easy as ordering food online, legal, secure and affordable. This isn't just a fintech, it's a family tech". said Priyesh Sampat, a Mumbai-based Wealth Advisor who invested in WillJini.
"I invested in WillJini primarily for three reasons, the massive market opportunity, a problem worth solving, and having personally known both the founders. Living in the US, I've seen how established this industry is there. It made me realise how much room there is for adoption and awareness in India", said Sapan Gandhi, SPJIMR batchmate and investor.
"Having known Jugal and Rahul for a decade, I have seen how they leverage their complementary strengths while working towards a singular vision. This investment was a natural next step", said Pranav Byatnal, another batchmate and WillJini's first investor.
Building in a Market That Still Needs Awareness
The fundraise comes as India enters a period of significant intergenerational wealth transfer. Estate planning remains relatively underpenetrated, even as household wealth grows and families increasingly have to deal with succession across financial assets, property and businesses.
The challenge is particularly complex because inheritance planning in India extends beyond preparing a Will. Families may need to consider nominations, ownership structures, succession arrangements, family relationships and legal processes. The absence of a single point of guidance can make the process difficult for families that have never planned for succession.
Globally, the scale of wealth transfer is also drawing greater attention. EY reported that US$1.3 trillion in wealth (in India) is expected to pass to younger generations by 2030 highlighting the growing importance of intergenerational wealth transfer and succession planning as substantial pools of private wealth move between generations.
A 12-Year Journey Before the First Round
WillJini's story began well before the current wave of interest in estate-tech. Practicing lawyer Jatin Popat, Jugal's father, began receiving requests from CEOs to prepare their Wills. In 2013, he decided to turn what had largely been professional favours into a dedicated business.
The market did not immediately follow. For several years, the company operated in a relatively quiet category where consumer awareness remained limited. Jugal Popat, an SPJIMR MBA and former Swiggy executive, joined the business full-time in 2022, bringing systems and a more structured operating approach to a business that his father had built largely through individual expertise.
The years of building before raising capital have now given the company a base from which to scale. WillJini says it has served more than 20,000 customers across 480 cities and 32 countries.
Capital to Accelerate the Next Phase
The latest funding will be directed towards three immediate priorities: expanding the advisory team, investing in technology infrastructure and increasing the company's geographic footprint. The participation of existing channel partners could also help WillJini deepen its distribution-led model. MFDs and financial intermediaries already have relationships with households discussing investments and financial planning, giving estate planning a natural adjacency within the broader financial-services ecosystem.
For WillJini, the objective is therefore not simply to grow its customer base, but to make estate planning part of the mainstream financial-planning conversation. "Apart from capital, the round brought permission to think bigger", said Jugal Popat.
Creating a Category, Not Just Scaling a Company
WillJini's larger ambition is tied to the development of the category itself. Estate planning remains a relatively unfamiliar concept for many Indian households, which means the company has to invest not only in acquiring customers but also in explaining why succession planning matters.
The founders see this as similar to what happened in categories such as online commerce, where early companies had to build consumer trust and behaviour alongside their businesses. WillJini believes the same challenge exists in estate planning: awareness has to increase before adoption can become mainstream. The company says it is now entering that next phase with a stronger financial base, an established customer footprint and a network of industry partners. After three years of bootstrapped growth, the first round gives WillJini the opportunity to move from building within constraints to investing ahead of demand.
WillJini describes itself as an estate planning and inheritance company focused on helping Indian families plan succession. Over its 12-year journey, it says it has served more than 20,000 customers across 480 cities and 32 countries, and works with financial institutions and distribution networks on succession planning. Its stated mission is to make having a Will a more mainstream part of household financial planning. WillJini is the official succession planning partner of India's leading financial institutions including HDFC Group, Tata Group, Yes Group, IIFL, Incred Wealth, and many more.
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