Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli has officially entered a new phase of his entrepreneurial journey by partnering with Indian sportswear startup Agilitas Sports to scale his lifestyle brand One8. The announcement, made through a post on X (formerly Twitter), marks a strategic shift in Kohli’s business ambitions, moving away from traditional endorsement-driven partnerships toward long-term brand building powered by Indian manufacturing and homegrown innovation.

This collaboration doesn’t just represent another celebrity business venture—it signals a larger transformation in India’s sportswear ecosystem, one where Indian founders, infrastructure, and talent are positioned at the heart of global brand creation.

A “New Journey” for One8

In his social media post, Kohli described the partnership as the beginning of a “new journey” for One8, a brand inspired by his iconic jersey number 18. Over the years, One8 has evolved beyond just a fashion line. It has expanded into:

One8 Commune – a popular chain of premium restaurants across Indian cities

Athleisure and lifestyle wear

Fitness-inspired casual fashion

The brand was earlier developed in collaboration with Puma, where One8 was positioned as a sub-label under the global sportswear giant. Now, the brand is set to become more independent and distinctly Indian, with Agilitas Sports taking charge of its growth, design, manufacturing, and retail expansion.

In a video accompanying the announcement, Kohli highlighted his excitement:

“Once I understood the manufacturing capabilities, the people behind Agilitas, and their vision, I genuinely felt this could be something big. These products are designed by people of our own and made here.”

This statement underlines Kohli’s belief in India’s ability to build world-class consumer brands from the ground up.

Why Kohli Walked Away From a Massive Puma Deal

One of the most striking aspects of this development is Kohli’s decision to sever ties with Puma—a global powerhouse brand—with whom he shared a highly successful relationship.

In​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ April, it was reported that Kohli turned down a ₹300 crore (around USD 33 million) offer from Puma, which would have extended their partnership by eight years. Rather than taking the safe route of a highly-priced endorsement, he decided to put money directly into Agilitas Sports.

This move signifies a major shift in the mindset of the world’s top athletes when it comes to wealth generation. Instead of a fixed endorsement fee, Kohli went for ownership, impact, and creating value for the future.

One of the factors behind this change was the longtime association of Kohli with Abhishek Ganguly, founder of Agilitas and former Puma India Managing ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌Director.

Who Is Behind Agilitas Sports?

Agilitas Sports was founded in 2023 by Abhishek Ganguly, a seasoned industry leader who had earlier built Puma’s India and Southeast Asia presence. Notably, Ganguly was the executive who signed Kohli to Puma in 2017, in a deal reportedly worth ₹110 crore, one of the biggest athlete endorsements in Indian sports at the time.

Ganguly’s vision with Agilitas was clear from the beginning:

Build an Indian sportswear company with global standards

Control manufacturing rather than outsource it

Offer end-to-end solutions: design, production, retail, and marketing

This vision strongly aligned with Kohli’s evolving mindset—one focused not just on promoting brands, but building them.

Manufacturing Muscle: The Mochiko Acquisition

What truly strengthened Kohli’s confidence was Agilitas’ strategic acquisition of Mochiko Shoes, one of India’s most respected sports footwear manufacturers.

In September 2023, Agilitas purchased Mochiko in an all-cash deal funded by a ₹430 crore investment round backed by Convergent Finance LLP. This gave Agilitas immediate control over advanced manufacturing infrastructure.

Mochiko, based in Gurgaon, manufactures products for some of the biggest footwear brands in the world, including:

Adidas, Puma, New Balance, Skechers, Reebok, Asics, Crocs, Decathlon, Clarks, US Polo

With this acquisition, Agilitas no longer needs to rely on third-party suppliers—it owns the production process end-to-end. For Kohli, this was a game-changer.

Further Funding and Strong Investor Backing

Agilitas’ ambitions are supported by serious financial backing. In December 2023, the company secured an additional:

₹100 crore investment from Nexus Venture Partners

Following this, Suvir Sujan, Managing Director of Nexus, joined the Agilitas board as an advisor.

This level of institutional support gives the project stability, scalability, and long-term planning capabilities—qualities that attract serious entrepreneurs like Kohli.

What Changes for One8 Under Agilitas?

Previously, One8 operated as a lifestyle extension under Puma’s ecosystem. Now, things change fundamentally.

Under the new partnership:

Agilitas houses and owns the operational framework for One8

Manufacturing will be handled in India

Product design will be controlled locally

Retail expansion will be managed directly by Agilitas

The plan is to scale One8 as a standalone global lifestyle and athleisure brand, competing not just in India but abroad.

Agilitas will oversee:

Brand positioning

Physical retail store expansion

E-commerce infrastructure

International market entry

This turns One8 into a true Made-in-India, built-for-the-world brand.

A Shift in India’s Sportswear Landscape

This partnership represents more than just a brand deal – it reflects a larger shift in India’s consumer industry.

For decades, India has been a manufacturing hub for global giants, but very few global sportswear brands originated from India. With Agilitas and One8, that narrative may begin to change.

This collaboration brings together:

A global sports icon (Kohli)

A highly experienced industry leader (Ganguly)

Advanced manufacturing infrastructure

Deep investor backing

Together, they are creating conditions necessary to build India’s first truly global sports-lifestyle brand.

Virat Kohli’s Evolution Beyond Cricket

Kohli’s business mindset has evolved significantly over the years. From a young athlete signing endorsement deals, he is now a:

Brand builder

Investor

Strategic partner

Visionary in sports entrepreneurship

His move toward ownership instead of endorsements mirrors global athlete trends seen with names like LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Michael Jordan.

Kohli’s long-term plan appears to focus on building legacy brands rather than short-term contracts.

What Lies Ahead

Under Agilitas’ leadership, One8 is expected to:

Launch new product categories

Enter international retail markets

Invest in technology-driven product development

One8​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ had the potential to become a global lifestyle fashion brand beyond just being an Indian celebrity brand. The coming years may well decide whether One8 will still be a local Indian celebrity brand or a global lifestyle powerhouse.

Conclusion

Virat Kohli and Agilitas Sports collaboration is a landmark moment that spells a new era in the sports and fashion industry in India. The combination of celebrity influence with the control of manufacturing, the strength of the investor, and the vision of the entrepreneur is what characterizes this partnership.

Kohli, instead of being the face of an already established global brand, is now playing a major role in the creation of one.

It is a strong message to Indian consumers and young entrepreneurs:

India is not only capable of producing for the world, but it is also willing to be the ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌leader.