The awarding of 45,663 stock options under the employee stock option plan (ESOP) has been approved by Honasa Consumer Ltd., the company that owns modern FMCG brands like Mamaearth and The Derma Co. According to its BSE filing, the company’s nominating and compensation committee has authorised “a total grant of 45,663 stock options under Honasa Consumer Limited Employee Stock Options Plan—2018 (“ESOP—2018″) to the eligible employees.” The new stock options were worth INR 1.12 Cr based on the stock’s closing price on 17 January. The face value of each equity share is INR 10, and the exercise price is also fixed at INR 10. According to Honasa’s petition, an employee may use their vested options during their employment or within ninety days after their final day of employment. The allocation of 546,601 stock options under the same ESOP scheme was approved by the firm in September.
Honasa Roped in Lokesh Chhaparwal as Senior Vice President
Honasa hired Lokesh Chhaparwal as senior vice president of technology and engineering earlier this month, which coincided with the recent ESOP expansion. With an emphasis on using cutting-edge technological solutions to improve operations, Chhaparwal is expected to spearhead the organisation’s technological strategy. According to the corporation, his duties would include overseeing digital platforms, using SAP systems to optimise supply chain operations, and developing marketing technology to deliver individualised customer experiences. He will also supervise internal security protocols to protect information and guarantee operational effectiveness.
Chhaparwal, a former AVP and Head of Engineering at Snapdeal, provides more than 13 years of experience in data strategy and product engineering. He will work out of Honasa’s Gurgaon office and support the company’s initiatives to use technology to build new products and engage customers.
Further Developments at Honasa
In terms of finances, Honasa reported a consolidated net loss of INR 18.6 Cr for the September 2024 (Q2 2025) quarter, compared to a net profit of INR 29.4 Cr for the previous year and INR 40.3 Cr for the June quarter prior. Honasa’s top line for D2C brands suffered as well, as operating revenue dropped by almost 7% to INR 461.8 Cr in the reviewed quarter from INR 496.1 Cr in Q2 FY24. Mamaearth, The Derma Co., Aqualogica, Ayuga, BBlunt, and Dr. Sheth’s are among the six beauty and personal care brands that make up Honasa’s product line. The company was founded in 2016 by Varun and Ghazal Alagh, a husband and wife team.
In the midst of media stories about credit backlogs and unsold stock with distributors, Honasa had provided clarification on the extent of its remaining inventory. The company stated that, in contrast to the All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation’s claimed amount of INR 300 crore of near-expiry inventory, its distribution value chain contained a total inventory of INR 40.69 crore.
Capital-rich transportation giant Rapido has revealed aspirations to grow from its existing presence in 120 locations to 500 nationwide. According to a statement from the firm, the growth plan will begin in February and be implemented progressively in several phases, with the goal of meeting the various transportation demands of its consumers. The startup’s initial rollout would focus on states like Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Rajasthan. After that, it would provide its services to other states, including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. On the fringes of the 2025 Bharat Mobility Expo, the announcement was made. The schedule for carrying out the expansion plans is unclear, though. “Our expansion to 500 cities is a testament to our commitment to empowering individuals and building a more connected India,” said Pavan Guntupalli, cofounder of Rapido, adding that the platform has over 1.3 Cr captains (riders) earning over INR 15,000 Cr.
Expansion Aligns With Recently Raised Funding
After obtaining $200 million in its Series E fundraising round, led by current investor WestBridge Capital, which boosted the ride-hailing startup’s valuation to $1.1 billion, Rapido became a unicorn six months prior to the growth plan. Rapido claimed at the time that the investment will help the company grow its business throughout India. Rapido, which was founded in 2015 by Guntupalli, Rishikesh SR, and Aravind Sanka, mostly works in the auto and bike taxi industries. In December 2023, it launched a subscription model and entered the taxi services market. Additionally, it uses Rapido Local to provide peer-to-peer distribution services.
Financial Dynamics of Rapido
According to the business, 3.6 million rides are made every day, and more than 200 million rides have been made in 120 locations so far. In the fiscal year 2023–2024 (FY24), Rapido’s operating revenue increased 46% year over year (YoY) to INR 648 Cr, while its net loss decreased 45% YoY to INR 371 Cr. The startup faces competition from established firms like Uber and Ola, as well as up-and-coming firms like Namma Yatri, which is supported by Google.
Namma Yatri Has More Than One Crore Users
Even as it expands into more recent Tier 2 and 3 cities, Uber’s rival Namma Yatri, an interoperable ride-hailing app on the government-backed Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), has surpassed the milestone of 1 crore registered users. 7.49 crore journeys from various cities, including Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Kochi, Tumkuru, and other states, have been accomplished by the ride-hailing app. As a result, as of January 18, 2025, drivers earned a total of INR 1,206 crore. Beginning in Bengaluru in November 2022, Namma Yatri has spread to a number of states, including Tier II and Tier III cities like Asansol, Cuttack, Mysuru, Tumkuru, Siliguri, and Bhubaneswar.
In this insightful interaction with Amit Nigam, Executive Director of BANKIT, he discusses the company’s mission to bridge India’s financial divide and its innovative approach to supporting unbanked communities. Nigam explains how BANKIT utilises an agent network to offer services like AePS, micro ATMs, and bill payments while handling challenges such as geographic isolation and digital illiteracy. He sheds light on the role of Big Data Analytics in refining operations and ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations. Nigam also shares BANKIT’s future plans to expand its reach and enhance financial inclusion across underserved areas.
StartupTalky: What does BANKIT do and how does it serve the unbanked population in India?
Mr. Nigam: BANKIT has emerged as a pioneering FinTech startup with a mission to bridge the fintech divide in India. Recognizing the significant gap in financial access for rural and marginalized populations, the company has developed a strategic approach to democratize digital financial services. By understanding the unique challenges faced by unbanked communities, BANKIT has built an ecosystem that goes beyond traditional banking models.
Our innovative solution focuses on eliminating barriers of digital illiteracy, geographical isolation, and limited infrastructure. Through a carefully crafted network of local agents and technology-enabled services, BANKIT brings the most convenient financial tools directly to the doorstep of underserved populations. The company’s commitment extends beyond mere service provision; it aims to empower individuals by providing them with the knowledge, tools, and opportunities to participate in India’s rapidly evolving digital economy.
As of October 2024, BANKIT has expanded its reach to 13,567 pin codes and serves 729 districts nationwide, demonstrating its commitment to bridging the financial divide in India. Over the past year (in Y24), the company on-boarded 27,753 new agents, significantly expanding its network to 173,867 agents across the country.
StartupTalky: What specific financial services does BANKIT provide to promote financial inclusion?
Mr. Nigam: Our comprehensive financial service portfolio is designed to address the multifaceted needs of underserved communities. BANKIT’s service range includes critical fintech functionalities that traditionally required physical bank branch visits in the pre-digital era. Domestic money transfer capabilities allow individuals to send funds seamlessly across India, while the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System provides convenient cash withdrawal, balance inquiry, and mini-statement services linked to Aadhaar accounts.
The Micro ATM service transforms local shops into accessible financial touchpoints that enable cash withdrawals through debit cards. Utility bill payments through the Bharat Bill Payment System currently known as Bharat Connects and prepaid mobile recharges offer additional convenience. Beyond these core services, BANKIT also extends support for specialized transactions and services like prepaid cards, travel bookings, Insurance, and other demanding services. Each service is strategically crafted to simplify complex financial processes and make them accessible to individuals with limited digital literacy.
The effectiveness of these services is evident in our recent usage statistics. In October 2024 alone, 10,96,948 customers utilized the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS), 31,501 benefited from Mini ATM services, and 1,07,199 customers conveniently paid their bills through the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS).
StartupTalky: Can you explain Bankit’s business model and how it drives growth in the fintech space?
Mr. Nigam: BANKIT’s groundbreaking “Agent Model” represents a paradigm shift in financial service delivery, ingeniously combining entrepreneurship with financial inclusion. By transforming local shop owners and aspiring entrepreneurs into authorized financial service agents, the company creates a decentralized network that penetrates even the most remote geographical regions. These agents become critical intermediaries, providing digital banking and payment services within their immediate communities. This model not only expands BANKIT’s operational reach but simultaneously addresses unemployment by creating meaningful earning opportunities. The rapid customer acquisition—adding 10.5 lakh+ customers monthly and maintaining a robust base of 2.8 million customers—demonstrates the model’s effectiveness.
By aligning business growth with social impact, BANKIT has positioned itself as a dynamic player in the fintech ecosystem, successfully converting potential market limitations into strategic advantages. The company’s financial performance underscores the success of this model. In the fiscal year 2023-24 (FY23-24), BANKIT achieved an impressive revenue of approximately 169 crores. Top-performing areas for agent onboarding include Ahmedabad, Gopalganj, West Champaran, Dakshin Dinajpur, and Ludhiana, highlighting the model’s effectiveness across diverse regions.
StartupTalky: What revenue growth isBANKIT expecting for FY2025, and what factors will contribute to achieving this goal?
Mr. Nigam: Our growth strategy reveals a nuanced, data-driven approach to market expansion. The company is systematically evaluating market conditions in digitally underserved areas, and conducting comprehensive surveys to understand emerging customer needs. BANKIT’s growth methodology involves developing targeted solutions that directly address the financial service gaps in rural and semi-urban landscapes.
By continuously adapting our service offerings based on granular market insights, we are positioning ourselves for sustainable expansion. The company’s commitment to understanding and responding to local market dynamics, combined with its aggressive customer acquisition strategy and innovative agent network, suggests a robust growth trajectory with the company having already achieved a revenue of approximately 169 crores in FY23-24. The rapid expansion to 1,73,867 agents covering 13,567 pin codes and 729 districts provides a robust foundation for potential future growth.
Ultimately, factors like technological innovation, strategic market penetration, and a deep understanding of underserved market segments will be crucial in driving our financial performance in the upcoming year.
StartupTalky: How does BANKIT overcome the challenge of geographic isolation when extending services to rural areas?
Mr. Nigam: Our strategy for overcoming geographic isolation is multifaceted and ingeniously implemented across the national expanse. By establishing an extensive agent network spanning every Indian state, the company effectively transforms local environments into accessible financial service points. BANKIT’s micro ATM services and mobile-based solutions eliminate the need for customers to travel long distances to access banking facilities.
Each agent becomes a localized financial hub, equipped to handle transactions that would traditionally require branch visits. The company’s technological infrastructure supports this decentralized model, enabling real-time transactions and comprehensive service delivery.
By empowering local entrepreneurs and integrating advanced digital technologies, BANKIT creates a dynamic ecosystem that brings sophisticated financial services directly to communities’ doorsteps. This approach not only addresses geographical constraints but also builds trust and familiarity with digital financial tools.
StartupTalky: What key tools and technologies does BANKIT rely on to manage its business operations?
Mr. Nigam: Big Data Analytics has emerged as BANKIT’s cornerstone technological strategy, providing deep insights into customer behavior, market trends, and emerging service requirements. By meticulously examining vast datasets, the company can uncover hidden patterns, anticipate customer expectations, and strategically align its service offerings.
Beyond analytics, BANKIT emphasizes comprehensive training programs and user-friendly tutorials to ensure effective technology adoption across its agent network and customer base. The company’s technological approach is holistic, focusing not just on data interpretation but also on knowledge dissemination. Regular in-house training sessions ensure that employees and agents remain updated on the latest service innovations.
This commitment to continuous learning and technological adaptation enables BANKIT to maintain operational efficiency and stay ahead of evolving market dynamics.
StartupTalky: How is BANKIT ensuring compliance with recent data privacy regulations?
Mr. Nigam: BANKIT demonstrates a robust commitment to responsible service delivery. Our approach to regulatory compliance is embedded in our comprehensive training and transparent communication strategies. By providing detailed tutorials for every product and ensuring information accessibility across multiple channels, the company establishes a framework of trust and accountability.
The emphasis on user education and clear communication suggests an inherent understanding of data sensitivity. BANKIT’s proactive approach to customer information—providing clear, accessible guidance about its services—indicates a foundational respect for user data. Our focus on empowering users through knowledge implies a broader commitment to ethical technological implementation.
StartupTalky: How do you see current fintech industry trends affecting companies like BANKIT?
Mr. Nigam: BANKIT perceives the FinTech landscape as a dynamic and rapidly evolving ecosystem with immense growth potential. The company views Big Data Analytics not merely as a technological trend but as the fundamental future of business intelligence. By enabling businesses to understand customer needs with unprecedented granularity, these technologies are transforming traditional service delivery models.
BANKIT positions itself as an adaptable, forward-thinking organization ready to leverage emerging technological developments. Our strategy involves continuous market evaluation, customer need assessment, and agile solution development. The company recognizes that success in the FinTech space requires more than technological prowess—it demands a deep understanding of customer expectations, a commitment to innovation, and the ability to translate complex technological capabilities into user-friendly, accessible services.
StartupTalky: What are BANKIT ‘s future plans for service enhancement and scaling operations?
Mr. Nigam: Our future roadmap is characterized by strategic, methodical expansion and a relentless focus on financial inclusion. The company plans to penetrate currently underserved geographical areas by conducting comprehensive market surveys and developing tailored solutions. Our approach involves continuous evaluation of rural and semi-urban market needs, ensuring that service offerings remain relevant and impactful. BANKIT is a pioneer in the industry, providing affordable insurance services starting at just Rs. 1 for its customers.
By empowering more local entrepreneurs through our agent network, we aim to create a scalable, decentralized financial service ecosystem. The aggressive customer acquisition strategy will continue with a nuanced understanding that growth isn’t merely clocking numbers but actualizing meaningful economic empowerment.
Going forward, technology will continue to remain a critical enabler, with ongoing investments set to surge across vectors like training, tutorial development, and innovative service design. BANKIT’s overarching vision extends beyond business growth—it’s about creating sustainable economic opportunities for marginalized communities.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been struck by the US and India to strengthen collaboration in cybercrime investigations. The MoU would enable the two nations to “step up” collaboration and training with relation to employing digital forensics and cyber threat intelligence for criminal investigations, according to a statement from the external affairs ministry (MEA). The home ministry and the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) would be in charge of carrying out the Memorandum of Understanding on the Indian side. Conversely, the US side’s nodal agency will be the Homeland Security Investigations Cyber Crimes Centre, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Department of Homeland Security.
Further Strengthening India-US Ties
The security issues that India and the US share, including terrorism and violent extremism, financing of terrorism, drug trafficking, organised crime, human trafficking, illegal migration, money laundering, and transportation security, are intricately linked to cybercrime. “As part of our comprehensive and global strategic partnership, the MoU on cybercrime investigations will enable further strengthening of India-US security cooperation,” the MEA’s official statement stated. On January 17, Indian Ambassador to the United States Vinay Kwatra and Acting U.S. Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Kristie Canegallo signed the agreement in Washington, DC.
The action is anticipated to promote cybersecurity cooperation between the two countries, facilitate information exchange, and open the door for prompt inquiry in such situations. This comes days after the US, Japan, and South Korean governments jointly said that state-backed North Korean hackers were responsible for the $235 million hack at the Indian cryptocurrency exchange WazirX last year. Additionally, the development coincides with an increasing number of cyberattacks targeting Indian organisations and entities. In 2024, India became the second most targeted country in the world for cyberattacks, after the United States.
Great Surge in Cyber Attacks in 2024: Prahar’s Report
Across the first quarter of 2024, there were 500 million cyberattacks across the nation, according to a report by the nonprofit Prahar. In the second quarter of last year, there were about 750 million more attacks. AI and ML techniques have made cyber dangers worse by teaching machines to automate and improve hacks, making them more difficult to detect. Last year, there were several significant cyberattacks in India, including those at the state-run telecom company BSNL (278 GB of private user data was exposed), the broking platform Angel One (personal data of 7.9 million consumers was exposed), and WazirX (which affected 15 million users).
The signing coincides with a change in leadership in the United States, making it a pivotal time. The signing of this agreement by the Biden administration demonstrates the growing significance of international cooperation in cybercrime investigations.
More than 56,000 equity shares have been distributed to eligible employees of Nykaa, a significant player in the beauty and fashion industry, through a variety of employee stock option plan (ESOP) schemes. According to the company’s BSE filing, 56,750 equity shares have been approved by the nomination and compensation committee under the company’s employee stock option schemes. These equity shares are granted in accordance with the employees’ exercise of vested stock options under the company’s employee stock option schemes. On January 20, Nykaa’s shares were trading on the BSE intraday at INR 166.60, down 3.44%. Later in the day, though, the stock recovered some of its losses, and by 1:54 PM, it was trading at INR 170.95. This comes after broking firm InCred Equities began rating parent company FSN E-Commerce Ventures Ltd., a significant player in the beauty and fashion e-commerce space, as “reduce.”
Nykaa Aiming Projecting Strong Growth in FY2025
According to Nykaa‘s Q3 FY25 performance forecast, consolidated net revenue growth was expected to surpass the mid-twenties. Nykaa’s consolidated net profit increased by 66.3% to INR 12.97 Cr from INR 7.8 Cr in the same period last year, thanks to robust development in the beauty and personal care (BPC) vertical.
Recent Happenings at Nykaa
According to Nykaa’s Q3 FY25 performance forecast, consolidated net revenue growth was expected to surpass the mid-twenties. Nykaa’s consolidated net profit increased by 66.3% to INR 12.97 Cr from INR 7.8 Cr in the same period last year, thanks to robust development in the beauty and personal care (BPC) vertical. For a while now, Nykaa has seen a variety of activities. For example, Nihir Parikh, the CEO of Nykaa Fashion, resigned from the company in December as part of a significant top-level reorganisation.
In a similar vein, the business said in November that it will aim for a delivery window of 30 minutes to 2 hours for a few in-demand beauty products, rather than concentrating on 10-minute deliveries. Additionally, it successfully acquired the majority of Earth Rhythm, a direct-to-consumer skincare and cosmetics brand. The company gave its employees 1.80 lakh equity shares under the Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP) that same month.
India’s Present ESOP Situation
According to a 2024 survey of 160 companies, 78% of them offered employee stock option plans (ESOPs) to their staff, a considerable increase from 59% in 2021. This indicates that ESOPs are becoming more and more popular among startup owners. More firms are now offering ESOPs to all employees, not only senior management, according to a survey done by Saison Capital, XA Network, and Carta. Compared to one in four in 2021, one in three firms now provides these plans to all employees.
Furthermore, the median ESOP pool size grew from 9% in 2021 to 12.6% in 2024, and 90% of founders now talk about ESOPs with candidates during interviews or job offers, up from 75% in 2021. Additionally, the reasons for providing ESOPs have changed; in 2024, 40% of founders cited cost reductions, up from 28% in 2021.
The founders cited the necessity to retain people as the second most important reason for putting these plans into action, behind creating a sense of ownership and company culture. Even with this increase, fewer than 30% of founders still fully understand the complexity of ESOPs, a percentage that hasn’t changed since 2021.
The Maha Kumbh Mela of Hindus, celebrated 144 years ago, is a religious event that is attended by millions of pilgrims from all over the world. The pilgrims are from far away to four places in India – the Holy cities of Prayagraj (Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. Based on Hindu philosophy, the holy dip in the sacred rivers present at these places will purify the soul and grant deliverance from the worldly cycle of birth and death. Also linked with some stories from the ancient Hindu scripture and mythology is the age-old belief about the falling of drops of the divine nectar of immortality at any of these sacred spots.
The Kumbh Mela has references dating back to the Rigveda and the 3rd century BCE. However, this festival became very powerful in the 7th century AD when King Harsha arranged grand gatherings at Prayagraj. Today, it is one of the biggest peaceful gatherings in the world, uniting culture and spirituality. Seekers from several regions attend the festival for bath-taking activities, sage lectures, and vibrant cultural exchanges, which showcase India’s cultural repertory.
Maha Kumbh Mela offers brands an opportunity to connect with millions of people in Prayag’s mobility and shape strategies that align the campaign with the event’s inherent spiritual essence. The campaign could also provide customized add-on services, such as travel insurance, and experiential marketing. The advertising glut could be as high as INR 3,000 crores as brands fight it out in a strategic duel of brand and product choice placement and direct new customers to centers of consumption.
Let’s explore some exemplary marketing campaigns done by some popular brands.
The “Dettol Banega Swasth India” (DBSI) Dettol’s campaign is capitalizing on the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela to fight for public hygiene and health for millions of pilgrims. The program will involve deploying hundreds of thousands of soaps at the food service areas to instill the habit of washing hands before and after eating. In addition, Dettol is also assisting sanitation workers by training about 15,000 staff and providing hygiene products to ensure cleanliness across the period. Health and hygiene volunteers will be on duty to help pilgrims with their orientation promoting civic involvement and hygiene promotion at the community levels. For authentic cultural resonance, the campaign utilizes street plays and puppet shows featuring hygiene messages. Dettol is a constant presence (2016) and a trusted public health partner, in line with India’s vision of a healthier country by 2047.
Eveready Industries India Limited is undertaking a focused promotional drive at the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, to enhance this experience for the large number of pilgrims. The program entails the mounting of 13,000 LED lights at the Mela site, which provides bright illumination and enhances safety, particularly during nighttime hours. Eveready’s energy-saving lighting promotes sustainability as well as accident reduction and provides conveyance for the attendees. In this work, the brand is bestowed with a socially equitable status focused on the public good and uses its products as vehicles to represent the spiritual and cultural heart of the festival occurring. This campaign is aimed at strengthening the relationship with consumers among Eveready, creating goodwill, and furthering its brand image as an innovative company and responsible corporation.
Uber
In collaboration with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Uber has launched a strategic campaign to improve the transportation services during the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 at Prayagraj airport, with the potential for 40 crore believers to visit. The plan covers airport terminal collection areas, clearly posted with signs and assistance for smooth transfers. Uber is providing a 25% discount (maximum ₹200) redeemed for airport-to-airport travel to promote the travel. The campaign provides effective mobility options for attendees while also providing income-generation alternatives for local drivers. With its app, Uber delivers an easy-to-use system for ride bookings that is tailored to the specific transport needs of this large-scale event and reaffirms its support of reliable, community-driven services at large-scale events.
Coca-Cola India has a significant presence at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, where its programs revolve around hydration, sustainability, and cultural interaction. The brand will provide access to beverages such as Coca-Cola, Thums Up, Sprite, Maaza, and Fanta every 400 meters along the event site, to retain the participant’s hydration. Special Maha Kumbh edition packaging is a semblance of India’s heritage. Hydration carts and food activations will add to the culinary experience of visitors. Coca-Cola’s Maidaan Saaf campaign fosters sustainability through the distribution of 21,500 recycled PET jackets to sanitation workers, the installation of recyclate plastic playrooms, and the use of Reverse Vending Machines for waste recycling. With immersive experiences and recycling consciousness, Coca-Cola enhances festivities and provides sustainability and community support.
Dabur
Dabur is utilizing diverse innovative marketing techniques for Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 to access pilgrims and visitors. The activity consists of product sampling in streetside dhabas and food joints in Prayagraj, where, for example, popular brands like Hajmola are being promoted to induce trial and knowledge of the brand. The company is fitting out oral hygiene stations with automatic toothpaste dispensers and highlighted that health and hygiene are of paramount concern for the company. Family-friendly amenities, including female baby rooms and baby care rooms with Dabur products, are incorporated to add value to the delegates’ experience. In addition, Dabur is investing in brand activation, to foster deeper cultural bonds between the brand and customers, and attempt to access the market of a growing rural population where demand for healthy and wellness products is exploding.
In a new proposal, the footprint of Amazon India could be in Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 and one of its contributions is meant to provide relief to the pilgrims there. The company is distributing free upcycled cardboard beds in the prescribed locations of the festival (i.e., Kumbh Police and hospital staff). This sustainability-based work reuses the cardboard packaging boards from an environmentally resistant bed. Amazon collaborated with Ogilvy and specialist fabricators to provide robustness. After the event, Amazon will responsibly recycle beds unsalvageable items and donate salvageable beds to local NGOs. Director of Marketing, Pragya Sharma, pointed out this program is a part of the larger vision of Amazon India to empower communities and offer ease during mega events such as the Maha Kumbh Mela.
Vodafone Idea
Vodafone Idea (Vi) is launching a comprehensive campaign for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, aiming to enhance connectivity anduser experience. The 5G company services will be rolled out to consumers by 2025 in 17 priority circles, beginning with major cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, to cater to high data needs for events. To ensure reliable connectivity Vodafone Idea is setting up more than 46,000 new network sites and modernising 58,000 existing sites. The company will offer affordable 5G plans to attract customers away from competitors. Second, Vodafone Idea is planning to expand its 4G coverage to 90% of the Indian population by June 2025. Strategic partnership and participation of the community will result in deeper penetration of the platform at the Mela.
PhonePe
PhonePe enhance the digital payment experience during the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 such that they are not interrupted in their ability to use the service to access transportation, food, and lodging. With almost 47% of the UPI market, PhonePe will handle a massive volume of transactions that will ensure speed and stability. The platform also offers a cross-border payment function, which can be used to settle transactions by international tourists. Through a range of community engagement activities, PhonePe will promote digital inclusion and financial literacy. Novel abilities such as voice-enabled point-of-sale payment and artificial intelligence (AI)-based fraud prevention will add to convenience and security even more. Collaborations with local merchants ensure widespread service accessibility. Carrying out this heavy traffic scenario, PhonePe aims at enhancing the degree of the interaction among the user and the marketspace while positively supporting the financialization of India.
Ixigo is customizing the trip for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 participants with a series of facilities, tools, etc. On the platform, there has been a 187% rise in train reservations for Prayagraj, which reflects an escalating demand for travel to the Mela. In particular, 57% of bookings are from single travelers, of whom 39% are female, indicating changing travel patterns. Ixigo provides functionality for comparing train schedules, making tickets, and getting actual travel information. Ixigo, partnering with Indian Railways, provides special trains or services during the Mela. On the other hand, the platform may also provide combined trip and lodging packages. Ixigo nurtures its users with safety-related travel advice and the details of the local culture, making it the traveler of choice for Mela-bound travelers.
Park+ is leveraging advanced parking solutions to enhance the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 and is the official parking partner. The platform will provide the city of Prayagraj’s first smart parking system based on artificial intelligence (AI), offering the pilgrims an easy method of reserving and prepaying for parking spaces through the Park+ application. Coupled with FASTag payments, the system offers a fast and cashless payment system. The app will be used to offer navigation at more than 30 parking lots that are government-approved and have a total of 500,000 parking locations. Park+ will also offer 24-hour security, electric vehicle charging, medical assistance, food and drink service, and bathroom facilities. Using predictive AI, the architecture will enhance parking space allocation. By working together with Indian Oil, users will be offered fuel-price discounts, thus providing a stress-free and easy-flow parking experience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 provides a novel chance for a wide array of brands and service providers to improve the lives of millions of pilgrims. Companies such as Dettol, Coca-Cola, Amazon India, Vodafone Idea, PhonePe, Ixigo, and Park+ are adopting new ideas and projects around health and connectivity, ease, and sustainability in life. Using technology and community involvement, these companies not only aim to address the possible challenges of logistics but also to add new value to the cultural and religious meaning attached to the congregation. In line with these plans becoming a reality, these methods are intended to guarantee a seamless and meaningful journey for the participants, which is a natural consequence of the importance of cross-communication and innovation in the planning of large-scale events.
FAQs
Why is 2025 Kumbh special?
This special Maha Kumbh Mela marks the completion of 12 Kumbh Mela cycles, making it a once-in-144-years event. It is set to span 44 days and is estimated to draw approximately 400 million visitors.
What are Maha Kumbh 2025 dates?
The dates for Maha Kumbh 2025 are Mon, 13 Jan 2025 – Wed, 26 Feb 2025.
How often is Maha Kumbh Mela?
Maha Kumbh Mela is approximately every 6 and 12 years.
Chocolates are something that we all love. After chocolates, there is another thing that makes us drool. This is our very own Nutella.
Nutella gives a tough competition to people’s love towards chocolates. Whether you want a spread for your bread or something sweet to eat, Nutella is probably the first name to pop up in the head.
Nutella is a part of chocolate lovers’ favourite company Ferrero. The spread is a specialized mix of hazelnut and chocolate. This simple yet unique combination makes the spread the ultimate love of everyone.
Nutella has been with us for many decades now. Indeed, it is a tried, tested, and lovable brand.
The history of Nutella is quite older than we could think of. Its history can be traced back to the time of World War II. During that time, markets faced a shortage of cocoa.
In Italy, in the year 1946, there was a chef named Pietro Ferrero. He noticed this shortage and decided to do something about it. So, he created a paste mixed with loads of hazelnuts and some chocolate. He then made blocks of this paste and started selling.
These blocks were first cut into slices and then used between slices of bread. The mothers would make sandwiches with these chocolate slices. The children began to love the chocolate flavour. This made these blocks quite popular among the locals.
Pietro then had an idea to make these blocks creamier in texture. A creamier texture would help it to spread easily on the bread. He spent days making certain changes to make it creamier like a spread. The resulting product made was then called ‘Supercrema Gianduja’.
The Birth of Nutella
Michele Ferrero – Founder of Nutella
In the year 1964, Pietro’s son, Michele tried to modify his father’s recipe. He wanted to make certain improvements to ensure the finest quality of the spread.
This was the first time that a jar mixed with rich cocoa and hazelnuts got made. Pietro’s son gave a lot of thought and decided to name it ‘Nutella’.
The names came into existence by combining two words. The first ‘nut’ from ‘hazelnut’ and ‘Ella’, a suffix of positivity. The letter ‘N’ in the logo is in black and the rest of the letters are in the colour red. Ferrero had to keep the letter N in black due to trademark issues. There was another brand that used the name Nutella. So, to keep it different, he changed the colour of the letter ‘N’.
This was the year (1964) when our beloved Nutella came into existence. Since then, this sweet and savoury jar of spread has become a go-to choice for breakfast.
The Global Expansion of Nutella
Global Expansion of Nutella
In the following years, Nutella began its journey on becoming a global brand. In 1965, one year later of its launch, it took over the German market. Then it started its expansion over other markets.
In 1967, Nutella made its Italian television debut. It appeared on a television program, Carosello. This first advertising campaign by Nutella took over the hearts of Italy.
After Italy, Nutella became super popular in France and Germany. The children from various countries began to cherish this delicious spread. This encouraged Nutella to expand itself in more countries.
The brand has used strategic planning for its expansion. It conducts deep research before entering any new market. It considers various factors. These include checking competitors, market space, availability of raw materials, etc.
Nutella was quite sceptical about entering the markets of Britain. The people’s interest there was too invested in another spread named Marmite. But as it’s said, interests can change. Nutella was never a quitter. It created special campaigns, which were specific to the country. At last, it came in Britain’s markets and hereafter outdo Marmite.
The Supply Expansion Problem and Solution of Nutella
As the brand began to become global, the supply of jars increased. Nutella has various plants around the world for its production. There are plants in Canada, Australia, Italy, France, Germany, Russia, and more. The first Nutella plant was established in 1978, in Lithgow, near Sydney. But with increased production, there arose a problem. It was the shortage of supply.
Ferrero uses hazelnuts in large amounts. It was quite predictable that they would not be able to buy anymore as there would not be enough of it. So, the company came up with a patient yet a fruitful idea. It was to plant their trees.
In the 1990’s the process of planting trees began. 6.6 million trees have been planted and more plantations are in their plan. These plantations helped the company get rid of its major future problem. This also created trust among the customers as it ensured the greatest purity.
The Popularity of Nutella
Nutella’s amazing taste and great advertising over time made it popular. It became so popular that there is now a World Nutella Day. It came into existence on 5th February 2007. It’s celebrated every year since then.
The greatest strategy that contributed towards the company’s success is keeping up with the time. Since the earlier times, Nutella has always come up with relatable and trendy advertisements.
Nutella company has always shown happy families enjoying their jar together. This helped it become a family-friendly product. Such ads made people consider Nutella as a jar full of joy.
Keeping up with the Marketing Trends
The company likes to keep up with the new generation’s customers. It was one of the first corporate to plunge into the sea of social media. People liked to share their experiences with Nutella. They were sharing recipes, tweeting, and making videos around it.
In 2014, there were 17 million tweets that contained the term Nutella. People even made YouTube channels about Nutella.
Nutella’s jump into social media proved to be successful for the company. They now create online campaigns to attract more consumers.
In 2014, Nutella company celebrated its 50th anniversary with a global campaign. It was ’50 Years Full of Stories’. In this campaign, Nutella asked its huge fan base to share their experiences or stories with Nutella. By sharing images, texts, or videos, the fans would get a chance to win prizes.
This campaign was a shift from the company’s earlier advertisements. Earlier the company focused on educational and regional specific ads for promotions. However, with the changing times, Nutella’s strategies have also changed and are keeping up with the trends.
In 2024 Nutella launched its new campaign, Always Better Together. The “Always Better Together” Nutella campaign highlights the idea that Nutella enhances every moment, making them even better. The campaign emphasizes that Nutella can make mornings brighter, bring loved ones together, and inspire families to create joyful memories.
Nutella Timeline
1946: Pietro Ferrero creates “Giandujot”, a sweet hazelnut and cocoa paste shaped like a loaf, named after a local carnival character.
1951: The recipe evolves into a creamy spread called “SuperCrema.”
1964: Michele Ferrero, Pietro’s son, refines the recipe and launches it as “Nutella.”
1965: Nutella gains popularity across Europe, starting in Germany.
1966: Nutella was launched in France.
1978: Nutella expands globally with the first production plant outside Europe, in Australia.
1996: 30 years of optimism in France
2005: On May 29, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 27,854 people set a Guinness World Record for the “Largest Continental Breakfast Ever” featuring Nutella.
2007: World Nutella Day is established by fans to celebrate the spread.
2011: Nutella’s global Facebook page gained 10 million fans within just one year.
2012: Nutella & GO! with Breadsticks launched in the USA
2014: Nutella marks its 50th anniversary, with events and campaigns worldwide.
2015: Nutella reached 30 million fans on Facebook
2017: On May 31, Nutella opened its first restaurant in Chicago, offering fans a unique experience with a wide menu of delicious Nutella recipes.
2020: The Nutella Muffin were first launched in Italy, it’s now available in Europe and the Gulf.
2023: Since its launch, the Nutella croissant has delighted European consumers with its flaky pastry and delicious Nutella filling.
2024: 60 years of smile!
Conclusion
Nutella, the delicious mix of chocolate and hazelnuts is now a global product. It is not only the good taste but also the company’s great strategies over the years that have made this brand so huge.
Nutella is no more just a jar; it is like an emotion now. It is like a cure for loneliness and sorrows for children and teens. Thus, Nutella has created a huge place in people’s hearts. Now, it is like an absolute leader in the market making every other competitor look inferior to it.
According to the Guinness book of world records, Nutella has also won the title of ‘Largest Continental Breakfast’, where 27,854 people were gathered to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Nutella.
FAQs
Why is Nutella banned?
Nutella has been pulled off from Italian supermarkets over the claims that its ingredients may cause cancer.
Who is the biggest consumer of Nutella?
France is the biggest consumer of Nutella, the factory in Nutella makes 100,000 tons of chocolate spread.
Why is the N in Nutella black?
The letter ‘N’ is in black because there was already a company named Nutella, so Ferrero had to keep the letter N in black due to trademark issues.
What is Nutella logo meaning?
The Nutella logo, with “Nut” in black for trust and “ella” in red for joy, symbolizes reliability, energy, and universal appeal in a simple, modern design.
What is Nutella origin?
Nutella originated in Piedmont, Italy, in 1964. It was created by Michele Ferrero, who refined an earlier hazelnut paste called SuperCrema. The spread was initially made to be more affordable, using local hazelnuts, which were abundant in the Piedmont region, combined with cocoa. Nutella quickly gained popularity and became a global favorite.
When and where was Nutella invented?
Nutella was invented in a town named Alba in Italy in 1964.
Where does Nutella come from?
Nutella is made by first roasting hazelnuts and grinding them into a smooth paste. This paste is then mixed with sugar, cocoa, milk powder, and palm oil to create a creamy texture. The ingredients are blended together until smooth and consistent. Finally, the spread is packaged and sealed for distribution, ensuring the perfect balance of flavor and creaminess that Nutella fans love.
A name associated with turning the digital face of the job market is Sanjeev Bikhchandani. His venture Info Edge happens to be the owning company for Naukri.com, and in turn, an idea turned out in a billion-dollar enterprise. He had a background of a middle-class family and he has built his path from being a simple marketing executive to a famous entrepreneur by clearly showing his ordinate strength of vision and strong will.
This was about the successful incorporation of Zomato and PolicyBazaar and his own dedication and passion for the future. In this StartupTalky article, we will explore Sanjeev Bikhchandani’s success story, including his early life, history, net worth, childhood, personal life, education, investments, achievements, and more.
Sanjeev Bikhchandani – Biography
Full Name
Sanjeev Bikhchandani
Born
29 June 1963
Birthplace
Delhi, India
Education
St. Columba’s School, Delhi BA (Hons) Economics, St. Stephen’s College PGDM, IIM Ahmedabad
Height
178 cm (5’10”)
Profession
Founder of Info Edge (India)
Wife
Surabhi Bikhchandani (Businesswoman)
Children
2
Net Worth
INR 18,856 crore
Notable Awards
Padma Shri (2020)
Family Background
Father: Doctor (Government Service) Mother: Homemaker Brother: Professor at UCLA (PhD from Stanford)
Sanjeev Bikhchandani’s early life and education are a story of resilience and ambition and a singular vision of the future. He was born into a middle-class family in New Delhi and grew up with the values of hard work and perseverance instilled by his parents, who were professionals in the medical and engineering fields. The family expected Sanjeev to follow in his elder brother’s footsteps to IIT Kanpur and into medicine or engineering. But the biggest problem arose when he was diagnosed with color blindness, and it effectively closed the door on those career options.
However, this setback did not hold Sanjeev back academically. He graduated in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University in 1984. This is an academic institution that is very rigorous. It has had many distinguished alumni. At St. Stephen’s, he not only learned important stuff in economics but also got used to thinking analytically.
Sanjeev completed his undergraduate studies and then went to the IIM Ahmedabad for his MBA in 1989. This was a very important period in shaping his entrepreneurial aspirations. As a campus volunteer for IIM Ahmedabad, he saw fierce competition among major companies for top talent. But this experience awakened an entrepreneurial spark for the first time since he had not realized that companies were so keen on recruiting skilled graduates.
Sanjeev was a natural innovator, so he opted out of traditional campus placements. Instead, he would go out and approach companies to get interviews and land a marketing job at GlaxoSmithKline (Hindustan Milkfood Manufacturers) on the Horlicks brand. He had been given invaluable industry experience and a view into marketing dynamics that this role had given him. With a big salary and benefits, Sanjeev felt unfulfilled and restless and resigned after 18 months to follow his entrepreneurial dreams.
In 1995, he founded Info Edge, which began with salary surveys and reports that offered clues into compensation trends for MBA and engineering graduates. This was the groundwork for what would become a major player in the Indian job market. But the initial period was difficult; there was financial instability and often he had to supplement his income by giving tuition, in addition to what his wife was earning.
It was in October 1996 that Sanjeev attended an IT Expo in Delhi, which introduced him to the World Wide Web for the first time. He was inspired by a Yahoo demonstration and saw the possibility of putting together an online job portal that would collect job listings, a very novel concept in India at the time. This vision became a reality in April 1997 with the launch of Naukri.com, which has a database of less than 1,000 job advertisements from various magazines.
Naukri.com quickly took off because of its novel pricing policy—charging companies INR 350 for a job listing versus INR 3,500 that traditional newspapers charged. Employers and job seekers alike felt a resonance with this competitive edge, and traffic and listings grew exponentially. Naukri.com became the first dot com company to list on Indian stock exchanges in a decade and has set itself up as one of the top job portals in India.
Sanjeev is married to Surabhi Bikhchandani, who is also an IIM Ahmedabad alumni. During the first phase of Sanjeev’s entrepreneurial journey, he was trying to build Naukri.com, and Surabhi was taking care of household expenses with a job at Nestlé. It was critical support as Sanjeev leaped at a safe corporate career to the vagaries of entrepreneurship.
They have worked together to build a successful business and raise a family.
Sanjeev Bikhchandani – Journey So Far
Info Edge and the Companies
Info Edge was a struggle that took seven years to get off the ground. It included a bunch of small initiatives like training and report writing. It was in 1997, with a simple observation of how his colleagues behaved around job listings, that Naukri.com came to be a breakthrough. Bikhchandani started Info Edge from a servant’s quarter with INR 2,000 capital and grew it into a digital conglomerate worth more than $9 billion with 4,500 employees.
The company added 99acres.com, Jeevansathi.com, and Shiksha.com to its portfolio. He was a businessman who invested in unicorns like Zomato and PolicyBazaar.
Bikhchandani is different because he is frugal and focuses on solving real customer problems. Info Edge’s sustainable growth strategy has been built on his philosophy of valuing customer money over investor money. Below is the timeline of Sanjeev Bikhchandani’s life:
1995: Bikhchandani founded Info Edge in 1995 and the company is headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. Through Info Edge, he established many website businesses like Naukri.com, 99Acres.com, Jeevansathi.com, and Shiksha.com. India’s internet industry celebrated a milestone when Info Edge’s IPO in 2006 was successful. The company went public with the name Naukri. This is because more than 70% of the company’s revenue comes from the job portal Naukri.com. In 2020, the company established a venture capital fund, Info Edge Venture Fund to invest in online startup companies.
1997: Bikhchandani founded an Indian employment website, Naukri.com in 1997. He set up the job portal on a server in the United States. It was a website business that helped its users to search online for job opportunities in India. He later established Quadrangle, which is an offline executive search business. Eventually, Naukri.com became India’s largest web-based employment site in 2005.
2004: Bikhchandani founded an online matrimonial portal, Jeevansathi.com. The company uses acustomer-to-customer (C2C) business model. Jeevansathi offline centers were also set up with matchmaking services. The first offline center was launched in Mumbai in 2008. Jeevansathi.com grossed profits for the first time in the first quarter of 2016-2017 and earned INR 65 lakhs before interests and taxes.
2008: Bikhchandani launched the online education site, Shiksha.com in May 2008. It helps its users to select the right college through the comprehensive details of several universities. It provides courses and college selection easy for students willing to pursue undergraduate and post-graduate courses in India as well as abroad. Shiksha.com eventually became the most visited study-abroad website in India with 20 million users every year.
2005: Bikhchandani launched another portal for the real estate database website, 99Acres.com in 2005. It helps users to browse and search for properties through mobile. The company has invested INR 3 crore in Zippserv, a real estate risk assessment company.
2006: Sanjeev founded Naukrigulf.com in 2006 to connect recruiters and job seekers and is headquartered in Dubai. It is the fastest-growing job site in the Gulf. The company has a robust presence across the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
2020: Sanjeev was awarded the Padma Shri for his contributions.
Info Edge shareholders have reaped rich returns from his early investments in Policybazaar and Zomato. Below is a detailed table showcasing all the investments made by Info Edge to date:
Announced Date
Organization Name
Nov 17, 2019
Burger Singh
Jun 1, 2018
Slurrp Farm
Aug 10, 2015
Wow! Momo
Apr 4, 2023
Stealthed
Feb 22, 2022
Shipsy
Jan 26, 2022
Shopkirana
Nov 23, 2021
greytHR
Nov 25, 2020
Shipsy
Dec 21, 2018
NoPaperForms
Nov 18, 2014
Zomato
Sanjeev Bikhchandani – Controversies
The controversy that erupted recently over SN Subrahmanyan, Chairman of L&T, who praised a 90-hour work week and six-day work schedule. While interacting with employees, he apologized for not being able to make them work on Sundays and said a controversial remark, ‘How long can you stare at your wife?’ This sparked a huge spate of criticism and memes on social media and drew reactions from prominent industrialists Anand Mahindra and Harsh Goenka.
Interestingly, entrepreneur Sanjeev Bikhchandani told a different story based on a recent meeting with Subrahmanyan. In a detailed post on X, Bikhchandani called him humble and inquisitive about entrepreneurship and digital transformation. In their hour-long meeting, Bikhchandani suggested to L&T that it invest some of the substantial amounts of cash reserves (approximately ₹50,000 crores) that it has in India’s startup ecosystem.
This has set off a larger debate about work-life balance in corporate India. Subrahmanyan’s business acumen and leadership of L&T are no doubt respected, but his comments about extended work hours and his lack of care for family time are not.
The tension between the imperative of aggressive corporate growth goals and the growing importance of workplace wellness has been a focus of attention.
In 2008, Bikhchandani was awarded the “Ernst and Young – Entrepreneur of the Year” for Business Transformation.
In the same year, Sanjeev also won the Dataquest Pathbreaker Award & the Teacher’s Achievement Award for Business.
In 2011, he was conferred the Distinguished Alumnus award by IIM Ahmedabad.
In 2012, he received the CF Andrews Distinguished Alumnus award from St. Stephen’s College.
The Lakshmipat Singhania – IIM Lucknow National Leadership Award, Young Leader in the Business Category for the year 2012, is for him.
He was one of India’s fifty greatest CEOs ever, as per Outlook Magazine in April 2017.
The Financial Express gave him a Lifetime Achievement Award in IT in 2019.
Chiratae Ventures honored him with the Pride of India Award 2021 for Lifetime Achievement.
Amity University awarded him an honorary doctorate in December 2021.
He recently received the ET Start Up Awards 2021 in the Midas Touch category in January 2022.
Sanjeev received the Padma Shri Award in 2020.
Sanjeev Bikhchandani – Unknown Facts
Color Blindness: In his teens, Bikhchandani discovered he is partially color blind.
Early Business Location: His first venture began from the servant quarters of his father, and he paid INR 800 a month as rent.
International Server Setup: When India didn’t have servers in 1997, Naukri.com’s first server was set up in the US with the help of his brother at UCLA.
Early Team Building: He paid people money, but instead of paying money, he gave equity stakes to early team members, which included his brother for 5%, 7%, and 9%, to two programmer friends who built Naukri.com.
Early Internet Days: When Naukri.com was launched, there were 14,000 average web users in India. When newspapers started covering Internet-based businesses in India, the website became popular.
Side Job: To make ends meet, he worked as a Consulting Editor for The Pioneer’s career supplement ‘Avenues’ while building his business.
Market Dominance: Alexa.com shows that Naukri.com gets about 75 to 80 percent of the online job search traffic in India.
FAQs
Who is Jeevansathi owner?
Jeevansathi is owned by Info Edge (India) Limited, the same company that owns Naukri.com, 99acres, and Shiksha.
Who is Naukri founder?
Sanjeev Bikhchandani is Naukri.com owner. He founded the company in 1997.
Who is Info Edge owner?
Sanjeev Bikhchandani is the founder and owner of Info Edge (India) Limited. He started the company in 1995.
Who is Naukri.com CEO?
Sanjeev Bikhchandani, an Indian businessman, is the founder and executive vice chairman of Info Edge, the company that owns the job portal Naukri.com.
What is Jeevansathi founder net worth?
Sanjeev Bikhchandani net worth is INR 18,856 crore as of January 2025.
What is Sanjeev Bikhchandani education?
Sanjeev Bikhchandani completed his schooling at St. Columba’s School, Delhi, earned a degree in Economics (Honors) from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, and pursued an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad.
Glance, a trailblazing innovation by the InMobi Group is redefining smartphone engagement through its revolutionary lock screen technology. With its presence on over 400 million smartphones, Glance transforms the lock screen into a gateway for immersive experiences, granting users instant access to real-time updates, entertainment, and dynamic content—all without the need to open multiple apps.
Central to Glance’s innovation is its AI Wallpaper feature, a state-of-the-art application of artificial intelligence that creates personalized and ever-changing backgrounds. Unlike traditional static wallpapers, AI Wallpaper dynamically adapts to user preferences, curating a visual journey that resonates with individual interests. From breathtaking landscapes to iconic cultural landmarks and celebrated sports personalities, the lock screen evolves into a vibrant canvas of tailored content, refreshing with every glance.
This seamless integration of personalization and functionality exemplifies Glance’s commitment to enhancing user experiences. Whether it’s delivering engaging content, stunning visuals, or a quick snapshot of the latest news, Glance ensures that the smartphone lock screen is no longer a static barrier but a dynamic, engaging touchpoint. By merging cutting-edge AI with intuitive design, Glance continues to captivate users and set new benchmarks in mobile technology.
This post provides you with information about how Glance started, its Startup Story, History, Tagline, Logo, Business Model, Funding, Revenue, Competitors, Growth, and more.
Glance – Company Highlights
Name
Glance Smart Lock Screen
Headquarters
Bengaluru, India
Sector
Artificial Intelligence
Founder
Naveen Tewari, Abhay Singhal, Mohit Saxena and Piyush Shah
Glance revolutionizes the smartphone experience with its smart lock screen, delivering personalized content, news, and entertainment directly to users without the need to unlock their phones or download additional apps. It transforms the lock screen into a dynamic space for discovery and engagement.
In addition to curated content, Glance offers Glance Games, a free gaming service that includes popular titles like Fruit Chop, Bubble Shooter, and Snake vs Block. With these games accessible right from the lock screen, users can enjoy quick, entertaining breaks anytime, enhancing their overall smartphone experience. Glance transforms your smartphone lock screen into an engaging, personalized experience. With visually stunning content and interactive features, Glance ensures every time you unlock your phone, something is exciting waiting for its user.
A standout feature is Glance Games, offering a wide range of options—from mind-stimulating puzzles to adrenaline-pumping adventures. These games provide a quick escape and a fun way to recharge during a busy day. Plus, Glance uses advanced algorithms to curate content and games tailored to individual preferences, ensuring your lock screen reflects your interests and passions, and making every interaction both entertaining and meaningful.
Glance transforms mobile lock screens into a smart, interactive hub for content management and advertising. The platform delivers personalized, real-time content in the user’s preferred language, offering everything from news updates and short videos to gaming experiences. This direct, user-first approach makes Glance a standout player in the mobile ecosystem.
As part of InMobi, Glance combines cutting-edge technology with innovative monetization strategies, setting a new standard for how content and commerce intersect on mobile devices.
Glance – Industry
India’s artificial intelligence (AI) industry is on a rapid growth trajectory. The AI market, valued at $8 billion in 2025, is expected to surge to $17 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 25-35%. Demand for AI talent is also rising, with a projected 15% CAGR, and India boasts the second-largest AI talent pool globally, with 420,000 professionals. Companies are increasingly adopting AI with structured frameworks and dedicated leadership driving innovative use cases.
Glance – Founders and Team
Naveen Tewari
Naveen Tewari – Founder and CEO of Glance and InMobi
Naveen Tewari is the Founder and CEO of Glance and InMobi. Naveen Tewari is an accomplished entrepreneur with a Bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Tewari has been instrumental in shaping Glance and InMobi into globally recognized companies at the forefront of innovation in mobile technology and advertising.
Piyush Shah
Piyush Shah – Co-founder of InMobi, President & COO of Glance
Piyush Shah is the Co-founder of InMobi and President & COO of Glance. Piyush Shah brings extensive expertise in strategy and product development. He holds an MBA in Strategy and Marketing from the Indian School of Business (ISB) and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Delhi College of Engineering. Shah previously led InMobi’s Marketing Cloud and played a pivotal role in building its performance advertising business and developer platforms.
Mohit Saxena
Mohit Saxena – Co-founder and CTO of InMobi and Glance
Mohit Saxena is the Co-founder and CTO of InMobi and Glance. Mohit Saxena has a deep background in technology and telecommunications. Prior to InMobi, Saxena worked at Virgin Mobile and AT&T, where he contributed to innovative solutions and filed several telecommunications patents. His technical acumen drives InMobi and Glance’s tech-forward strategies.
Abhay Singhal
Abhay Singhal – Co-founder and CRO of InMobi
Abhay Singhal is the Co-founder and CRO of InMobi. Abhay Singhal is a visionary entrepreneur with a Bachelor’s degree from IIT Kanpur, where he was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2013 for his excellence in entrepreneurship. At InMobi, Singhal oversees global revenue strategies, having previously spearheaded the company’s expansion in Europe and led HR initiatives. His career reflects a passion for growth and innovation.
Glance – Startup Story
Glance, conceptualized in 2015 and officially launched in 2017, emerged after extensive iterations to perfect its product-market fit. Over the years, InMobi has played a pivotal role in shaping Glance’s trajectory across four critical domains: product development, content curation, OEM partnerships, and team building.
Designed with the Indian consumer in mind, Glance integrates unique features catering to regional language preferences, ensuring accessibility and relevance for its diverse user base. Employing advanced algorithms, Glance delivers a personalized array of “glances” tailored to individual user preferences, much like the curated experiences found on platforms such as Twitter now X, Facebook, and Instagram.
While Glance has already captured the attention of millions with its innovative lock screen experience, the platform remains in an exploratory phase regarding monetization strategies.
Glance focuses on reinventing how users find and interact with content. By leveraging advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning, they deliver curated, relevant updates that save time and enhance engagement—ensuring users get what they need when they need it.
Their Vision
They strive to make content a tool for empowerment rather than a source of distraction. Glance helps individuals enjoy an effortless flow of information while making it easy to step back and reconnect with the real world, promoting a healthier balance between digital and physical life.
Glance is more than just a platform—it’s a gateway to a smarter, more thoughtful way of experiencing content, designed to enrich life without overwhelming it.
Glance – Name, Tagline and Logo
Glance Logo
The vibrant yet balanced color palette symbolizes energy, creativity and focus. Together, these elements make the logo memorable and reflective of the brand’s ethos—delivering value at a glance.
Tagline: “Content in a Snap”—this tagline captures the essence of Glance’s offering. It emphasizes how users can access meaningful content instantly without unnecessary clutter.
Glance’s name, tagline and logo come together to represent a dynamic and user-centric platform, redefining how people connect with digital content.
Glance – Business Model
Glance has carved out a unique niche in the mobile ecosystem by leveraging lock screens as a dynamic space for both content delivery and advertising. Here’s a closer look at its business model and how it works:
Content: Glance curates a rich variety of content in multiple languages, ranging from real-time news updates to engaging short videos and interactive gaming experiences. The content is powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning, ensuring it is personalized and relevant to each user’s preferences and behavior.
Advertising: Advertising forms the backbone of Glance’s business, contributing a significant 76% of its operating revenue in FY23. By delivering ads directly on the lock screen, Glance provides brands with a unique and highly visible platform to connect with users in an unobtrusive yet effective manner.
Lock Screen Innovation: The lock screen is Glance’s core touchpoint, transformed into a “smart surface” that offers curated experiences aligned with the user’s intent. By meeting users directly on their phones—without requiring app downloads or additional steps—Glance maximizes engagement and creates valuable opportunities for advertisers.
Glance – Revenue Model
Glance, a B2C unit of the advertising technology giant InMobi, has built a robust revenue model centered around three primary streams:
Mobile Advertising: The cornerstone of Glance’s revenue is mobile advertising, contributing a significant 76% of its operating revenue in FY23. By leveraging its lock screen platform, Glance provides advertisers with a unique, high-visibility space to engage users directly, delivering targeted ads alongside personalized content.
Creator- or Influencer-Driven Commerce: Glance taps into the power of creators and influencers to drive commerce. By seamlessly integrating product promotions and collaborations into the platform, Glance creates opportunities for users to discover and purchase items endorsed by trusted voices.
Digital Commerce: In addition to influencer-driven sales, Glance also generates revenue through direct digital commerce initiatives. The platform’s curated content and interactive experiences serve as a springboard for engaging users in online shopping activities.
As a platform hosting diverse and dynamic content, Glance faces the challenge of ensuring all material aligns with high standards of appropriateness. To address this, Glance employs a hybrid moderation model:
AI Moderation: Automates content screening at scale, detecting potentially inappropriate or harmful material swiftly.
Human Oversight: Complements AI by leveraging human judgment for nuanced and context-sensitive decisions, ensuring the integrity of content standards.
This dual approach allows Glance to balance efficiency with accuracy, catering to the varied expectations of its audience.
Scalability and Personalization
Glance’s ability to handle massive user engagement while delivering tailored experiences is driven by its robust AI infrastructure:
Advanced Techniques: Utilizes distributed programming, clustering and machine learning algorithms to manage enormous volumes of user data and interactions.
Experienced Team: Engineers with expertise from global ad networks have developed sophisticated systems to ensure seamless scalability and personalization.
User-Centric Content Creation
Glance’s content strategy starts with a deep understanding of its users, ensuring that personalization is both relevant and engaging. By leveraging AI-driven insights and user behavior patterns, the platform creates experiences that resonate, while maintaining a strict focus on appropriateness and quality.
Glance – Funding and Investors
Glance has secured funding from prominent investors, to drive its growth, innovation and expansion in the smart lock screen and content delivery ecosystem.
Announced Date
Transaction Name
Money Raised
Lead Investors
Feb 14,2022
Series D
$200M
Reliance Jio
Dec 22, 2020
Series C
$145M
Google
Sept 10, 2019
Venture Round
$45M
Mithril Capital
Glance – Investments
Glance invested in Collective Artists Network on October 25, 2021, to strengthen its content ecosystem and creator-driven commerce capabilities.
Glance – Mergers and Acquisitions
Glance strengthened its ecosystem through strategic acquisitions
Acquiree Name
Announced Date
NostraGamus
Mar 24, 2022
Shop 1
Jun 4, 2021
Glance – Growth
Fiscal Year
Operating Revenue
Total Expenses
Profit/Loss
FY23
INR 325 crore
INR 1,448 crore
INR -1,094
FY24
INR 614 crore
INR 1,569 crore
INR -929
Glance Financials FY24
In FY23, the company reported an operating revenue of INR 325 crore, total expenses of INR 1,448 crore, and a loss of INR 1,094 crore. In FY24, revenue increased to INR 614 crore, while expenses rose to INR 1,569 crore, resulting in a reduced loss of INR 929 crore.
FY24 Key Metrics: Glance’s ROCE was -1191% and its EBITDA margin stood at -134.9%.
Efficiency Improvement: The company spent Rs 2.55 to earn Rs 1 of revenue in FY24, reflecting an improvement in operational efficiency compared to FY23.
Glance – Advertisements and Social Media Campaigns
JUNG-E GLANCE: A Breakthrough Esports Campaign
JUNG-E GLANCE: A Breakthrough Esports Campaign
Glance’s latest advertisement campaign, “JUNG-E GLANCE,” made waves in the esports community by showcasing an exciting esports league featuring a lineup of popular games. Titles such as Valorant, Grand Theft Auto 5, Clash of Clans, Call of Duty, Freefire Max and Apex Legends were among the highlights of this groundbreaking initiative.
The campaign was powered by BattleXO, a homegrown Indian e-gaming platform, bringing an authentic and localized touch to the event. Launched on September 17, 2022, the league was streamed live on Glance’s website, drawing significant attention and engagement.
A Resounding Success
The esports league captivated India’s vibrant gaming community, attracting numerous young gamers nationwide. This successful campaign not only reinforced Glance’s position as an innovative advertising platform but also demonstrated its ability to connect with the ever-growing gaming audience in India.
Glance – Awards and Achievements
Award-Winning Campaigns
American Tourister: A creative and engaging campaign that leveraged Glance’s smart lock screen to captivate audiences and elevate the brand’s visibility.
Kuku FM: Showcased Glance’s strength in driving personalized content experiences, helping Kuku FM reach its target audience effectively.
Nerolac: An impactful campaign that utilized Glance’s unique platform to deliver immersive advertising experiences, enhancing brand engagement.
Glance – Competitors
Glance faces competition from players like the following which also provide personalized content and entertainment experiences on smart devices.
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Glance – Future Plans
Glance is set to revolutionize content delivery with the upcoming Glance Developer Platform, designed to offer developers significant opportunities to craft premium, immersive experiences for users.
Initial Rollout and Success
Glance TV, the first phase of this initiative has already launched on over 1 million Airtel Xstream devices, showcasing impressive engagement metrics.
Users are spending an average of 200 minutes across three sessions daily, reflecting the platform’s strong resonance with audiences.
Future Expansion Plans
Glance aims to extend its reach to 4 million devices in India by June 2025, solidifying its presence in the domestic market.
Global ambitions are also in sight, with plans to expand the platform to select international markets, paving the way for a broader impact.
This initiative underscores Glance’s commitment to empowering developers while enhancing user experiences, further positioning itself as a leader in the content and advertising ecosystem.
FAQs
What does Glance do?
Glance is an Indian technology company known for its lock screen content platform, delivering personalized news, entertainment, games, and shopping experiences directly on smartphone lock screens.
Who are Glance founders?
The founders of Glance are Naveen Tewari, Abhay Singhal, Mohit Saxena, and Piyush Shah.
Touted as the premier entrepreneurial platform, “Shark Tank India” premiered on December 20, 2021. It is modeled after the American series in which the judges are the successful entrepreneurs-global or Indian-in the end judging the business idea pitches put forward by people wanting to acquire funds for their business. The first season ended on February 11, 2022. It introduced 198 firms, of which 67 secured deals worth almost INR 42 crores in investment. It also brought financial backing along with mentoring, thus proving critical to India’s nurturing startup ecosystem, and empowering entrepreneurs with the resources and guidance of industry experts.
Over the seasons, it had showcased those from technology, healthcare, or consumer goods that this country could have considered an entrepreneurial space with the ever-living changing dynamic of the spirit. Indeed it has brought in new investors with new ideas in business to spark innovation beyond just growing the dialogue about startups. Its growth therefore would reflect the kind of commitment that sustaining India as an entrepreneurial nation brings-a conference not just for business development, but innovation as well across the entire economic landscape of the nation. Shark Tank benefits both investors (the “sharks”) and entrepreneurs.
Immersed in Diversified Investment Opportunities: Such access to a greater, wider array of business ideas and sectors creates investment opportunities that the investor might not have experienced before. This would therefore result in profitable investments.
Further Brand Visibility: Being an investor on the show will add greatly to one’s public profile and personal brand. Resulting in more visibility, speaking, and networking opportunities. To understand the relevance of a shark on the show, many did not come to know who Anupam Mittal (Shaadi.com), Aman Gupta (Boat), and Ashneer Grover were (BharatPe) before Shark Tank India. But now these successful businessmen are all over the talk shows and podcasts and, through Youtube shorts or Instagram reels, all liberalized in stretching out of the carpets.
Innovative Ideas at Exposure: Innovators producing something new or fresh ideas attract the eye of such investors who often find it interesting to invest in those fresh ideas, rather than procuring it directly into their present industry lines to excel. Many times, one shark offers to invest even when all other sharks call it off.
Expertise and Mentorship: By investing in entrepreneurs, sharks can offer their expertise and guidance, helping these businesses grow and succeed. This mentorship role can be personally fulfilling and financially rewarding.
Benefits for Entrepreneurs
Access to Capital: The enterprising section requires monetary investments from patronizers as startup costs for their ventures. “Shark Tank” extends the option of getting investment capital from the sharks.
Expertise and Mentorship: Besides the investment, it can help entrepreneurs with business acumen and industry knowledge of the sharks. The mentorship can guide these entrepreneurs to make better decisions and navigate challenges, which would be the reason pitch contestants would sometimes settle for a lower valuation of a shark because it is not just dealing with an investment but also through shark expertise.
Validation: Gaining funding from one or several of the sharks becomes proof of a business idea worth developing for the entrepreneur, as it draws other interests from potential future investors or partners.
Negotiation Practice: Negotiating on the program would seem to be an honest learning experience for entrepreneurs who have so much to gain in their future business deals from sharpening the ability of their negotiation skills.
Deal Closed at Shark Tank India
Shark Tank Season 1
During the first season of Shark Tank India (20 December 2021 – 11 February 2022), as many as 198 business pitches were made. Of these, 67 were able to get investors out of 198 different startups; out of which, 28 deals were finalized, showing a closure rate of 41.5%. The amount of equity pooled through finalized deals hovers around INR 42 crores.
The best investor was Namita Thapar, with claims to about INR 7 crores. Ashneer Grover weighed in next to him, with about INR 2.95 crore across 11 completed deals. “Show reality set in,” for several entrepreneurs, he added. The due diligence typically lasts from three to nine months: No wonder, many startups back out to get higher-value valuations, and many dissatisfactions appear to make some deals invalid. According to reports, six startups have secured better funding during the period elsewhere at higher valuations.
Shark Tank India may be a strong catalyst in terms of visibility, initial capital commitment, and mentorship by investors, but it will hinge heavily on the fine print of due diligence and shifting market conditions before any real closing occurs; it will underscore the complexity of fulfilling those commitments into fruitful investments.
The completion ratio is phenomenal at 96% between January 2, 2023, to March 13, 2023, with 103 commitments for deals and 99 deals getting finalized on Shark Tank India, Season 2. After signing on the show, a process is structured to solicit funding followed by a due-diligence phase where the claims by the entrepreneur are verified against such exhaustive business records, financial, legal, and operational. This phase is one of internal scrutiny and usually lasts between three and nine months, but breaks may occur within that time depending upon how the circumstances grow and change. Everything will be included from changes in stock ownership or royalties required to possibly adding it into a purely equity-financed deal.
Thereafter formal contracts are executed which state the rights as well as obligations of both Parties. Generally advises an entrepreneur to consult an expert for scaling his business in place of closing the deal, but this is not general. The closure ratio was extremely high as Season 2 managed to record a closing ratio of 96% as against the measly 41.5% of the first season. Such impact is a global reality, not only to entrepreneurs and sharks but rather to the post-deal progression in making this credible investment-type reality show.
Shark Tank Season 3
The Indian TV hub had a lot of drama from January 22, 2024, to March 31, 2024, spread over 52 episodes, thus making it an incredible third season for Shark Tank India with some amazing sharks – 12 in number. This was primarily reliant on the deal-making and post-deal process hence creating the investment outcomes. Typically, right after the handshake on-air by an entrepreneur and investor, thorough due diligence was done, verifying claims made during the pitch presentation while also ensuring that the business was viable. This period lasts anywhere between a month to well above a year, depending on the readiness of the startup to raise funds for their business, according to Anupam Mittal. For most investors, WhatsApp group chats are made and then paths are smoothed to feel comfortable with entrepreneurs.
Not all deals go ahead, but they are all very hard to make up the commitments. At this point of closing the deal most of the time either one or the other founder pops out of the picture and makes all the up-and-down moves just to source better options,” Investor’s content on the line. “Almost 50 percent of the deals land failing because of these reasons,” explains Anupam Mittal, further development to Investment Structures and other varieties would be showcased during Season 3 of which pure equity accounted for 54.3 percent out of total investments, while the rest included some kind of an equity-debt or royalty component. Many deals are still going strong in negotiation; however, much was clear this season about the factors compounding the complexities of post-show investments because of both parties’ transparency and readiness required for that.
Conclusion
Shark Tank India has continued to complicate and augment the post-deal process for the last three seasons. While the first season prepared viewers for an understanding of investment relationships from start to finish of the season, the next seasons would sophisticate the same bringing in alcohol elimination and clear-cut understanding of investors and entrepreneurs. Closure and post-deal operations may improve, but the post-deal limbo for entrepreneurs still exists as they are deterred from turning to outside offers and busyness baselines. In a nutshell, Shark Tank India will continue to be an important platform for the promotion of entrepreneurship vis-à-vis realities in the race for investments.
FAQs
What is Shark Tank India?
Shark Tank India is an Indian business reality television series based on the popular global format Shark Tank. It has budding entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas to a panel of potential investors called ‘Sharks’ to secure investment deals.
Who are the sharks in Shark Tank India?
Vineeta Singh, Peeyush Bansal, Namita Thapar, Anupam Mittal, Amit Jain, Deepinder Goyal, Varun Dua, Radhika Gupta, Ronnie Screwvala, Azhar Iquabal, Ritesh Agarwal, and Aman Gupta are the sharks in Shark Tank India. Season four of the show will feature two new sharks, Kunal Bahl and Viraj Bahl.
How Shark Tank India works?
Shark Tank India features entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas to a panel of investors (sharks) who decide whether to invest in exchange for equity.
Nitin Konde
