February is often termed the month of love for obvious reasons, and that is Valentineās Day. Honestly, Valentineās Day is not less than a festival in the world; people buy gifts for their significant other and profess their love and care to them with those gifts.
Every year, the market for Valentineās Day gifts experiences a steep rise. Be it chocolates, plushies, or handmade personalized gifts, they always find their way to the customerās heart in the month of love. They have a level of value that is indescribable, and that is why they are turning into one of the best gift items in the industry.
For most people, looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift can be exciting and confusing as well; the trend of giving handmade personalized gifts has been in for a couple of years, and till now, it has not died down and seems to be going quite strong.
People prefer to provide handmade gifts to their partners, especially on V-Day. So, for those who are into making them, you can sell them online, which is quite a good idea. In this article, we will talk about some of the best platforms where you can sell handmade gifts this Valentine. So, letās take a look.
āThe more value you give, the more you get to sell.ā
One of the most popular c-commerce platforms where you can sell your handmade gift items is Etsy. Any kind of handmade product like clothes, jewellery, artwork, bags, and vintage items can be found here. The E-commerce platform consists of over 81.9 million buyers and over 4.1 million sellers.
Benefits of Selling on Etsy
The first and foremost benefit is that you donāt have to build a website, which is quite a costly and long procedure. You can set up your online retail store here at a minimal cost and start selling your gift products.
It is easy to update your products on the website whenever you feel like making a change.
As mentioned before, with over 81.9 million buyers, the number of customers you can get for your products is huge. If you start your own website, it may take a lot of time, but with Etsy, if your product is good, then you just have to focus on your customers.
It is good for people who are just starting their online business; it gives them an idea of how an online store works, and with time, they can also start their own website later.
Amazon Handmade
Amazon Handmade – Best Gifting Platforms
There is hardly anyone who is not aware of one of the biggest e-commerce platforms in the world, Amazon. Now, you can sell your handmade products on their site Amazon Handmade. It was a direct competitor of the E-commerce site Etsy.
Benefits of Selling in Amazon Handmade
When it is the biggest online e-commerce site, then the chances of your products getting noticed are inevitable. So, Amazon Handmade, a handmade gifts website, can be good for you to sell Valentine’s gifts.
It is a well-established brand that knows what itās doing; it doesnāt change its algorithm much. So, while selling your products here, you wonāt be experiencing a sudden drop in your traffic that may lead to a decrease in your sales.
You have to fill out an application that assures your authenticity and ensures that the products youāre selling are actually made by you.
This website is known for selling unique gifts, so if your products are unique and handmade, then it is the perfect place for you. Sarees, vintage handmade house decors, or jewellery, you can sell these here. Craftsvilla is also said to be the largest online ethnic store in India.
Benefits of Selling in Craftsvilla
Your products get exposure to the international market.
You can showcase your local culture and tradition by selling handmade products and, thus, promoting them as well.
The process of selling the product is easier, and it is perfect for those who want to sell unique products and also want attention from the customers online.
iCraft
iCraft – Best Gifting Platforms
Another platform where you sell your handmade products, this platform mostly focuses on ethnic jewellery, accessories, and woollen items. All of these have to be handmade as they strictly want the platform to be a household name for handmade products. It’s also one of the best gifting platforms, offering a curated selection of unique, artisan-made items perfect for any occasion.
Benefits of Selling in iCraft
A huge number of audience to whom you can cater to.
Enjoy all the profits from your sale; no commission has to be given.
E-Commerce as Percentage of Total Retail Sales Worldwide
AuthIndia
Authindia – Best Gifting Platforms
If you want to sell pure Artwork and handicrafts, AuthIndia is the perfect place for you. Plus, gifting someone any kind of artwork seems classy and favorable. You can sell your products worldwide through this website, an online gifting platform.
Benefits of Selling in AuthIndia
No charges are required for registration on this website, plus all the profits that you earn are only yours; you donāt need to give out a commission or any extra payments.
GST is not mandatory; the pricing of your products is fixed only by you.
The website offers you advertisement space, where you can place your productās ad. This way, you also get to increase the number of your potential customers.
The India Craft House
The India Craft House – Best Gifting Platforms
“A social enterprise. An authentic platform for pure craft,” says The India Craft House. The digital platform boasts of listing some of the world’s oldest and most intricate craft forms. Starting around ten years from now, The India Craft House lists pure, authentic craft sourced from artisans across India. This way, it curates a unique selection of traditional arts and crafts as beautiful and contemporary gift shop items that can be bought by people worldwide on Valentine’s Day or any other occasion for lovers and friends.
Benefits of Selling in The India Craft House
The website allows the artisans and craftsmen to just contact the website.
If you are an artisan or working on behalf of an NGO, a social enterprise or an organization that supports artisans and the creation of handcrafted products, then there are special benefits.
Launched in October 2016, Facebook created the Facebook Marketplace to entice individuals to engage in buying and selling activities within its communities. An impressive aspect of the Marketplace is that Facebook offers support to small business owners by waiving any listing fees. Setting up a business on Facebook Marketplace doesn’t require prior eCommerce experience. Additionally, Facebook has partnered with online selling platforms like Shopify to facilitate the presence of online sellers on the Marketplace. While there are no listing fees, sellers must adhere to specific criteria and guidelines set forth by Facebook.
Benefits of Selling in Facebook Marketplace
It’s free to create listings on Marketplace, so it’s easy to get started selling. The only fees are if you purchase optional promoted listings.
Facebook handles payments, so you don’t have to build your own checkout system. You can also ship items directly through Marketplace.
You can message buyers directly within Marketplace and coordinate sales seamlessly.
Pepperfry
Pepperfry – Best Gifting Platforms
Sell your home decor and furniture on Pepperfry to reach home lovers. Use the seller dashboard to track sales, see real-time insights, and improve your strategy. Maintain high product quality with Pepperfryās strict quality checks and verification process.
Benefits of Selling in Pepperfry
Selling on Pepperfry offers several benefits:
Wide Customer Reach: Access a large audience of home decor and furniture buyers.
Easy Seller Dashboard: Track sales, get real-time insights, and improve your business.
Quality Assurance: Gain customer trust with Pepperfryās strict quality checks.
Marketing Support: Benefit from Pepperfryās promotions and advertising.
Logistics Assistance: Get help with shipping and delivery to customers.
Valentineās Day is a perfect occasion for the personalized gift industry in India, as it thrives in February. The gift industry experiences a huge boom in Valentineās week.
The above websites are some of the E-commerce sites that help people who want to indulge themselves in the handmade gift industry and make a way for all the producers to find their designated place to engage with their potential customers and provide them with the product they need.
FAQs
What sells most on Valentine’s Day?
The most popular products on Valentine’s Day are jewellery, flowers, clothing, and candy.
How can I sell Valentine’s products?
Sell something unique, create personalized gifts, and make sure your website is visible on search results on Valentine’s Day.
What should you dropship on Valentine’s Day?
You should dropship Rose Flower Bears, Valentine’s Day Inflatables, Valentine’s Day Greeting Card, and Valentine’s Day Candles.
How to sell gift items online?
Utilize e-commerce platforms like Shopify for easy setup and leverage social media for targeted marketing to reach potential buyers for your gift items online.
Which are the best gifting platforms in India?
Some of the best gifting platforms in India include Ferns N Petals and Archies Online, offering a wide range of gifts for various occasions with nationwide delivery.
How to start gift shop business?
Research your target market and source unique, appealing products.
Establish an online or physical storefront and promote your offerings through marketing and networking.
“Finding love is not always easy, but it’s always worth the journey”
Finding love can be a complex and challenging process, as it involves many factors. Dating plays a crucial role in getting to know potential partners, which is a critical step in finding a compatible match.
In times gone by, one would have to bask in the presence of one beloved to uncover one’s likes, dislikes, and everything in between. But with the advent of technology, dating has taken on a new form, making it easier and more convenient to connect with potential partners from the comfort of one’s own home.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at the best dating apps in India to help you find your perfect match this Valentine’s Day! So get ready to find your perfect match with the help of the best dating apps in India. But before that, let’s examine the present state of the dating app industry in India.
Overview of the Dating App Market in India 2025
The dating app market in India has seen significant growth in recent years, with an increasing number of people turning to these platforms to find love. According to recent studies, there are over 82.4 million users in India (which is a 293% increase from 20 million five years ago) who are actively using dating apps, with the majority being young, urban-dwelling individuals. The market is expected to continue growing in the coming years as more and more people embrace online dating.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Dating Apps in India
When choosing a dating app, it’s important to consider several key factors that can impact your success in finding a match and your overall experience using the platform. The factors that one needs to consider while choosing dating apps are:
User Base: The user base refers to the size and demographics of the platform’s user pool. A large user base can increase the chances of finding a match, while a more diverse user base can cater to different preferences and needs.
User Experience: User experience refers to the ease of use and functionality of the app, as well as its user interface and features. A well-designed app can make the process of finding a match much smoother and enjoyable.
Privacy and Security: Privacy and security are crucial factors to consider when using dating apps, as personal information and sensitive data are often shared on these platforms. It’s important to choose an app that has robust security measures in place to protect your privacy and keep your data safe.
Cost: Cost is also an important factor to consider when choosing a dating app, as some platforms require a paid subscription for access to certain features. It’s important to choose an app that offers good value for money, with a balance between features and affordability.
Global Online Dating Market
Now, let’s look at some of the popular dating apps that will help you get the type of person you have always dreamed of:
Tinder is one of the most popular dating apps in India, known for its simple, intuitive, and user-friendly interface. With a large user base, the app offers a high chance of finding a match. Its unique “swipe right” feature allows users to indicate their interest in potential matches quickly and easily, making the process of finding a match fast and easy.
In 2021, Tinder was not only the most installed dating app worldwide, with 67 million annual downloads but also considered the best dating app in India. It was launched in 2012 by Hatch Labs as a joint startup between IAC mobiles and Xtreme Labs.
You must set up your profile, make it discoverable, and select your preferences to find your valentine. And you are good to go. You just need to swipe right to like and left to pass.
Tinder Key Statistics:
Tinder made $1.9 billion in revenue in 2023, a 7% increase on the year prior
It had 75 million monthly active users and 10.9 million subscribers in 2022
60% of Tinderās users are under 35 years old
Three-quarters of Tinderās users are male
Yearly subscription plans for Tinder:
Plan
Tinder Plus
Tinder Gold
Tinder Platinum
Pricing
$2.67/month
$8.33/month
$10/month
2. Truly Madly
Truly Madly – Best App for Dating
Truly Madly is an example of a good, simple dating app that was developed by Crescere Technologies Private Limited in 2013. dating app that was developed by Crescere Technologies Private Limited in This app takes compatible match-making and profile verification very seriously, and it may ask for identification documents before setting up your live profile.
After your profile is set up, all you need to do is select your suitable preference filters and get swiping! The one good thing about this app is that it provides you with a trust score for all the data that you get verified.
The higher the trust score, the more genuine the profile. Though it provides good service, it’s not as popular as Tinder, so you may not have a wide range of results to choose from. Subscriptions range from INR 699 weekly to INR 1,799 for a 20-week period. Paid subscribers receive extra perks, such as increased visibility and the ability to check compatibility before expressing interest in a profile.
Unlike other apps that use location in a general sense to find matches, Happn matches users with people they may have seen recently.
Founded by Didier Rappaport and developed by FTW and Co., it was launched in 2014. It is compatible with Android, Apple, and Windows devices. According to the reports, the app had around 100 million members in January 2023. Happn is one of the best dating app in India.
Its unique feature provides the user the ability to connect with the person they saw on their way. Users can check if the person is on Happn, and then they can like their profile and wait for a match. The Happn app gives you the platform to approach someone whom you couldn’t talk to because you didn’t have the courage at that moment.
This unique way of approach is what sets it apart from other dating apps. The app is for those who fall short of words while approaching someone.
Pricing Plans for Happn:
Plan
One Month
Six Months
Twelve Months
Pricing
$24.99/month
$14.99/month
$10/month
4. Woo
Woo – Best Online App for Dating
Woo is a popular dating app in India geared towards urban, educated professionals. With a focus on meaningful connections and a user-friendly interface, the app is an excellent option for those looking for a more serious relationship.
Additionally, Woo’s unique “ice-breakers” feature makes it easier to start conversations and break the ice with potential matches. First released in 2014, it became the most popular dating app in India, the same place it originated. After becoming popular in India, it showed a steady increase in popularity throughout the world.
Here, you get features like Tag Search, Voice Intro, Questions and Answers, and Direct messaging. This also offers voice call features where women can place a voice call without revealing their number. By using the right settings, women on this platform can opt not to share their name, location, and number. It gives the same feature of liking and passing as in all other dating apps, i.e. you can swipe left or right as per your choice, and it also provides a premium membership where you can review the profiles you have skipped.
Woo Dating has matched over 3 million single women and men and is a leading app for searching for love or romantic interests in the USA, UK, Canada, Dubai, India, etc.
Bumble is another popular dating app in India, known for its empowering approach to online dating. The app allows women to make the first move, breaking down traditional gender roles and promoting a more equal dynamic in relationships. You can find your partner online on this app.
With its user-friendly interface and unique features, Bumble is a great option for those seeking a fun and inclusive dating experience.
This app was developed by the co-founder of Tinder, Whitney Wolfe Herd after her previous company sued her. In 2020, Bumble had 100 million users worldwide, and in 2021, Herde became the youngest woman billionaire at 31 years old.
Bumble Key Statistics:
Bumble generated $694 million in revenue in 2022, a 30% increase on the previous year.
In 2022, Bumble reported a net loss of $80 million, a significant drop from its $280 million profit in 2021.
Bumble has 58 million active users, with 2.4 million subscribers to the appās premium features.
The App makes sure that the ladies don’t keep the men hanging as the match expires within 24 hours of no conversation. It has the same style of swiping left and right and lets you have video calls, send photos, and play games in case of a match. It also has premium plan options that will give you better results and better visibility on the app.
Pricing Plans of Bumble:
Bumble Boost
One Week
One Month
Three Months
Six Months
Pricing
$8.99/week
$16.99/month
$33.99/month
$54.99/month
Bumble Boost
One Week
One Month
Three Months
Lifetime Subscription
Pricing
$19.99/week
$39.99/month
$36.99/month
$229.99
6. OkCupid
OkCupid – Best App for Dating
OkCupid is a highly-regarded dating app in India, known for its in-depth matching algorithm and data-driven approach to finding love.
With a focus on deep personal connections, the app asks users a series of questions to help determine their personality and preferences, making it easier to find compatible matches.
This app was founded by four Harvard students: Chris Coyne, Christian Rudder, Sam Yagan, and Max Krohn. It is currently owned by the company Match Group, which also owns Tinder and Hinge.
You can improve your search results by setting the right filters from a vast range of filtering options. You can also set your dating preferences in your search tray for better profiles. This app also gives significant priority to privacy and safety. You can hide your profile, un-match it, or block someone whenever you want.
Hinge is a more relationship-oriented app that focuses on finding deeper connections. It is free to use, but users can pay for premium services to access additional features.
It was founded by Justin McLeod in 2012. When launched, this app promised to work on matching profiles, keeping in mind the long-term effects on people’s relationships. The Hinge app was launched in February 2013. The 2019 US presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg revealed that she met her husband on Hinge. The Company ‘Match Group’ made huge investments in Hinge in September 2017, owning 51% of the company in June 2018 and a total of 100% ownership in the first quarter of 2019.
This app uses your Facebook profile as a source to connect with the friends of your friends and their friends, too. So you don’t need to send them a friend request as people traditionally used to do; rather you can search them over Hinge.
This app lets you make a dating profile by asking you to upload some photos and ,a few questions to which you must provide answers. Anyone on this platform will have the option to like something on your profile, and that will be immediately notified to you.
Pricing Plans for Hinge:
Plans
One Month
Three Months
Six Months
Pricing
$34.99/month
$21.66/month
$16.66/month
8. Coffee Meets Bagel
Coffee Meets Bagel – Best App for Dating
Coffee Meets Bagel is also a decent dating app to try. It was launched in New York City on April 17, 2012, by three sisters: Arum Kang, Dawoon Kang, and Soo Kang. Later it was launched in Boston in May 2012 and then in San Fransisco in October 2012.
It is mostly recommended for women as it gives them an upper hand while matching with someone. In this app, Women receive suggestions based on the guys who have previously matched with them. On the other hand, Guys can only like or pass.
This app provides a certain number of suggestions once a day, so you don’t need to keep swiping over a large number of profiles, which may exhaust you in the whole process. This app takes a couple of considerations before providing you with any suggestions.
You just need to get online once a day, like the profiles you are interested in, and if there’s a match, you will get suggestions.
Let’s understand the Pricing plan for Coffee Meets Bagel:
Aisle is also one of the unique apps in the store for Indian users. It focuses more on serious relationship-buildingrather than wasting time on casual hookups.
The Bengaluru-based dating app, Aisle, was founded in July 2014 by Able Joseph, the current CEO of the Bengaluru-based dating app. The CEO, in one of his interviews, stated that Aisle was an alternative solution for those who are in search of something meaningful but not into any sort of arranged marriage.
To log in, you need a Facebook or LinkedIn profile, fill in the answers for a large questionnaire, and submit it for verification. If you are in search of meaningful dates and not casual hookups, this app is the one for you. It is free, but at the same time, it also provides VIP membership for more premium features.
Badoo is also a popular app for finding dates, founded by Russian entrepreneur Andrey Andreev. It was launched in 2006, and now it has expanded to over 190 countries and is available in 47+ languages, which makes it the world’s most popular dating network. It was once the most downloaded dating app in 21 countries. After going viral on Facebook for its popular social games and quizzes, it was ranked among the fastest-growing Facebook apps.
It offers the same features as Tinder but gives you a bigger range of options for setting dating preferences and interests. The app uses these preferences to find results that are most suitable for you.
To log in, you need to enter your email and set a password. You can also add your social media profiles if you want. It will need your phone number to be verified, and then you can add your photos, live stream, or open a video chat that other users can join.
It also provides a “near me” option, which will show you profiles that are nearby to your location. In this app, you can also send virtual gifts to each other in case of a match.
11. Mingle2
Mingle2 – Best App for Dating
Mingle2 is for both dating and making friends. You can use it on your phone or computer, which many dating apps donāt offer. It lets you chat freely with your connections. The āMutual Matchā feature helps you find people with similar interests. The app has no limits on messaging, making it easy to interact. Itās a simple way to meet new people and build connections.
12. QuackQuack
QuackQuack – Best App for Dating
QuackQuack is an Indian dating app designed for singles to find meaningful connections. It focuses on genuine profiles and safe interactions, with strict verification to reduce fake accounts. Users can chat, match based on interests, and build relationships. The app is popular for its simple interface and local matchmaking. It also offers different membership plans for added features like unlimited messaging. With millions of users, QuackQuack helps people connect easily in a secure environment.
Let’s hear what users of these unique dating apps in India say about their experience.
“Tinder has a large user base and the interface is easy to use. I have had some great matches through the app!” says Priya, a user of Tinder.
“Bumble has been a game-changer for me. I love the fact that women make the first move, which takes the pressure off of men and allows for more equal conversations. The app’s user interface is easy to navigate, and the features are fun and unique.” – Emily, 25
Final Words
In conclusion, the dating app market in India is rapidly growing and offers a wide range of options for individuals seeking a romantic match. When choosing a dating app, it is important to consider factors such as user base, user experience, privacy and security, and cost. The top dating apps in India offer unique features, packages and prices, and user reviews can provide valuable insights into the app’s overall experience.
This article aimed to provide an overview of the best dating apps in India to help individuals find their Valentine’s. Whether you are looking for a serious relationship or a casual date, there is an app to suit your needs. So, make the most of this Valentine’s Day and find your match with the help of these dating apps.
FAQs
Which is the most popular dating app?
Tinder is currently the most popular dating app across the world. It is simple to use, and there are many users, making it easy for people to find their matches.
Can we get real dates by using these apps?
Yes, you can get real dates by using these apps. These apps were made for businesses in the match-making field, creating new possibilities for users to connect with people. So yeah, you can connect with people in real life and can even have virtual dates if you wish, but that is only available in certain apps and not all.
Is online dating free?
Most of dating apps offer free services. They also provide premium plans, which will charge you a basic fee for using some premium features and having better visibility in the dating app. This is a fundamental marketing scheme for the company’s and its users’ mutual benefit.
A world where machines can think, learn, and make decisions just like humans? It’s not science fiction anymore. It’s the reality of artificial intelligence. As AI continues to shape our future, more and more people are eager to dive into this fascinating field. We at StartupTalky understand the buzz around AI and how it’s changing the game for businesses and individuals alike. So, you’re interested in riding the wave of AI but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
The internet is brimming with artificial intelligence courses that cater to beginners and experts alike. From Google’s AI essentials to Stanford’s healthcare-focused AI program, there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re looking to boost your career or simply satisfy your curiosity, these online AI courses offer a chance to learn from industry leaders and top universities.
Google AI Essentials is a self-paced artificial intelligence course designed to help individuals across various industries boost their productivity using AI tools. In under 10 hours, learners gain practical skills to apply AI in real-world scenarios. The course covers essential topics such as using AI for idea generation, content creation, and effective prompt writing. It also emphasises responsible AI use by teaching learners to identify potential biases and avoid harm. This AI course is accessible to everyone, requiring no prior technical experience, and is structured to fit into busy schedules.
Course Overview
The course comprises five modules: Introduction to AI, Maximising Productivity with AI Tools, Discovering the Art of Prompt Engineering, Using AI Responsibly, and Staying Ahead of the AI Curve. Through a mix of videos, readings, and interactive exercises, participants learn to use generative AI tools, create effective prompts, and select appropriate AI tools for various work needs. The hands-on approach allows learners to immediately apply their newly acquired skills to workplace tasks.
IBM AI Developer Professional Certificate
Course
IBM AI Developer Professional Certificate
Price
$49 per month on Coursera
Course Length
Approximately 6 months
IBM AI Developer Professional Certificate – Best AI Training Courses
The IBM AI Developer Professional Certificate is a comprehensive online programme designed to equip learners with practical skills in AI development. This self-paced course, offered through Coursera, can be completed in about six months with a commitment of 4-10 hours per week. It’s suitable for both beginners and experienced professionals looking to enhance their AI skills.
Overview
This certificate programme covers essential aspects of AI, including machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and computer vision. Learners engage in hands-on projects and labs, gaining real-world experience in building AI models and applications. Upon completion, participants receive a professional certificate from IBM, a globally recognised leader in AI and technology.
DeepLearning.AI’s Deep Learning Specialisation – Best AI Training Courses
Deep Learning Specialisation is a comprehensive artificial intelligence course that equips learners with foundational skills in deep learning. This programme, led by AI pioneer Andrew Ng, offers a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical applications. The specialisation comprises five courses, covering neural networks, optimisation techniques, and advanced topics like convolutional and recurrent neural networks.
Specialisation Course Structure
The specialisation is structured into five courses:
Neural Networks and Deep Learning
Improving Deep Neural Networks
Structuring Machine Learning Projects
Convolutional Neural Networks
Sequence Models
Each course builds upon the previous one, providing a logical progression through the field of deep learning.
Udacity’s Artificial Intelligence Nanodegree
Course
Udacity’s Artificial Intelligence Nanodegree
Price
$399/month.
Course Length
Approximately 3 months.
Udacity’s Artificial Intelligence Nanodegree – Best AI Training Courses
This one is designed to equip learners with essential skills in AI development. This programme offers a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical applications, making it an excellent choice for those looking to start or advance their careers in AI.
Programme Structure
The nanodegree is structured into two terms, each lasting three months. Students are expected to dedicate approximately 15 hours per week to complete the programme successfully. The curriculum
covers a wide range of topics, includingmachine learning, probabilistic reasoning, robotics, computer vision, and natural language processing.
edX’s Artificial Intelligence Professional Certificate
Course
edX’s Artificial Intelligence Professional Certificate
Price
$447 total for the certificate program.
Course Length
Approximately 6 months.
edX’s Artificial Intelligence Professional Certificate – Best AI Training Courses
It is a course that equips learners with essential skills in AI development. This professional certificate program covers a wide range of topics, from basic concepts to advanced techniques in machine learning.
Curriculum
The curriculum includes courses on supervised machine learning, unsupervised learning, deep learning, and reinforcement learning. Students learn to apply common operations to datasets using Python, explain various learning models, and implement algorithms using Scikit-learn.
Skills Gained
Participants gain practical skills in data preprocessing, plotting, and analysing factors that impact algorithm performance. They also learn to optimise machine learning pipelines, implement clustering techniques, and train deep neural networks for classification and regression tasks.
MIT OpenCourseWare’s Artificial Intelligence
Course
MIT OpenCourseWare’s Artificial Intelligence
Price
Free
Course Length
Self-paced, varies by user
MIT OpenCourseWare’s Artificial Intelligence – Best AI Training Courses
This artificial intelligence course, offered by MIT OpenCourseWare, provides a comprehensive introduction to AI fundamentals. Led by Professor Patrick Henry Winston, it covers essential concepts in knowledge representation, problem-solving, and learning methods.
Course Structure
The course comprises lectures, recitations, and tutorials, offering a well-rounded learning experience. It delves into three major areas: Search, Machine Learning, and Knowledge Representation and Inference. Students engage with topics such as graph search, neural networks, and natural language processing.
Key Concepts
Learners explore AI applications in rule chaining, heuristic search, and constrained search. The course also covers decision trees, SVMs, and other learning paradigms, equipping students with practical skills in developing intelligent systems.
Google’s Machine Learning Crash Course
Course
Google’s Machine Learning Crash Course
Price
Free
Course Length
Approximately 15 hours
Google’s Machine Learning Crash Course – Best AI Training Courses
This one is all about a practical introduction to artificial intelligence and machine learning. This free AI course comprises over 30 exercises, 25 lessons, and takes approximately 15 hours to complete. Taught by Google researchers, it provides real-world case studies and interactive visualisations of algorithms in action.
Crash Course Overview
The course covers fundamental machine learning concepts, including supervised and unsupervised learning, regression, classification, and neural networks. It’s designed for both beginners and those with some programming experience, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking to enhance their AI skills.
Key Topics
Key topics include linear regression, logistic regression, neural networks, and working with numerical and categorical data. The course also delves into advanced subjects like large language models and ML fairness, ensuring learners gain a comprehensive understanding of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Practical Exercises
Practical exercises run directly in the browser using the Collaboratory platform, allowing learners to apply their knowledge in a hands-on manner. These exercises cover various aspects of machine learning, from basic concepts to more advanced topics, helping students build practical skills in AI development.
End Note
We at StartupTalky believe that staying ahead in the AI game is crucial for success in the 21st century. No matter who you are ā a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned professional, these courses offer a chance to level up your skills and stay competitive. And hey, if you’re a founder looking to partner or work with experts in the startup world, don’t hesitate to reach out to the StartupTalky team at shubham@startuptalky.com for all things ‘startups’. When every day is a beginning, so why not start your journey today?
edX’s Artificial Intelligence Professional Certificate
MIT OpenCourseWare’s Artificial Intelligence
Google’s Machine Learning Crash Course
Can I learn AI in 3 months?
Yes, you can gain a basic understanding of AI in three months through focused online courses, especially covering foundational topics like machine learning, data science, and neural networks.
Is AI hard to study?
Studying AI can be challenging due to its technical concepts like machine learning, algorithms, and data analysis, but itās manageable with dedication and consistent practice.
The entrepreneurial wave is going high these days. Thanks to a show like Shark Tank India, we are able to witness, enjoy, and learn from this wave.
The show made us aware of so many names in the world of entrepreneurship that are responsible for making big brands work. One such name is Vineeta Singh, the co-founder, and CEO of one of womenās favourite cosmetics brands, Sugar Cosmetics.
This woman has set up a great example for young women entrepreneurs. She has not only achieved success for herself but also acts as an inspiring force for so many budding entrepreneurs.
Vineeta is an entrepreneur, wife, mother, and keen investor. She believes in the power of ideas and has funded many startups on the show Shark Tank India like CosIQ, Skippi Ice Pops, Booz, and more.
In this article, let’s explore the complete overview of all the investments made by Vineeta Singh, both in and out of Shark Tank India.
The Story of Shark Vineeta Singh of Sugar Cosmetics
Vineeta is a young entrepreneur born in the year 1984 in Delhi. She is the co-founder and CEO of the renowned brand Sugar Cosmetics.
She went to IIT Madras for her engineering. Later she did her MBA from IIM Ahmedabad.
She has always been super determined towards her entrepreneurial journey. Vineeta was quite keen on building a business with women and for women. After many surveys and ideas, she noticed a dearth of proper shades and colours in cosmetics for Indian skin.
It was then in 2012 that she decided to start her very own company, Sugar Cosmetics. She and her husband, Kaushik Mukherjee, are the co-founders of the company. Starting a brand was not easy, as there are many big competitors like Lakme, Maybelline, and more already present in the market.
Vineeta made Sugar stand out by making it inclusive, affordable, and suitable for Indian skin. The products of the brand and great marketing strategies have now made the brand the number one choice of Indian women.
Vineeta Singh is not only a great businesswoman but also an amazing investor. She is one of the most powerful women in business according to Forbes. She was also awarded the ’40 Under 40′ award by the Economic Times and Fortune India.
Vineeta became popular when she stepped into the spotlight and appeared as a Shark on Shark Tank India, where she invested in many startups. She has been a part of all four seasons of the show as a Shark.
Here is the list of startups funded by Vineeta Singh on Shark Tank India:
JhaJi Store
Startup Name
JhaJi Store
Founder
Kalpana Jha, Uma Jha
Industry
Food and Beverage
Vineeta’s Investment
NA
JhaJi Store – Vineeta Singh Investments
JhaJi Store was founded in the year 2020. It is a startup that deals in the sale of homemade achar (pickles). The achar is made with natural ingredients using traditional recipes from the Mithilanchal region of Bihar. These are also free of any artificial colours or preservatives.
JhaJi Store raised an Angel round worth INR 13 crores in January 2023 from Vineeta Singh and four other investors.
Skippi Ice Pops
Startup Name
Skippi Ice Pops
Founder
Ravi Kabra, Anuja Kabra
Industry
Food and Beverage
Vineeta’s Investment
INR 20 lakhs for 3% equity
Skippi Ice Pops – Vineeta Singh Investments
It is a brand of ice popsicles, launched in the year 2020. The brandās ice popsicles are made with natural colours, sweeteners, and preservatives. It is available in many different flavours.
The products of the company keep the health of consumers in mind by not adding any artificial ingredients. Vineeta funded the startup with INR 20 lakhs for 3% equity.
CosIQ
Startup Name
CosIQ
Founder
Kanika Talwar, Angad Talwar
Industry
Personal Care Product Manufacturing
Vineeta’s Investment
INR 25 lakhs for 12.5% equity
CosIQ – Vineeta Singh Investments
CosIQ is a skincare brand, founded in the year 2020. The company makes research-driven and tested products that are designed to improve skin texture.
The brand offers a range of products like serums, sunscreen, and more with evident results to the customers. Vineeta funded the company with INR 25 lakhs for 12.5% equity.
Booz
Startup Name
Booz
Founder
Rutvij Dasadia
Industry
Automobile
Vineeta’s Investment
INR 20 lakhs for 25% equity
Booz – Vineeta Singh Investments
It is an electric scooter company founded in the year 2017. These scooters provide the ability to move around commercial campuses and holiday destinations.
The company ensures to offer ease in the rides for various sports and tourism with no pollution. Vineeta made a deal of INR 20 lakhs for 25% equity of the company.
It is a functional drink brand founded in the year 2018. The brand offers no-carb healthy energy drinks which are sugar-free and enriched with vitamins.
The drinks of the brand claim to speed up metabolism, burn body fat, and provide energy. It also helps in enhancing mood, motivation, and cognitive functioning. The company got funding of INR 20 lakhs for 15% equity and 30 lakhs debt from Vineeta Singh.
BluePine Foods
Startup Name
BluePine Foods
Founder
Aditi Bhutia Madan, Naveen Panwar
Industry
Food and Beverage
Vineeta’s Investment
INR 25 lakhs for 5.3% equity
BluePine Foods – Vineeta Singh Investments
It is a creative Himalayan food startup founded in the year 2016. The company offers a wide range of products like frozen momos and frozen spring rolls.
The founder of BluePine Foods, Aditi Madan is famous for the name āMomo Mamiā. The startupās products are packed with amazing taste, health, nutrition, and good quality. Vineeta funded the startup with INR 25 lakhs for 5.3% equity.
It is a clothing brand launched in the year 2020. The brand deals in statement detachable sleeves. These sleeves can give a makeover to any dress, whether Western or ethnic.
Many fashion influencers like Komal Pandey, Shaurya Sandhya, and more are seen embracing the brandās sleeves. Vineeta funded the startup with INR 12.5 lakhs for 15% equity.
Sunfox Technologies
Startup Name
Sunfox Technologies
Founder
Rajat Jain, Arpit Jain
Industry
Healthtech, Medtech
Vineeta’s Investment
INR 20 lakhs for 1.2% equity
Sunfox – Vineeta Singh Investments
It is a med-tech R&D company that builds portable, minimalistic, and affordable devices with the help of computer-aided engineering and artificial intelligence. It was founded in the year 2016.
The company makes diagnostic pocket-friendly ECG devices (Spandan). This enables customers to check for diseases cost-effectively and with convenience. Vineet provided funding of INR 20 lakhs in exchange for 1.2% equity in the company.
The Quirky Naari
Startup Name
The Quirky Naari
Founder
Malvica Saxena
Industry
Fashion
Vineeta’s Investment
INR 17.5 lakhs for 12% equity
The Quirky Naari – Vineeta Singh Investments
It is a fashion and lifestyle startup, launched in the year 2018. The brand offers fashionable and quirky footwear and apparel.
The brand is super popular on social media for its unique and beautiful hand-painted sneakers. Vineeta loved the brand and made a deal for INR 17.5 lakhs for 12% equity.
The brand offers pure A2-certified milk to customers. It was founded in the year 2017. It is a community of people that takes an organic way to farm practices.
It ensures climate-smart regenerative organic farming which is A2 and organic-certified. It makes going organic easy. Vineeta funded the startup with INR 33.3 lakhs for 5% equity.
Wakao Foods
Startup Name
Wakao Foods
Founder
Sairaj Dhond
Industry
Food and Beverage Services
Vineeta’s Investment
INR 25 lakhs for 7% equity
Wakao – Vineeta Singh Investments
It is Indiaās first brand that makes products from jackfruit. The startup was founded in 2013. Wakao offers plant-based products that are naturally grown. These come in ready-to-eat and cook forms.
The company produces sustainable and healthy foods that ultimately work towards the development of healthy habits among people. Vineeta made a deal with the startup along with other sharks where she invested INR 25 lakhs in exchange for 7% equity.
It is an online platform for all Kabaddi-related news, matches, and reports. Kabaddi Adda was launched in the year 2019. It provides various kinds of information like playersā information, sports news, tournament details, etc.
The startup got funding from Namita Thapar and Vineeta Singh, where Vineeta invested INR 40 lakhs in exchange for 3% equity.
It is a brand that offers savoury bacon jams, thecha, and relishes. The Nomad Food Project started in the year 2017. Their artisanal products are made with premium ingredients that capture the best flavour jar by jar.
The brand is no less than heaven for bacon lovers. Vineeta funded the startup with INR 10 lakhs for 5% equity.
Get-A-Whey
Startup Name
Get-A-Whey
Founder
Jimmy Shah, Pashmi Shah, Jash Shah
Industry
Food and Beverages
Vineeta’s Investment
INR 33.3 lakhs for 3% equity
Get-A-Whey – Vineeta Singh Investments in Shark Tank India
Get-A-Whey is a healthy ice cream brand that started in the year 2018. The ice creams of the brand are enriched with proteins. They do not have any extra calories or sugar. The brand also has a keto-friendly range.
The brand allows customers to have a guilt-free dessert in many flavours. Vineeta Singh invested in the startup on the show Shark Tank India along with Aman Gupta and Ashneer Grover, where her investment was worth INR 33.3 lakhs for 3% equity.
Jain Shikanji Masala – Vineeta Singh Investments in Shark Tank India
Jain Shikanji is a traditional shikanji beverage brand. This age-old brand has been in existence since 1937. The legacy of the Jain family has been working towards providing the best quality to its customers for a very long time.
It is the special spice of Jain Shikanji that makes it different from all others. Vineeta invested INR 10 lakhs for 5% equity in the company.
Conclusion
Vineeta Singhās entrepreneurial journey has been super inspiring for all young entrepreneurs since the beginning. She has earned a great place for herself and her company, Sugar Cosmetics. More importantly, she has been able to earn the trust of women through her authentic and reasonable products.
This young woman has built a beautiful company and is now helping others to build their dreams by investing in them. She funded many young startups on Shark Tank India and is all set to fund more startups in the show’s latest season.
Vineeta Singh is the founder and CEO of Sugar Cosmetics.
What is the net worth of Vineeta Singh?
Vineeta Singh’s net worth is around INR 300 crores as per Times of India.
Which companies has Vineeta Singh invested in?
Vineeta Singh’s investments include various companies like The Quirky Naari, Get-A-Whey, JhaJi Store, Josh Talks, CosIQ, Heart Up My Sleeves, Jain Shikanji Masala, Booz, Skippi Ice Pops, and more.
What is Vineeta Singh’s company name?
Vineeta Singh is the co-founder and CEO of Sugar Cosmetics, one of India’s leading beauty brands. The company is known for offering a range of high-quality, cruelty-free makeup products designed for diverse Indian skin tones.
What was Vineeta Singh’s first startup?
Vineeta Singh’s first startup was Quetzal, a background verification service. After its closure, she co-founded Fab Bag, a beauty subscription service, and later went on to co-found SUGAR Cosmetics, which became a successful beauty brand.
Valentine’s Day is celebrated annually on February 14th. It is a day set aside to show love, affection, and appreciation to loved ones, friends, and family. Valentine’s Day has grown from its Roman and Christian roots to become a global cultural event that people from various backgrounds celebrate.
Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romantic gestures; it also promotes love and togetherness in the workplace. Recognizing Valentine’s Day in the workplace can help create a more positive and joyful environment. Workers will age and be driven when they feel valued and appreciated. Celebrating together can create unforgettable experiences while breaking up the workweek’s monotony.
In this article, we’ll look at various fun team-building activities designed specifically for Valentine’s Day in the office, perfect for creating memorable experiences while strengthening coworkers’ bonds.
Valentine’s Day Team-Building Ideas for Your Office – DIY Card Exchange
Valentine’s Day corporate events can bring teams together through engaging activities and celebrations that promote connection and fun. Recommend staff members to express their creativity by having them make personalized Valentine’s Day cards for their coworkers. This simple but emotional gesture allows individuals to show gratitude and friendship, building ties within the group. Everyone should be urged to make several greeting cards for their peers rather than just one. A more significant number of individuals will feel cherished in this way. Set aside time for everyone to hand out cards to their receivers while getting their cards from others.
Puppy Pen
Employee engagement activities for Valentine’s Day focus on creating a joyful and inclusive environment that encourages collaboration, appreciation, and team bonding. Partnering with a nearby animal shelter or rescue group to bring some puppies for a visit can be an exciting activity that not only lifts employee spirits but also relieves stress. Plan out all the details of the visit, such as the Day, time, length, and number of puppies that will be brought in. For this reason, choose a tidy, cozy, and risk-free space in the office so that the puppies can socialize with staff members without risk. To maintain crowd control, assign slot times to employees or departments so that everyone can spend quality time.
Valentine’s Day Team-Building Ideas for Your Office – Decorating Desserts
Pick a variety of sweets, such as cookies, cupcakes, brownies, or doughnuts, as well as frosting, icing, sprinkles, and any other toppings or decorations you think would be fun to decorate. Offer beverages such as coffee, tea, or hot chocolate to complement the sweet treats. To encourage everyone to participate, this can be turned into a small competition where the best-decorated treat from each company department wins an incentive. This promotes employee collaboration and helps them learn new styles or techniques. Organizing a decorating sweets station creates a fun and engaging activity that fosters creativity and strengthens coworker relationships.
Movie Night
Office movie night ideas are onsite activities that transform the workplace into a theater for the evening, providing a cinematic experience for employees to enjoy together. Arrange blankets, pillows, and comfy seating alternatives like bean bags or floor cushions to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. To ensure that everyone has a say in the movie selection, you can collect poll responses in advance from all of your employees. You can also serve amusing refreshments such as pink popcorn, nacho bar, heart-shaped pizza, and desserts. This is one of the best and most entertaining group Valentines Day ideas.
Romantic-themed Game Night
Valentine’s Day Team-Building Ideas for Your Office – Game Night
Select a few games with a Valentine’s Day theme that work well in groups. Classic games like Pictionary, charades with romantic movies, and trivia games with questions about famous couples can be made more festive for the celebration. Divide the participants into teams that include a variety of personalities and departments to encourage interaction and collaboration. Encourage friendly competition and teamwork while keeping the mood light and pleasant. Make sure everyone understands how to play, as well as any game-specific guidelines or instructions.
Appreciation Awards
By hosting an appreciation awards event, you can present a certificate or award to each employee as a considerate approach to acknowledging and appreciating their accomplishments and talents. Send invitations to all employees encouraging them to attend. Include as much information as possible about the event, including the date, time, location, and attire expectations. Prepare speeches or remarks to celebrate each award recipient at the ceremony, emphasizing their accomplishments, contributions, and features. This is a great approach to express gratitude and encourage your team members to maintain their outstanding performance.
Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship. Trust is defined as the ability to rely on another person with confidence. Organizing a trust-building workshop is a great way to improve relationships and teamwork among colleagues. Select trust-building activities or exercises that are enjoyable, engaging, and appropriate for your group. This can include trust falls, collaborative problem-solving tasks, and even escape room challenges. Employees can build up their relationships, improve their communication skills, and gain respect from teammates. It is an investment in the long-term success and efficiency of your business.
An icebreaker is a game, activity, or event intended to lower social barriers, increase comfort levels, and promote social engagement. Organizing PowerPoint night icebreaker sessions is an innovative way to push staff members to stand out and make an impression. This can include amusing facts, hobbies, passions, or memorable events. After a lecture, have staff members pose questions to the audience to create a lively questions and answers session.
Valentineās Day Bingo
Valentine’s Day Team-Building Ideas for Your Office – Valentine’s Day Bingo
Valentineās Day Bingo is a fun game to help coworkers meet and chat. To fill the card, players talk to teammates and find people who match the descriptions in each box.
To win, players need five squares in a row, column, or diagonal, without repeating names in that line. Winners can turn in their cards to get a prize.
Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt
Why save all the fun for other holidays? For a unique and enjoyable Valentineās Day activity at work, try hosting a Valentineās Day scavenger hunt.
Itās like a regular scavenger hunt but with a fun Valentineās twist! Clues can be inspired by famous romance movies, and the prize could be a romantic dinner for two.
Conclusion
As Valentine’s Day approaches, now is the moment to shower your workplace with love, laughter, and togetherness through enjoyable team-building activities. From group projects to emotional conversations, these events capture the essence of the occasion and strengthen relationships among coworkers, resulting in a more cheerful and welcoming atmosphere.
FAQs
What are Valentines Day team building ideas to celebrate in the office?
Office Valentines Day ideas include hosting a themed scavenger hunt, playing Valentine’s Bingo, organizing a potluck with heart-shaped treats, or crafting appreciation cards for coworkers. These activities encourage bonding and add fun to the workplace.
What are Valentines Day office games?
Valentine’s Day office games include Valentineās Bingo, a scavenger hunt with romantic clues, “Guess the Love Song,” and a “Compliment Exchange” where coworkers share kind notes. These games make the celebration fun and engaging.
What are Valentine’s Day team building activities for virtual setup?
Valentine’s Day team-building activities in a virtual setup include online trivia about love and romance, virtual card-making, a themed scavenger hunt, or sharing appreciation messages through video calls.
Valentine’s Day is a special occasion that celebrates love and togetherness. Whether you’re a newlywed, a long-time partner, or simply looking to start a new chapter in your life, starting a business with your significant other can be a romantic and rewarding experience.
Aiming towards a mutual goal will do wonders in strengthening your relationship and giving you a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
‘Behind every successful man is a strong woman,’ and the same can be said for successful couples in business.
Another famous quote that rings true for couples in business is, ‘Two heads are better than one.’
We strongly believe that by working together, couples can leverage each other’s strengths and support each other in areas of weakness.
Starting and running a business as a couple can be an exciting and fulfilling journey, but it also comes with its share of challenges. Like post-pandemic, many couples find it challenging to balance their personal and professional life because of the sudden shift to remote work.
In addition, the unstable economic environment,sadly, made it challenging for many couples to get financing for their businesses or sustain them.
While on the brighter side, there are couples who conquer challenges and support each other in their entrepreneurial journey. When two hearts come together with a strong commitment, open communication, and a shared vision, there’s no stopping them from achieving their goals and reaching for the stars! Agree?
So let’s embark on a journey to discover exciting low-cost partnership business ideas with a high profit that you can start with your partner.
But before we dive into the ideas, it’s important to keep in mind that the business you choose will depend on various factors such as your skills, interests, experience, market demand, and any other relevant considerations. So, take your time to carefully consider these factors before making a decision.
In order for you to pick one, here’s the curated list of 25 low-cost business husband and wife startup ideas with high profits.
If you and your partner are good cooks, then you can start with the cloud kitchen concept. The success rate can be higher than a restaurant because the overhead is much lower. You can use your home kitchen for the preparation of delivery-only meals.
You can tie up with online food ordering and delivery platforms like Zomato and Swiggy to deliver your meals to the customer. This business idea is quite popular nowadays as it does not include any dine-in options. So you don’t have to worry about the physical outlet.
2. Coffee Shop
Profitable Business Ideas for Couples – Coffee Shop
A coffee shop does not require a lot of space, and having a limited menu is a good way to focus on this couple’s business idea. You can start your own theme-based cafe, where you can come up with your ideas for menu, creativity, and interiors.
If you’re worried about space, then you can start this business from your home by renovating a small part that you think would be fit to start a coffee shop. It could be a profitable business for couples if you do it right.
3. Online Educational Resources
Selling online courses, e-guides, instructional manuals, advice books, or virtual tutoring sessions are all inexpensive ways to start an online education business.
You can keep your costs to a minimum while you grow your business. This is an ideal low-investment business idea for a couple. You can include customized videos or lesson plans and also include different online course curricula. One can focus on creating educational resources while the other can focus on the business development, accounting, and marketing side of the business.
4. Wedding Products and Services
If you also think that wedding products and services are putting a lot of cost into your pocket, then you can think of this business. The business opportunities in the wedding industry are pretty extensive, which means you can likely find something in line with your partnerās interests and skillsets.
You can offer unique wedding planning products and services to your clients at an affordable price range. If you have any wedding-related products and services to offer couples, get your business rolling by reaching out to every wedding planner you can locate.
Profitable Business Ideas for Couples – Blogging/Vlogging
If you’re also creative, you can start a personalized blog/vlog along with your partner and turn it into a business. It may sound boring but it would benefit you financially. In blogging, you can explore various options like food blogs, travel blogs, lifestyle blogs, fashion blogs, sports blogs, fitness blogs, movie review blogs and much more.
You can write down your thoughts and have readers understand certain topics or start creating video content that you think your audience may like. Vlogging has become quite popular these days. You would have noticed people documenting their travels or talking about wellness & lifestyles on their vlog. You can start your own YouTube channel, just like other couples, that adds value to your audience.
6. Subscription Business
If you’re looking for a business idea that ensures regular and recurring income, then the subscription business idea would be the best choice. You can come up with a product service or information that is used by the customer regularly.
But first, you have to provide free services and once the customer starts liking your service you can charge the subscription fee. Like if you have an interest in movies, dramas, and all then you can think of creating a website via which you can provide free downloads of the same and after a certain point, you can charge the subscription amount from the user.
7. Home Rentals
Profitable Business Ideas for Couples – Home Rentals
Starting a business doesn’t mean you have to come up with all new items or increase your overhead. If you own a property, you can start a rental business to earn a good amount of money.
You can renovate your house and turn it into an income-producing rental in a month. It can be started with zero or low investment as well. Just rent out a small portion of your house to someone who is seeking it. Later on, you can renovate or increase the area as per the needs of the tenants.
8. Fitness Instructor
Best Business Ideas for Couples – Fitness Instructor
If you’re a couple that runs and hits the gym together, launching a fitness business could be right for you. A Fitness Instructor, also known as a Personal Trainer, provides training and instruction in fitness programs to individuals and groups. You can become a certified trainer as it will help you to expand your customer base. You can instruct your clients in exercise routines and weight loss programs and help them to reach their individual goals.
Fitness Instructor Responsibilities:
Support the development and delivery of fitness programs.
Assist members in reaching individual goals.
Assist in maintaining and improving the goals of the organization.
Ensure the safety of clients during training sessions.
Conduct an initial assessment of clients’ body measurements.
Monitor BMI regularly.
Motivate clients who have reached a plateau in weight loss.
9. Travel Agency
If traveling around the world is your hobby, then you can think of opening a travel agency to help others experience wonderful vacations. Ever since the pandemic arrived, people have been cooped up at home. But once this pandemic is over, there will be a surge in the travel industry. So it’s high time for you to plan on this idea.
Your travel business agency can help them plan, choose, and arrange their holiday. You can offer advice and opinions on where to go to local tourist attractions, events, and customs as per their budget.
10. Landscape and Garden Consultancy
This pandemic has created a new generation of enthusiasts who have found landscape gardening not only exciting but also a source of income. People have started turning their small backyard into a garden not just for time passes but also to meet the daily price hikes of vegetables and fruits.
So, if you’ve mastered gardening, you can take this talent as an opportunity to create income. You can become a Landscape and Gardening Consultant to help homeowners come up with a plan of what and how should it be done and guide them on the best areas to plant trees.
11. Consultant
Best Business Ideas for Couples – Consultancy
As a couple, you can think of a consultancy business wherein you can provide expert advice in particular areas such as business, education, law, regulatory compliance, human resources, marketing (and public relations), finance, health care, engineering, science, security (electronic or physical), or other specialized fields. You can provide consultancy based on your skills and expertise. This could be a great business idea with low investment.
12. Bakery Shop
Profitable Business Ideas for Couples – Bakery Shop
Covid-19 has not only come up with hard times but also left an exciting opportunity one can think of. The baking craze has ramped up during this pandemic. If you also love baking, you can check out this option as well. You can start with home baking and slowly and gradually turn it into a physical outlet. You can sell your products via social media or networks.
Digital marketing agencies are ruling the world of marketing. Digital marketing is no doubt the present and the future of marketing, and it has been since the emergence of the internet and digitalization. Therefore, it is not a big deal to say that digital marketing is here to stay. Starting a digital marketing agency can also be one of the most profitable couple business ideas with a passion for creativity and strategy.
All these are reasons enough that you and your husband/wife/partner can start your digital marketing startup. Starting a digital marketing agency shall certainly be one of the most affordable business ideas for couples provided that both of them or at least one of them is an experienced digital marketer.
14. Gifting Business
Gifts never fail to delight us. In fact, all of us absolutely love receiving gifts from others. Regardless of whatever gift we receive, we toss in joy no doubt. Gifts are for all seasons whether it is Valentine’s Day or someone’s birthday. Moreover, gifting is increasing day by day.
This is why if you are looking to set up a small business for couples, then the gifting business would be great. However, creative skills would certainly be put to the test in businesses like these. Therefore, the couple ought to be creative. You may also like to check out how these top couple entrepreneurs in India have made their mark and inspired others in the business world
15. Handmade Jewelry Business
Profitable Business Ideas for Couples – Handmade Jewelry
Jewelry is one of the best gifts especially when it comes to gifting his/her family/special one, and nothing can beat the emotions of the wrap a present in the form of a piece of jewelry that is handmade.
A handmade jewelry business can thus be an affordable business idea if you are asking yourself “What business can I start with my wife?”
16. Eco-friendly Cleaning Service
Offer cleaning services using only environmentally friendly products. Unlike conventional cleaning products, green cleaning products are created using safe, non-toxic, and biodegradable ingredients.
The demand for eco-friendly products and services is increasing, as consumers become more conscious of the impact their choices have on the planet. By offering eco-friendly alternatives, you can tap into this growing market and help to drive change.
“> 18. Pet Care Services
Small Business Ideas for Couples – Pet Care
Offer pet sitting, dog walking, and grooming services. Pet care services are high in demand these days, especially in cities where people have busy schedules. By starting a pet grooming business, couples can turn their pet love into a profitable business. And guess what, it can be started with minimal resources. So if you and your spouse are pet or animal lovers, this business is best for you. It can be one of the most interesting young couple business ideas.
social network sites for entrepreneurs to network and grow your business.
With the right skills and a bit of creativity, this can be an economical and highly profitable business opportunity.
20. Personalized Greeting Card Service
Create custom greeting cards for birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions. Personalized gift cards are the best way to show loved ones that they are remembered. By offering a personalized greeting card service, couples can use their creative skills to create custom cards for birthdays and other special occasions. Like the rest of the above couple partnership business ideas, this also requires less investment and can be run from a home office making it one of the most profitable couple business ideas.
21. Online Personal Styling
Couples can offer personal styling services to clients through video calls, chats, emails, etc. This business requires minimal investment for marketing and branding and can be run from a home office with a computer, mobile phone, and internet connection. This is one of the best online business ideas for couples.
You can offer services like creating customized outfits, organizing wardrobes, and shopping recommendations.
22. Printables
The great thing about this business idea for couples is that you likely already have the necessary software on your PC. You can easily start creating beautiful printables and selling them online. Itās a low-cost, creative venture perfect for those who enjoy designing, and it allows you to work together from the comfort of your home while reaching a global audience. Printable on-demand is one of the most fun and creative businesses for couples.
Tutoring will always be in demand as long as kids are in school, making it a great business idea for couples. You and your spouse can start tutoring online, combining your strengths in different subjects to cater to a wider range of students. This flexible and rewarding venture allows you to work from home, set your schedules, and make a positive impact on studentsā education while generating a steady income. Plus, you can grow your reach by offering group sessions or specialized courses. Providing online tutoring is one of the low-investment online business ideas for couples.
24. Making Zero-Waste Products
If you care about the environment, you can make zero-waste products like biodegradable straws, reusable containers, and bags. These eco-friendly items are popular because more people want to live green. You can start small by selling online or at local markets and grow your business as more people discover your products. Itās a simple way to help the planet while running a profitable business. It can be one of the most sustainable businesses for couples to start.
If you and your spouse are good at organizing family events, you could do it for others too. You can plan team events, conferences, festivals, birthdays, and weddings. Planning for others is different from doing it for yourself, but it can feel natural if you enjoy it. This could be a fun and successful business idea, and as you gain experience, you can take on bigger events and grow your business.
Finally, bringing It All Together…
Whether you’re just starting out or have been running a business together for years, always remember to keep the romance and love alive in your relationship. It’s the glue that will hold you together through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.
So, take a chance on your dreams and on each other. With hard work and a shared vision, the sky’s the limit.
Remember, as the famous quote goes, ‘The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.’ Happy Valentine’s Day, and happy entrepreneurship!:)❤❤
FAQs
What business should I start in 2025?
There is a big risk in starting an in-trend business idea but it can be highly rewarding as well. Here’s a list of some of the trendy and highly growing popular business ideas.
Dropshipping
Virtual Assistant
Website Flipping
Online Tutoring
WordPress Support
Software Education
What kind of business can I start with low capital?
There are many businesses one can start today with low or no capital. Some good business ideas for couples that can be started with low investment include:
Content creation
Virtual Assistant
Event planning services
Social media consultant
Online courses and Tutoring
Can couples run a business together? What are the best couples business ideas?
Of course, they can run a business together if they have the willingness to do so and share some thoughts and skillsets. Couples can start businesses like event planning, online tutoring, or selling handmade products. They can run a food truck, start a home bakery, or launch a digital marketing agency.
What are the husband and wife business ideas in 2025?
Here’s a list of business ideas for husband and wife in 2025:
Catering Company
Coffee Shop
Online Educational Resources
Wedding Products and Services
Start a Blog/Vlog
Subscription Model
Home Rentals
Fitness Instructor
Travel Agency
Landscape and Garden Consultancy
Consultant
Cake Shop
Handmade jewelry business
Gifting business
Digital marketing agency
What’s the easiest type of business to start?
The easiest business to start is a service business where you can sell your services like skill, labor, and expertise.
What are the best online businesses to start in 2025?
The best online businesses to start in 2025 are as follows:
Affiliate Marketing
Dropshipping Business
Become a Translator
Become an online tutor on Udemy, Unacademy, or any other platform
Instagram Flipping Business etc.
What are the best small business ideas for husband and wife?
Husband and wife can start small businesses like event planning, online tutoring, or selling handmade products. They can run a food truck, start a home bakery, or launch a digital marketing agency. Other ideas include photography services, eco-friendly product sales, pet care services, or renting out party supplies. These businesses are flexible, creative, and perfect for teamwork.
India is becoming theworld’s fastest-growing startup ecosystem with 118 Unicorn Startups, as of January 2025. In today’s world, unicorn startupsare not as uncommon as before; however, building a unicorn startup is not easy. It takes a lot of hard work, commitment, and perseverance throughout the startup’s journey to climb the ladder of unicorns, and the ones that have bagged the title of unicorns are discussed in this article.
Unicorn Startup consists of two words, “Unicorn” and “Startup”. Unicorn is a business term used to define a startup with a valuation of over $1 billion. The term was coined by a venture capitalist and a seed investor, Aileen Lee. On the other hand, Startups are privately owned companies typically at the early stages of their development.
Being hopeful and supportive of the unicorn culture of India, the Union Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics & Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that India will see a 10X increase in its unicorn count, in the next 2-3 years, which will reach more than 1,000. The Indian government also mentioned that it expects the next wave of startup founders to come from the Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities of India.
The Indian startups have reportedly raised around $42+ billion in funding across 1,584 deals in 2021. The startup ecosystem of India, where 90,000+ new startups have been established since 2016, across 56+ different sectors in the country, has also managed to create over 4.5 lakh job opportunities in the country. This has even got a special mention from President Ram Nath Kovind in his Presidential address on 31 January 2022, where he emphasized the new opportunities that the startups of India are ushering in.
A Celebration for 100 Indian Unicorns
With Neobank Open achieving unicorn status, India became a country of 100+ unicorns. The first unicorn was seen in India in 2011, and after a decade, India crossed the mark of 100 unicorns. The boasting of 100 unicorns is not a regular affair, and this is why the startup ecosystem has been tossing in joy and swelling with pride for quite some time now. In the meanwhile, many distinguished founders also voiced their thrill and joy for such an achievement.
āCrossing the 100th unicorn milestone is a proud moment for the country and the entire startup ecosystem. This is just the beginning of a long journey,ā said Sujeet Kumar, the cofounder of B2B marketplace unicorn Udaan.
Vamsi Krishna of Vedantu also relished the mood that the startup ecosystem is in, and said, āThe rise of India as a global superpower is inevitable and entrepreneurs will be the ones driving it. 100 unicorns are just a start. We will soon become the startup capital of the world.ā
Divya Gokunath, the cofounder of Byju’s and the wife of Byju Raveendran also said, āWe became Indiaās 16th unicorn, just seven years after we started operations. The valuation did not matter to us, but the milestone did because it was one of the few at that time which put India on the map. Today, for the first 100 Indian companies which made it, itās a mark that we are on a mission to create something of value and something from India for the world.ā
The faster growth of companies and the sprouting of more unicorns is what India wishes for now. This means that the companies should definitely have to be more serious, and resourceful, and work with an integrated team of specialists to reach the unicorn milestone and beyond. It also means that the Indian startups should forget racial, gender and caste divides, and work with all of their strength, and resources. Here, what is striking among the present unicorns is the apparent gender divide. Yes, only 15% of the present unicorns of India have at least one female founder, while the remaining companies have no female as their founders. This certainly needs to improve to give the upcoming companies a fresh gear of growth. Though the situation is improving, for around 79% of the Indian unicorns with female founders were incorporated after 2011, it still needs to be given considerable thought and a whole lot of action.
Here we have listed 118 Indian Unicorn Startups, which is the total number of unicorns in India at present in 2025! Don’t miss out on the regular updates in this list by bookmarking the article.
The following table is sorted by the year startups are turned into a unicorn (Latest to oldest).
Abhay Singhal, Amit Gupta, Mohit Saxena, Naveen Tewari, Piyush Shah
Founded
2007
Investors
Lightbox, Softbank Group, Kleiner Perkins
Products and Services
InMobi Pulse, Mobile Marketing
Valuation
$12 billion (April 2021)
InMobi is a Bengaluru-based mobile advertising platform that helps in optimizing the ranks of the advertisements offered on mobile phones. InMobi was founded in January 2007 and has been the first unicorn startup of India and thus, a torchbearer of the unicorn league of Indian startups that followed. Glance, a subsidiary company of InMobi, has also turned a unicorn in 2020.
Ecommerce marketplace that offers over 150 million products
Valuation
$37.6 billion (July 2021)
Being the most favored eCommerce marketplace in India, Flipkart needs no introduction simply because the Big Billion Days are one of the most sought-after online events that millions of Indians look up to. Flipkart was among the first Indian unicorns that achieved the unicorn valuation during the 2011-2012 era after inMobi, which was the first Indian unicorn. With over 350 million users, and 150+ million products, which are distributed across 80+ categories Flipkart is a household for the Indian masses. This ecommerce giant was acquired by Walmart in 2018 for a whopping $16 billion, which helped it scale fast and easily. The Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal-founded company currently boasts of a valuation of over $37.6 billion and is the highest-valued Indian company, as of 2023.
BharatPe is an Indian digital payments app, merchant aggregator, and payments platform that encourages digital payments via QR and POS. It is not a government company but a private limited company that goes by the name, Resilient Innovations Private Limited. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company tripled its valuation to $2.85 billion and joined the unicorn club on August 4, 2021.
BharatPe Co-founder Ashneer Grover was recently engaged in a telephone controversy where he allegedly abused a Kotak employee. Grover was also infamously featured on various social media and news platforms several times due to his rash behaviour and his blunt remarks where he also said “naukri dhoond” to one of his fellow pitchers. Furthermore, he is also associated lately with a financial fraud concerning BharatPe along with his wife Madhuri and five others, the investigation of which is continuing, as per reports dated January 29, 2022. Ashneer is currently observing a mandatory leave of absence, as mentioned last by the company and its Board. Grover might not see his place back and is likely to get fired, mentioned sources close to the matter.
Steadview Capital, Tencent, Tiger Global Management, Falcon Edge
Products and Services
Dream11 sports platform
Valuation
$8 billion (November 2021)
Dream11 is an Indian fantasy sports platform, which brings a host of sports including but not limited to cricket, football, hockey, volleyball, handball, futsal, and rugby, for the Indian sports fanatics to delve into their favourite games. A homegrown sports platform, Dream 11, aims to help Indian sports enthusiasts to expand and showcase the sports knowledge they boast of!
Earlier in April 2019, Dream11 raised funding worth $60 million from Steadview Capital and others and joined the unicorn league of Indian startups. The last valuation of Dream11 was recorded at $8 billion, after the company completed an investment of $840 million in November 2021.
PhonePe is a digital payment and merchant aggregator platform that has already had a huge contribution to making digital payments smooth, fast, and easy for Indian customers and merchants. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Andheri, Maharashtra, India, the company boasts of having the largest market share among the UPI apps. The company showed a huge potential for growth and has already achieved unicorn status before 2020. The company was acquired by Flipkart in April 2016 and has witnessed a considerable amount of growth since then. The PhonePe Business Model and “how PhonePe earns money?” is pretty interesting too.
Byjuās is a Bangalore-based edtech platform. It is an online tutoring and coaching firm that started in 2011 and runs on a freemium model. Launched by Byju Raveendran, Byju’s is used by more than 15 million students all over the world and has over 900,000 paid subscribers. Byju’s Current valuation has reached 16.5 Billion USD. Know in detail about BYJU’s business and revenue model.
SoftBank Group, Tiger Global, Tencent, Matrix Partners, and DST Global
Products and Services
Mobile app, website, Vehicle for hire, Goods and food delivery, Mobile payment and digital wallet
Valuation
$6.5 billion (FY20)
Ola is an Indian ride-sharing company that was launched on 3rd December 2010. As of 2019, Ola has expanded to over 1.5 million drivers across 250 cities. Ola has also expanded its network into its first overseas market, Australia, and New Zealand in September 2018. Ola began its operations in the UK introducing auto rickshaws.
SoftBank Group, Didi Chuxing, Greenoaks Capital, Sequoia India, Lightspeed India, Hero Enterprise, Airbnb, and China Lodging Group.
Products and Services
OYO Rooms, OYO Hotels & Homes
Valuation
$9 billion (July 2021)
OYO is among the top travel startups in India. Founded by 21-year-old Ritesh Agarwal in 2013, Indiaās largest hospitality startup comprises budget hotels. The startup works in liaison with existing hotels and offers travellers vacant rooms at a cheaper price. OYO rooms start at a nominal price of Rs 999. Besides bulk renting hotels, they have also invested in their own properties as well.
Norwest Venture Partners, Naspers, Accel, SAIF Partners, Meituan-Dianping
Products and Services
Food delivery
Valuation
$5.5 billion (July 2021)
Swiggy is one of the most valuable online food ordering and delivery platforms. Swiggy was founded by Nandan Reddy, Sriharsha Majety, and Rahul Jaimini in 2014. In early 2019, Swiggy expanded into general product deliveries, under the brand name Swiggy Stores. Swiggy today has more than 5,000,000 mobile application installations.
Zomato is an Indian food delivery startup restaurant aggregator. Zomato was founded by Deepinder Goyal and Pankaj Chaddah in 2008. Zomato primarily provides concrete information, menus, and user reviews of the restaurants. Along with this, Zomato also has food delivery options from partnered restaurants in the selected cities. The pandemic was dangerous indeed for everyone, and it is almost as dangerous to the food tech companies as it is for every other individual and business, if not more. The food delivery unicorn, Zomato also fought the pandemic hard and thrived.
Freshworks offers innovative customer engagement software for a diverse range of businesses of varying sizes and kinds. Founded in 2010 in Chennai, the company now has its headquarters in San Mateo, USA, the products which help provide a 360-degree view of the customers. The Saas products brought in by FreshWorks are designed to be used instantly. Besides, they are easy to use, and also oļ¬er quick returns on investments.
Freshworks attained the prestigious unicorn club of the Indian companies in July 2018, thereby becoming the first unicorn startup belonging to the Saas market that the country has seen. Now, increasing the customer engagement and the retention rate for Saas companies is not as difficult as it was earlier
Moglix is an Asia-based B2B E-commerce company that was founded by Rahul Garg in 2017. The company has its headquarters in Singapore and head offices in India. The startup ambitions to digitally change the chain of manufacturing areas in India. Moglix wants to digitize and seriously change every component of the delivery chain, and B2B commerce which is unorganized and increases options to seriously change the grant chain via technology.
Moglix, presently serves the manufacturing sector, institutional clients (B2B), and private clients (B2C). The automotive sector, metals and mining, and FMCDs are the best three sectors they cater to. The platform provides Industrial products and services such industrial products and services such as Safety equipment, Electrical and Lighting products, Cleaning and Laundry products, Office Supplies, and Industrial Tools, among others. Moglix is one of the most trusted eCommerce sites for industries as it is known to deliver world-class services worldwide. So far the company has 150,000 industry essential products from 30 different categories and 25,000 SME clients.
upGrad is an online coaching program for all students opting for higher education. Partnering with some of the top universities of the world, upGrad brings a wide range of industry-ready courses including Bachelor’s degrees, MBA, Data Science, Machine Learning courses, and more. The company has grown to attain unicorn status on August 6, 2021, with the help of a $185 million fundraising.
Prosus & Nasper, Sierra Ventures, Helion Venture Partners, Helion Venture Partners, Tiger Fund
Products and Services
Booking tickets for shows, movies, flights, hotels, holidays, buses, trains, etc.
MakeMyTrip is one of the top online travel companies in India that was founded by Deep Kalra in 2000. The company has its headquarters based in Gurgaon and is known for its services such as booking holiday packages, hotel reservations, movies or even booking tickets for everyday traveling through fights, buses, trains, cars, etc. MakeMyTrip is currently operating in 14+ cities around the world with over 30 franchise stores and in 28 cities in India alone. The MakeMyTrip route planner feature allows its user to access basic information on over one million routes across India.
Steadview Capital, Fidelity, TPG Growth, Hero Corporate Service Private Limited
Products and Services
Cosmetics, skin & wellness products, etc.
Valuation
$2.3 billion (June 2021)
Nykaa is a leading cosmetic-based eCommerce platform that was founded in 2012 by Falguni Nayar. Nykaa has its headquarters based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, and is known for its app and website that sells a wide range of cosmetics, skin, and wellness products. The company also has over 26 offline stores across India and became a Unicorn startup in 2020. The platform has a huge range of 200,000 products from 2000 national and international brands, as of 2020. Many Bollywood actresses like Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif have been the brand ambassadors of Nykaa.
Intel Capital, Wellington Management Group, Inventus Capital Partners, Softbank Group True North and IDG Venture Partners
Products and Services
Life, Health, Motor, travel insurance, etc
Valuation
$2.4 billion (July 2021)
Policybazaar is one of the most well-known and trusted insurance companies in India. The company was started in 2008 by Yashish Dahiya, Alok Bansal, and Avaneesh Nirjar. The company initially started out as an insurance comparison website, but later on started providing different types of insurance plans like Life insurance, Health, Motor, and even Travel. Policybazaar.com is currently the largest insurance company in the country and is also popular in UAE. Policybazaar has both a website and an app, which allows its users to compare financial services from the top insurance options. Here’s knowing how Policy Bazaar witnessed an overwhelming growth via its marketing strategies.
CoinDCX is an Indian cryptocurrency exchange aggregator based in Mumbai. The company specializes in crypto-enabled financial services. CoinDCX aims to develop financial services without any borders to enable a simpler and seamless flow of capital powered by impregnable security. CoinDCX raised $90 mn in Series C funding to emerge as a unicorn. Thus, the company became Indiaās first cryptocurrency unicorn.
Mastercard, Lone Pine Capital, Flipkart, Temasek, Sequoia
Products and Services
POS devices and software solutions
Valuation
$5+ billion (Marh 2022)
Pine Labs is an Indian merchant platform, equipped with financing and last-mile retail transaction technology, which helps merchants and institutions receive their payments via easy and secure POS apps and devices. Pine Labs collaborated with the New-York based financial services giant, Mastercard in January 2020, and shortly after it attained unicorn status. It was the first company to have turned unicorn in 2020.
Highradius
Startup Name
Highradius
Industry
Fintech, AI, Saas, Software
Founder
Sashi Narahari
Founded
2006
Investors
Tiger Global, D1 Capital Partners, ICONIQ and more
Products and Services
AI-based order-to-cash and treasury management software
Valuation
$3.1+ billion (March 2021)
Highradius is an AI-powered, data-driven fintech enterprise software as a service (Saas) platform that extends autonomous software for smooth and easy management of order to cash (O2C), treasury, and record to report (R2R). Headquartered in Houston, Texas, US, Highradius claims to be the world’s number 1 data-driven AI software platform that helps “lower DSO, optimize working capital, fast-track financial close, and improve productivity.”
Raising $125 mn right at the start of 2020, Highradius turned into India’s first unicorn company in 2020 in a Series B funding round led by ICONIQ Capital, along with some of its existing investors like Susquehanna Growth Equity and Citi Ventures.
Zetwerk emerges as a B2B marketplace for manufacturing items. The online marketplace based out of Bengaluru connects large manufacturing companies with vendors and suppliers, who help them get various components of industrial tools and machinery that they require from time to time. The company joined the unicorn club on August 20, 2021, and became Indiaās youngest billion-dollar company.
Chanakya Hridaya, Rajesh Yabaji, Ramasubramaniam B
Founded
2015
Investors
Trifecta Capital Advisors, Sequoia, Accel, InnoVen Capital
Products and Services
Trucks, logistics and transportation services for shippers and fleet operators
Valuation
$1.02 billion (August 2021)
BlackBuck is a truck aggregator and one of the largest truck aggregators operating in India that aims to solve the transportation and logistics problems of countless Indians. Today, BlackBuck boasts of being the largest trucking network in India that is equipped with freight and fleet management technology platforms. Blackbuck entered the unicorn club on July 23, 2021, after it raised $67 mn as part of its Series E funding round at a valuation of $1.02 bn.
The company currently has a collection of 12,00,000+ trucks and extends its services to over 2000 locations with 15,000+ happy clients.
Lightbox, Toyota Tsusho, SevenTrain Ventures, Integrated Capital
Products and Services
Marketplace for used cars, bikes, scooters and other merchandise
Valuation
$1.2 billion(August 2021)
Droom is a marketplace for used cars, bikes, scooters, and other automotive, along with other products and merchandise. Powered by cutting-edge data science technology, the company helps its customers to buy and sell automobiles and other products seamlessly.
Droom has around 600K automobiles and dominates with a massive 80% market share of the automobile transactions online, Droom is Indiaās largest automobile platform online and is counted among the biggest E-Commerce companies in the country.
OfBusiness or OFB Tech, as it is often referred to, is a raw material procurement and credit platform for SMEs. The company focuses primarily on the manufacturing and construction industries. OfBusiness leverages state-of-the-art technology to integrate the same into the buying behaviors of the SMEs. This way it makes better products available at better prices and in the right timelines.
Internet, Mobile Apps, Social Media, Social Network
Founder
Ankush Sachdeva, Bhanu Pratap Singh, and Faris Ahsan
Founded
2015
Investors
Lightspeed Venture Partners, Tiger Global Management, Twitter Ventures, SAIF Partners, Shunwei Capital, and Xiaomi
Products and Services
Social Networking and Regional Contents
Valuation
$3.7 Billion (December 2021)
ShareChat is an Indian video-sharing social networking service, developed via Mohalla Tech Private Limited in the year 2015, established by Ankush Sachdeva, Bhanu Pratap Singh, and Farid Ahsan. The company is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
ShareChat App acts as a content consumption and sharing platform solely in Indian vernacular languages, which caters to over 1.17 billion wifi customers of India. The company offers features such as messaging, sharing different kinds of media, tagging, etc. ShareChat enabled user-generated content creation on its platform, permitting customers to share their very own posters and innovative content. The company also has 400 plus employees and more than 50 million creator communities. The company went on to raise $500 mn from investors, which increased its valuation to $3 billion.
Verse Innovation
Startup Name
VerSe Innovation
Industry
Content, Technology, Social Media, Internet
Founders
Umang Bedi, Virendra Gupta
Founded
2007
Investors
Google, Sequoia Capital, Microsoft, ByteDance, B Capital and more
Products and Services
Powers Josh, Dailyhunt with technological support and expertise
Valuation
$5 billion (April 2021)
VerSe Innovation is the parent company of the leading vernacular news aggregating platform, Dailyhunt. Headquartered in Bengaluru, Verse Innovation is a local language technology platform that is currently powering two of the leading names among the Indian applications – Josh and Dailyhunt and boasts of an amazing reach of over 300 million users.
VerSe Innovation has raised funds close to $100 mn in December 2020 from a clutch of investors including Google, Microsoft, Falcon Edgeās Alpha Wave Incubation, Sequoia Capital India, Sofina Group, and others to enter the coveted club of unicorn companies in India. With this, Verse became the 10th Indian startup to attain the unicorn valuation in 2020.
B Capital, Prosus, Temasek, Think Investments, Tiger Global, A Velumani, etc.
Products and Services
Online pharmacy services, medicines, healthcare products, diagnostic test, etc.
Valuation
$5.6 billion (JuOctoberne 2021)
PharmEasy is an online healthcare delivery platform that was founded by Mikhil Innani, Dharmil Sheth, and Dhaval Shah in 2015. The company has its headquarters in Mumbai Maharashtra and is currently the leading online healthcare aggregator in India. Besides selling medicines online, the platform also helps connect patients with the closest local pharmacy and diagnostic center based on their medical needs. It delivers medicines in over 1000 plus cities and across 22,000 pin codes. PharmEasy claims to have delivered more than 1.5 crore orders and has over one lakh medicines available on its website.
MyGlamm (The Good Glamm Group)
Startup Name
MyGlamm
Industry
Cosmetics, Beauty, Marketplace
Founder
Darpan Sanghvi, Priyanka Gill
Founded
2015
Investors
Prosus, Warburg, Trifecta, Amazon and more
Products and Services
Beauty and cosmetics products marketplace
Valuation
$1.2+ billion (November 2021)
MyGlamm is a direct-to-consumer (D2C) beauty and cosmetics startup that extends an e-commerce marketplace with a wide range of products for stylists, beauticians, and others. The Mumbai-based D2C brand combines technology with content and social media in order to help the customers to shop for their preferred products along with gaining rich, personalized content and tutorial from the experts.
MyGlamm has turned into a unicorn company when it raised $150 mn in funding from Prosus Ventures and others on November 9, 2021. MyGlamm was the 34th Indian startup to turn a unicorn in the year 2021 and the 76th Indian company overall to enter the coveted club of unicorn companies of India.
Rentpay, CRED Stash, Store, Credit Card Payments and Cred Pay
Valuation
$2.2 billion (April 2021)
CRED is an upcoming Fintech startup that was started by Kunal Shah in 2018. The company has its headquarters in Bengaluru, Karnataka, and is known for its app that allows users to make credit card payments and even get rewarded. Besides rewards, CRED also gives its customers access to a wide range of additional services such as credit and a premium catalog of products from top brands. So far the platform has over 5.9 million users and has processed about 20% of all credit card bill payments in the country. CRED services are divided into five major products which are CRED RentPay, CRED Cash, CRED Pay, CRED Store, and CRED Travel Store. The Cred Business and Revenue Model depends on the app, its customers, and the business partnerships it sees.
Meesho is a popular Indian social ecommerce company that was founded in 2015 by batchmates, Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal. The company has its headquarters in Bengaluru Karnataka. Meesho helps small and medium businesses or even individuals to start their online stores through social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp. Meesho also has an online reselling website and app that allows people to sell their products without investments. So far it is known to have 2.6 million resellers across the country.
Meesho became a unicorn on April 6, 2021, after raising $300 mn in funds in a funding round that was led by Japan’s Softbank Corp. Group. Know more about Meesho Business Model & Revenue Model.
professionals for cleaning, beauticians, masseurs, carpenters, etc
Valuation
$2.8 billion (June 2021)
Urban Company is said to be Asiaās largest home services company as it is an all-in-one platform that helps users find professionals for different home services. The platform has its headquarters in Gurgaon and offers professional home cleaning services to beauticians, masseurs, and even carpenters. Urban Company was founded in 2014 by Abhiraj Bhal, Varun Khaitan, and Raghav Chandra, while the platform currently has served over 5 million customers across India, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sydney, and Singapore. As of 2021, it is also known to be the UAE’s largest home services company. Here’s knowing all about Urban Company’s business model, and the marketing strategies that Urban Company uses.
Construction Materials, Infrastructure, and Heavy Equipment Rental
Valuation
$2.5 billion (August 2021)
Infra.Market is one of the best construction solutions companies and an online procurement marketplace that uses technology to provide an enhanced procurement experience. The company provides its services to the real estate and construction materials industry. The company was started by Souvik Sengupta in 2016 and has its headquarters in Thane, Maharashtra. Infra.Market specializes in manufacturing construction materials, infrastructure, and heavy equipment rental for all the sectors of a construction ecosystem. It caters to both institutional customers and the construction materials sector to build their projects. Infra.Market turned unicorn with a $100 mn funding on February 25, 2021
Insurance for Car, Health, employee, 2 Wheeler, 3 Wheeler, etc.
Valuation
$4 billion (May 2022)
Digit Insurance is one of the top general insurance companies offering health, car, bike, and travel insurance. The company was founded in 2016 by Kamesh Goyal, and has its headquarters in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The company is popular for Go Digit Mobile Insurance, a tailor-made mobile insurance that covers damages related to different mobiles or Smartphones such as accidental damage, etc. Digit Insurance was the first Indian Unicorn of 2021 and has been successful in achieving the feat in less than 4 years. Besides, Digit Insurance is one of the companies that are endorsed by Virat Kohli, who is the brand ambassador of Digit.
Innovaccer
Startup Name
Innovaccer
Industry
Healthcare
Founders
Abhinav Shashank, Kanav Hasija and Sandeep Gupta
Founded
2014
Investors
Steadview Capital, Dragoneer, B Capital Group, Mubadala Capital Microsoft Venture Funds.
Products and Services
Clinical Integration, Health Management, Big data analytics, Quality Reporting, Healthcare data platform
Valuation
$1.3 billion (February 2021)
Innovaccer is one of the top healthcare companies that is known for its top-notch healthcare services and products that are done through pioneering analytics and accurate data. Innovaccer was founded in 2014 by Sandeep Gupta and has its headquarters in San Francisco. It has head offices in India and America. Innovaccer products are available in over 500 locations and it also has more than 10,000 providers. The company has helped thousands of institutions, governmental organizations, hospitals, clinics, and healthcare organizations such as Mercy ACO, StratiFi Health, Catalyst Health Network, and Osler Health Network.
Innovaccer has turned into a unicorn after it received $105 mn of funding from Tiger Global Management on February 24, 2021. With this, Innovaccer also became the first health tech unicorn in India to turn unicorn.
Sequoia Capital India, Norwest Venture Partners, KKR, TVS Capital, Matrix Partners
Products and Services
Small Business Loans, Mortgage Loans, Home Loans, Property Loans
Valuation
$1.4 billion (March 2021)
Five Star Business Finance (FSBF) is one of the oldest Indian investment firms that was started by V.K Ranganathan in 1984. The company provides different kinds of loans like Small Business Loans, Mortgage Loans, Home Loans, Property Loans, among others. The company has been making strides in the financial industry over the last three decades. Five Star Housing Finance Private Limited which is the companyās subsidiary is designed to help its clients with small housing loans.
Stock broking services, direct mutual funds, IPO, ETF, digital gold
Valuation
$1 billion (May 2021)
Groww is one of the most popular online investment platforms in India. The company was started in 2017 by Lalit Keshre, Harsh Jain, Ishan Bansal, and Neeraj Singh. The company has its headquarters in Bengaluru, Karnataka, and has so far raised over $14 million as of April 2021. This mutual fund investments platform started out by offering wealth management and currently offers direct investments in mutual funds, stocks, digital gold, and exchange-traded funds, among others. The parent company of Groww is Nextbillion Technology.
Tiger Global Management Llc, Think Investments, Malabar Investments, Harbor Spring Capital, White Oak , Fidelity Management
Products and Services
Chatbots
Valuation
$1.4 billion (July 2021)
Gupshup is an upcoming Software company that provides services such as SMS, email, voice, and IP messaging. Gupshup company operates in India, America and UK and is known for its chatbox development services to retail and eCommerce companies. The company developed a smart messaging app called Teamchat and handles over 6 million messages every month. Gupshup is one of the first companies to launch the chatbot building platforms known as gupshup.io which currently offers its services to over 30,000 developers. The platform also has 30,000 chatbots across 22 different social media channels.
Eruditus is an Edtech platform headquartered in Mumbai. Founded in 2010, the company collaborates with the leading universities from across the globe in order to make executive education accessible globally. Eruditus Executive Education boasts of partnering with over 30 universities with a collection of more than 100 courses that extends to the students of around 80 countries. The company has recently turned into a unicorn with a $650 million fundraise as part of its series E funding round!
invoicing, taxes, SaaS metrics, accounting and customer management.
Valuation
$1.4 billion (April 2021)
Chargebee is a SaaS Company with its headquarters in San Francisco, California. The company specializes in providing subscription and recurring billing based SaaS and E-commerce services like invoicing, taxes, SaaS metrics, accounting and customer management. The company also supports over 100 currencies and numerous well-known payment gateways such as Stripe, Braintree, WorldPay and PayPal. The SaaS startup has gathered 3,000 customers most of whom are from America, Europe, and India.
cloud-native, API-first neo-banking and other Fintech services.
Valuation
$1.45 billion (May 2021)
Zeta is a financial technology company that provides a full-stack, cloud and API first neo banking services. The fintech company was founded in 2015 by Bhavin Turakhia and Ramki Gaddipati with its headquarters based in Los Angeles, California, and has head offices in India. It is known for its Omni stack that includes modern credit and debit processing, BNPL, banking, and mobile experiences. The company products are used by banks like RBL Bank, IDFC First Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank, along with 14000 corporates. So far Zeta has over 2 million users with over one million transactions per day.
Zeta is a budgeting app for couples. It integrates personal and shared accounts, which include bank accounts, loans, and credit cards. Connect your account immediately for automated updates or manually add an account to manage it yourself.
You can see your joint incomes, expenses, and financial savings in one place. It lets you create more than one budget for private and shared expenses. Plus, you can set precise monetary goals for you and your partner, such as saving for a holiday or placing up an emergency fund.
BrowserStack is a cloud net and mobile testing platform, which is used by two million developers in around a hundred thirty-five countries. The product’s price proposition is to assist groups to fasten up launch cycles and develop websites and mobile app that work seamlessly on any user interface. The aim is to limit the time, price, and protection overhead related to testing.
More than 25,000 world corporations use BrowserStack, which includes Microsoft, ING, MasterCard, Dow Jones, Garmin, National Geographic, Volvo, NRK, HubSpot, Walt Disney, and AngularJS. BrowserStack has offices work in San Francisco, Mumbai, Dublin, and is privately held and backed by Accel.
Paytm Mall, Paytm Payments Bank, Paytm Money, Gamepind, Paytm Smart Retail, Payment system, Mobile payments, Online shopping
Valuation
$16 billion (June 2021)
Paytm is one of the biggest unicorn startups in India. It is among the largest digital payment service providers in India with a market share of 11.63% and is currently in the third position in the list of top UPI apps in India, as recorded in June 2021. The fintech startup is famous for its payment gateway service, which helps consumers to make seamless payments to the seller from their bank accounts. Paytm entered the unicorn club in 2015. Paytm’s valuation was over $7 billion, and it has now increased to $16 billion in 2020.
Paytm Mall is a B2C model inspired by China’s largest B2C retail platform TMall. Paytm Mall was launched by Paytm in 2017. Launched in 2016, as a hyperlocal offline-to-online (O2O) business, Paytm Mall turned unicorn in 2018 on raising half a billion from Softbank and others.
Kite, Coin, Console, Varsity, Equity Trading, Currencies and Commodities Trading, Mutual Funds and Bonds
Valuation
$2 billion (June 2021)
Zerodha is an Indian fintech startup that offers retail and institutional broking, currencies and commodities trading, mutual funds, and bonds. The Company was founded in the year 2010 in order to achieve the goal of breaking all the barriers traders and investors face in India. Zerodha is headquartered in Bangalore and has a physical presence in several major Indian cities.
In Dec 2020, Zerodha was the largest retail stockbroker in India by active client base and contributes upwards of 15% of daily retail volumes across Indian Stock Exchanges. Zerodha entered the unicorn club in July 2020 with a self-assessed valuation of about $1 billion. This valuation was based on the ESOP buyback exercise the company undertook valuing each share at more than four times the book value of ā¹700 per share. Know why is Zerodha not raising funds for its operation?
Disruptive pricing models and in-house technology have made Zerodha the biggest stockbroker in India in terms of active retail clients. Over 5+ million clients place millions of orders every day through our powerful ecosystem of investment platforms, contributing over 15% of all Indian retail trading volumes.
ReNew Power Limited is an Indian renewable energy company. It is an independent power producer which was founded by Sumant Sinha in 2011. ReNew Power has a pipeline of close to 1400 MW solar and wind projects. It has a current valuation of $8 billion, which makes it one of the most valuable startups in India in 2021.
Hari Menon, V.S. Sudhakar, Vipul Parekh, Abhinay Choudhari and V.S. Ramesh
Founded
2011
Investors
Alibaba, CDC Group, Ant Financial, Intel Capital, and Berkshire Hathaway
Products and Services
Grocery Delivery
Valuation
$1.85 billion (March 2021)
BigBasket is India’s largest online grocery store which was founded by Hari Menon, V.S. Sudhakar, Vipul Parekh, Abhinay Choudhari, and V.S. Ramesh in 2011. BigBasket founder Hari Menon is one of the most revered entrepreneurs, who deserves a place among the top entrepreneurs of India. It has gained popularity among the Indians and receives over 100,000 orders per day. BigBasket has also launched 3 new businesses BB Daily, BB Instant, and BB Beauty. Here’s something that might interest you – JioMart VS BigBasket: Top Contenders Of Online Grocery Market
Udaan is a B2B e-commerce platform that provides a wholesale product solution to different vendors in all categories. It was founded by Sujeet Kumar, Amod Malviya, and Vaibhav Gupta in 2016. Udaan is a B2B (Business to Business) marketplace for trade that is working for connecting retailers, wholesalers, traders, and manufacturers using technology as the main tool. Udaan turned a startup unicorn in 2018, which is just after 2 years and 2 months since it was launched in 2016. It is thus, the first startup to be called the fastest unicorn.
SoftBank, Tiger Global, Ratan Tata, Hyundai Motors, Matrix Partners, Tiger Global and The Munjal Family.
Products and Services
Electric two and tree wheeler vehicles
Valuation
$5+ billion (January 2022)
Ola Electric is a brainchild of Ola which is currently one of the largest ride-hailing companies. Ola Electric is a tech mobility startup that provides transit services. Besides that, the company also offers a platform to work with driver-partners, vehicle manufacturers, and battery companies and also advance into making future technology for daily mobility. The company was founded in 2017 by Ankit Jain and Anand Shah and had its headquarters in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Ola Electric is also known to be the fastest unicorn after Udaan.
Lightspeed Ventures, Tiger Global, Twitter, India Quotient,
Products and Services
MOJ and Sharechat
Valuation
$3.7 billion (December 2021)
Mohalla Tech is a software company that was founded by Ankush Sachdeva, Farid Ahsan and Bhanu Singh in 2015. The company has its headquarters in Bengaluru, Karnataka, and is known for its platforms – MOJ and Sharechat. Mohalla Tech designs and develops social media platforms for sharing various quotes, videos, images, and news content. Currently, Moj and Sharechat are known to have a combined user of 340 million. According to some reports, an average user will spend over 34 minutes on the MOJ platform every day, which also gets 4.5 million views every day.
TPG, Chrys Capital, Premji Invest, Elevation Capital, MegaDelta and Vertex
Products and Services
Baby and Kids Products
Valuation
$2 billion (March 2021)
FirstCry is one of the top E-commerce companies for Baby and Child products. The company was founded by Supam Maheshwari, Amitava Saha, Prashant Jadhav, and Sanket Hattimattu in 2010, with its headquarters based in Pune, Maharashtra. Currently, the company has 380 plus stores across the country and also has a hospital contact program that helps in reaching out to more than 70,000 new parents every month. Firstcry has over 100,000 plus baby, kids, and new mom products from more than 1000 international and national brands.
Temasek, Falcon Edge Capital, KKR, Bay Capital, and Chiratae
Products and Services
Eyewear, opticians
Valuation
$4.32 billion (April 2022)
Lenskart is a leading eyewear company that was started by Peyush Bansal, Amit Chaudhary, Sumeet Kapahi in 2010. The company has its headquarters in Faridabad and has manufacturing facilities in Delhi, Zhengzhou (China). The company is known to manufacture over 300,000 eyewear every month, as it has more than 500 stores in over 70 cities across India. Besides having a huge range of eyewear it also offers its users branded contact lenses and sunglasses.
And this is not the end of the story. There are many new entrants to this unicorn club. Multiple startups strive hard to reach the top 10 unicorn startups but only a few make it to the top. India is the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. It can be said that India is the future of great startups.
Grofers is an Indian online supermarket that helps in the home delivery of food, grocery products, and essentials. Founded in 2013, Grofers started with groceries and gradually expanded to a whole list of categories that includes beauty products, household care, baby care, and more. The company is now a unicorn with a $120 million fundraising round from the food aggregator, Zomato. Grofers was rebranded to Blinkit after a rebranding attempt on December 13, 2021.
A subsidiary company of inMobi, Glance is an artificial intelligence platform that offers customized lock screen content to the owners of the smartphones of the present. The company was founded in 2019 as a subsidiary of inMobi, a Bengaluru-based mobile ad network, and turned unicorn on December 22, 2020. Its parent company had already become a unicorn company back in 2011.
Google, Alphawave, Microsoft, Sequoia Capital, Falcon Capital
Products and Services
Dailyhunt app
Valuation
$1 billion (March 2021)
Dailyhunt is an Indian content and news aggregator services platform that helps its users access updates on trending topics along with online news, books, and magazines. The company is popular for offering content in 14 different local languages for a wide variety of Indian readers. The company raised around $100 million from Google and Microsoft and Falcon Edgeās Alpha Wave to become Indiaās first tech unicorn focused on vernacular content on December 22, 2020.
Accel, Norwest Venture Partners, Steadview Capital, Tiger Global Management
Products and Services
Salon software, spa software, med spa software
Valuation
$1.5+ billion
A cloud-based software platform for spa and salon services of the country, Zenoti was founded in 2010 with its headquarters in Bellevue, Washington, United States, and Hyderabad. Zenoti has been since the day it was founded and is now used by over 10,000 customers and has already established its presence in 50+ countries. With a fundraise that amounted to $160 million, the company entered the unicorn club on December 15, 2020.
Cars24 website/app, cars buying and selling service
Valuation
$1.6 billion (July 2021)
Cars24 is an online marketplace that encourages the buyers and sellers of used cars and helps them to buy and sell automobiles online without any hassles. Via an AI-enabled pricing algorithm, Cars24 displays the appraisal price along with the market price of the vehicles. Furthermore, it also arranges appointments for vehicle inspection, thereby making the selling process as transparent as possible.
The Gurgaon-based company, Cars24 was founded in 2015 and has already become a unicorn on November 24, 2020, with the $200 million Series E funding round led by Yuri Milnerās DST Global fund, Exor Seeds, Moore Strategic Ventures, and more. The company was valued at over $1 billion when assessed in November 2020.
RazorPay is a digital payment gateway that enables businesses and individuals to process, receive and disburse payments smoothly and securely. Razorpay accepts a wide range of the latest payment devices and platforms to improve the customerās payment journeys online.
RazorPay is among the last year unicorn companies in India, which joined the unicorn club of Indian startups on October 11, 2020, when the company raised around $100 million. The company was valued at around $3 billion in April 2021.
Gaurav Munjal, Hemesh Singh, Roman Saini, Sachin Gupta
Founded
2015
Investors
Temasek Holdings, Dragoneer Investment Group, Softbank, Facebook, Sequoia Capital
Products and Services
Courses and classes
Valuation
$3.44 billion (August 2021)
Unacademy is an Indian unicorn Edtech company based in Bangalore, which climbed to unicorn status on September 2, 2020, thereby becoming the second e-learning startup to achieve the status.
Founded in 2015, Unacademy offers educational content for competitive examinations and other video lectures, some of which are also freely accessible for students. With the latest fundraise where the company received $440 million, Unacademy is now valued at $3.44 billion, as of August 2021. Here’s a List of Startups Acquired by EdTech Giant Unacademy
Postman raised $150 million in June 2020 to turn into a unicorn. The API development environment is used by around 6 million developers worldwide across 200,000 companies located globally. Postman serves as a platform that makes it easy for developers and enterprises to build, test, and debug their APIs.
With a valuation of $5.6 billion, as per the reports in August 2021, after the company received funding of around $225 million, Postman is presently acknowledged as the most valued Saas startup in India.
CitiusTech
Startup Name
CitiusTech
Headquarters
Princeton, New Jersey, United States
Industry
Healthcare Technology
Founders
Jagdish Moorjani, Rizwan Koita
Founded
2005
Investors
Baring Pvt. Equity Asia, Bain Capital
Products and Services
Consulting, Digital & Product Engineering, Data & Analytics
Valuation
$2.4 billion (May 2022)
CitiusTech is a major technology service and solution provider for the healthcare industry. CitiusTech boasts of having over 4000 professionals worldwide. With its workforce, the company aims to empower the healthcare and life sciences companies with reassuring consultation and digital technology services and drive clinical value chain excellence across integration and interoperability, data management, data science, performance management, and more.
CitiusTech was acquired by Baring Private Equity Asia, after the Hong Kong-based company signed a definitive agreement on July 12, 2019. This deal has valued the company at a little over a billion dollars, thereby granting its entry into the unicorn club of Indian companies.
As per the news dated May 5, 2022, Bain Capital has bought 40% of the stakes of CitiusTech from Baring Private Equity Asia, as the latter sold half of its tech to the American private investment firm. Apax Partners and Fujitsu of Japan were the other contenders for the stake. The 40% stakes of CitiusTech were valued between $960 mn to $1 bn, which has successfully catapulted the valuation of CitiusTech to around $2.4 bn, as of May 2022. The other 40% stakes of the firm are with Baring, while the remaining stakes are held by the company’s founders.
B Capital Group, Ignition Partners, Eight Roads Ventures
Products and Services
Contract Management Software
Valuation
$2.8 billion (March 2021)
Icertis is designed as a powerful AI-enabled contract management platform that promises ultimate compliance and aims to reduce the risks involved in it. Being an enterprise contract management platform, Icertis extends easy solutions to hard contract management issues.
When the company raised $80 million in March 2021, at a valuation of $2.8 billion, Icertis was declared as the second most-valued startup unicorn of India. The company turned into a unicorn even before that in 2020.
Druva
Startup Name
Druva
Headquarters
Sunnyvale, California, United States
Industry
Software, Cloud Data Services, Cloud Security, Saas
Sequoia Capital India, Viking Global, Indian Angel Network
Products and Services
Data protection solutions
Valuation
$2 billion (April 2021)
Druva is an Indian enterprise software platform that is designed to protect and manage enterprise data across endpoints, data centers, and cloud workloads. Built on AWS, Druva offers a Saas platform that extends superior data resiliency options, which is infinitely scalable, for the companies operating across the globe.
The India-based Saas company headquartered in the US is one of the earliest companies of India that turned into a unicorn. Druva attained unicorn status in 2019.
Rivigo is a logistics platform empowered by the latest technologies that extend effective transport services for a wide range of industries including clothing, eCommerce, automotive, automobiles, and more. The company was founded in 2014 in Gurgaon, Haryana, and was valued at $1.05 billion when it turned unicorn in September 2019.
Polygon or Matic Network, as it was named previously, is a Bengaluru-based blockchain startup that was founded as a result of the infamous RBI ban of cryptocurrencies that came in April 2018. Founded by Jaynti Kanani, Sandeep Nailwal, and Anurag Arjun, Matic Network focussed on solving the āscalability and usability issues, without compromising on decentralizationā. It was on February 9, 2021, that Matic was renamed into Polygon.
Polygon is already a unicorn when last reported in May 2021 and is currently valued at over $10 bn, as of February 2022. The market capitalization of its native MATIC token has crossed the $20 billion mark once in December 2021.
MindTickle is a sales readiness platform founded in 2011, which helps in onboarding, product training, coaching, and ongoing readiness. The company offers a vital sales solution to the fast-growing startups to prepare their sales team in a scalable and effective way. MindTickle was founded in 2011 and turned a unicorn on August 6, 2021, with the influx of $100 mn in Series E funding led by Softbank Vision Fund II.
Bhavesh Manglani, Kapil Bharati, Mohit Tandon, Sahil Barua, Suraj Saharan
Founded
2011
Investors
FedEx, Fidelity, Steadview Capital, Tiger Global management
Products and Services
Cargo and freight services
Valuation
$4 billion (June 2021)
Delhivery was founded in 2011 in Gurgaon, Haryana, as a logistics and supply chain startup that aims to provide seamless transportation, warehousing, freight, and order fulfillment services. Delhivery Pvt. Ltd. turned unicorn back in 2019 where it raised around $413 million and was valued at $1.5 billion.
Billdesk is a company conceived in 2000 as IndiaIdeas.com Ltd., which helps Indian customers pay their bills safely and easily. Powered by the latest advancements in the electronic medium, BillDesk offers its customers better ways to organize and manage their payments online. Billdesk has already achieved unicorn status in 2018 when it mopped up nearly $300 million in a fundraising round led by Visa.
The company is currently acquired by PayU, a Prosus-owned company headquartered in the Netherlands via a deal worth $4.7 billion, one of the biggest deals in the Fintech range of India.
Mu Sigma was founded in 2014 as a data analytics services platform that offers data analytics services along with developing decision support system tools and software for Fortune 500 companies. Mu Sigma offers a range of services including market measurement, product/customer segmentation and profiling, prospecting, RFM analytics, and more. It was in 2016 when Fortune declared Mu Sigma a unicorn company.
Info Edge
Startup Name
Info Edge
Headquarters
Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
Industry
Enterprisetech
Founders
Sanjeev Bikhchandani
Founded
1995
Investors
Temasek Holdings, Lightbox
Products and Services
Employment, Education, Real estate, Matrimonial service
Valuation
$6.6 Billion (May 2023)
Info Edge, founded by Sanjeev Bikhchandani in 1995, is a technology-driven Indian internet company offering a wide range of online services in sectors such as recruitment, matrimony, real estate, and education. The company is well-known for its flagship platforms, including Naukri.com for jobs, Jeevansathi.com for matrimonial services, 99Acres.com for real estate listings, and Shiksha.com for educational resources.
The company attained a valuation of over $1 billion in 2014 and became an elite member of the Indian unicorn club.
Sai Srinivas Kiran G, Shubh Malhotra, Shubham Malhotra
Founded
2018
Investors
Sequoia, Moore Strategic Ventures, Legatum Capital
Products and Services
EGaming platform
Valuation
$2.3 Billion (September 2021)
Mobile Premier League, now if the name rings a bell, then youāre right! MPL is another fantasy gaming and esports platform from India after Dream11 that has turned unicorn. The Sequoia Capital and Moore Strategic Ventures-backed startup was founded in September 2018, just 3 years ago by Sai Srinivas Kiran G and Shubh Malhotra, which emerged as the second gaming unicorn from the subcontinent.
Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global Management, Lightspeed
Products and Services
Professional networking platform and job portal
Valuation
$1.1 Billion (September 2021)
Apna is a leading professional networking platform that helps the rising workforce of India stay updated in terms of professional requirements and recruitment and grab them anytime and anywhere. Apna is currently available across 28+ cities in India for students and blue-mand gray-colored working professionals to get the best communities and land jobs.
The Series C round was on September 15, 2021, where Apna raised around $100 million from investors like Tiger Global, Sequoia, and others and turned into a unicorn within just 21 months of its foundation. This makes Apna the fastest unicorn in India.
Vamsi Krishna, Pulkit Jain, Saurabh Saxena, and Anand Prakash
Founded
2011
Investors
Coatue, Tiger Global Management, WestBridge Capital, Accel Partners
Products and Services
Online tutoring, courses and classes
Valuation
$1 Billion+ (September 2021)
Vedantu is an Edtech platform that offers online e-learning courses and classes to empower real-time personalized learning experiences. Vedantu believes in bridging the gaps between a student and his/her tutor to enjoy the benefits of real-time one-to-one teaching. Vedantu can help students pursue online tuitions for Maths, Physics, Chemistry, English, French, Hindi, Social Studies, German, Computer Science, and more.
Vedantu raised $100 mn via its Series E round led by ABC World Asia, Coatue, Tiger Global, WestBridge, and others on September 29, 2021, and became the 27th Indian unicorn of 2021 and the 69th unicorn startup in the country.
Bertelsmann, Mayfield Fund, Vertex Growth Fund, 3one4 Capital
Products and Services
Meat, fish, eggs packaging and delivery services
Valuation
$1 Billion+ (October 2021)
Licious was founded in 2015 and headquartered in Bengaluru as a Direct-to-consumer brand that offers fresh meat, eggs, fish, and seafood, which the customers can order online to receive the same at their doorsteps. The meat industry in India is largely unorganized and Licious is born out of the sole aim of organizing this sector and delivering fresh, trustworthy, delicious meat and fish to the house of the Indians.
The company raised $52 million in its latest funding round led by IIFL AMC’s Late Stage Tech Fund, emerging as the 29th Indian unicorn company of 2021 so far, and the first unicorn from the D2C segment, as of October 5, 2021.
Paradigm, Ribbit Capital, Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global Management
Products and Services
Cryptocurrency exchange platform
Valuation
$1.9 Billion (October 2021)
CoinSwitch Kuber is hailed as a cryptocurrency exchange platform that encourages users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies via their platform, ensuring secure and convenient transactions. The company supports a wide list of over 100 cryptocurrencies from which the customers can buy cryptos at the best rates, through a range of payment options.
CoinSwitch Kuber turns into India’s 30th unicorn startup in 2021 so far. The company raised a Series C funding round worth $260 million on October 6, 2021, led by a16z (Andreesen Horowitz) and Coinbase Ventures to join the coveted club of the unicorn companies. CoinSwitch Kuber boasts of being the second crypto unicorn of India, which crossed the 1 billion dollar mark in less than 2 months after CoinDCX was hailed as the first crypto unicorn of the country in August 2021. CoinSwitch Kuber is reportedly valued at $1.9 billion on October 2021, which is higher than what CoinDCX announced in August, which was $1.1 billion.
Rebel Foods, also termed Faasos Food Services Pvt. Ltd., is a food delivery platform of India that takes care of the food delivery requirements across the country, delivering food products at the doorsteps of the customers. Besides, the company also boasts of a huge network (over 450) of dark kitchens that operates in over 10 countries. Rebel Foods currently serves over 10,000 Indian customers, the numbers of which are jumping rapidly.
The Indian cloud kitchen and food delivery startup becomes the 31st unicorn of India in 2021. Rebel Foods has raised $175 million via its Series F funding round led by the investors like Qatar Investment Authority, Coatue and Evolvence, and more, to be valued at $1.4 bn, as of October 7, 2021.
Sequoia Capital India, HDFC Bank, LeapFrog Investments
Products and Services
Cars, Used cars retailing services
Valuation
$1.2 billion (October 2021)
CarDekho is a leading name in the used car retailing space. Headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana, CarDekho helps users browse through a wide selection of cars and select one that fits them in all aspects. The platform of CarDekho is equipped with the relevant details about the car, along with other detailed specs, experts’ reviews, comparisons, and more. All of these further ease the selection process of the car models and are some of the reasons that have contributed to the rising popularity of the company.
CarDekho has turned into a unicorn following its recent Series E and Debt financing rounds dated October 13, 2021, and led by LeapFrog Investments. The company has successfully raised around $200 mn and $50 mn respectively, with the last funding rounds that it saw. With the recent funding, CarDekho becomes the 33rd unicorn and the 3rd unicorn startup in the used car retailing space in India so far in 2021.
Sequoia Capital India, Hindustan Media Venture, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
Products and Services
Digital payments platform
Valuation
$1 billion (October 2021)
MobiKwik is a Fintech company founded in 2009 as digital payments platform that offers phone-based payment options along with the facility of a digital wallet for its users. Headquartered in Gurgaon, MobiKwik is one of the trusted names in the digital payments space that also provides payment gateway and other financial services.
MobiKwik turned unicorn on October 12, 2021, after the conclusion of its secondary ESOP sale round led by Mathew Cyriac, former Head of Blackstone India.
Insurtech, Insurance, Health insurance, Auto insurance
Founders
Ruchi Deepak, Varun Dua
Founded
2016
Investors
Munich Re Ventures, Amazon, General Atlantic, Multiples Alternate Asset Management Private Limited
Products and Services
Car, bike and health insurance products
Valuation
$1.1 billion (October 2021)
Acko is a digital insurance provider of India, dubbed as the first insurance startup that efficiently processes car, bike, and health insurance without any paperwork. Furthermore, Acko also possesses the license, which allows the company to underwrite and distribute bite-sized insurance products.
Acko raised around $255 million in its Series D round led by General Atlantic and Multiples Private Equity and turned a unicorn on October 27, 2021. The unicorn insurance provider is the 34th Indian company to join the unicorn club in 2021 and is currently valued at $1.1 bn.
CureFit
Startup Name
CureFit
Headquarters
Bengaluru, India
Industry
Healthcare, wellness
Founders
Ankit Nagori, Mukesh Bansal
Founded
2016
Investors
Temasek Holdings, Accel, Tata Digital, Zomato, Axis Bank
Products and Services
Nutrition products, Consultation services for mental and well-being
Valuation
$1.5 billion (November 2021)
CureFit is a health and fitness company that extends online and offline experiences to bring in adequate nutrition, foster physical fitness, and mental well-being via improved yoga and meditation, medical and lifestyle care consultation.
The Bangalore-based fitness brand turned unicorn on November 10, 2021, in a deal where the foodtech giant Zomato sold its fitness facility arm Fitso for $50 mn and infused another $50 mn in CureFit. This helped Zomato own 6.4% shares in CureFit, worth $100 mn. As a result of the cross-selling, CureFit joined the unicorn club of Indian startups as the 36th company to turn unicorn in 2021 and the 77th company overall among the Indian startups.
Mensa
Startup Name
Mensa
Headquarters
Bengaluru, India
Industry
Financial services, Venture capital
Founders
Ananth Narayanan, Pawan Kumar Dasaraju
Founded
2021
Investors
Alpha Wave Incubation, Norwest Venture Partners, Accel, Falcon Edge Capital
Products and Services
finance, working capital
Valuation
$1 billion+ (November 2021)
Brands’ aggregator and roll-up firm, Mensa has been founded by former Myntra CEO and Medlife cofounder, Ananth Narayanan and Pawan Kumar Dasaraju. Mensa Brands stands as an investment firm that strives to partner with entrepreneurs to build digital brands and scale them. The company embraces a Thrasio-based model via which it invests working capital and picks up equity in other D2C startups, thereby scaling the presence of the brands online. The platform that Mensa offers helps in driving growth, product, merchandising, technology, supply chain, product, and access to global markets, which eventually lets the founders get lucrative financial exits along with transforming their business through a stable and successful partnership.
Mensa raised $135 mn in a new Series B funding round led by Alpha Wave Ventures (Falcon Edge Capital) on November 16, 2021, and has joined the coveted club of unicorn companies in India. The company turned unicorn within just 6 months since it started its operations, thereby emerging as the fastest Indian startup to turn unicorn.
Tiger Global Management, General Atlantic, Trifecta Capital, BEENEXT
Products and Services
Peer-to-peer property listings platform
Valuation
$1 billion+ (November 2021)
NoBroker, as the name states, is designed on the concept of building a brokerage-free real estate platform, which will take care of the entire journey of a customer from choosing a house, listing it, securing a home loan, contacting the packers and movers, opting for painting and other services and more. Founded by Akhil Gupta, Amit Kumar Agarwal, Saurabh Garg in 2014, NoBroker is based in Bengaluru and is currently hailed as a unicorn.
NoBroker is, in fact, India’s first proptech (property tech) startup that has achieved a unicorn status on November 23, 2021. The company is the 38th Indian startup to emerge as a unicorn in 2021. The unicorn valuation of the company was disclosed after it raised around $210 Mn in its Series E funding round on the same date.
Tiger Global Management, General Atlantic, Trifecta Capital, BEENEXT
Products and Services
Used car listing and selling platform
Valuation
$1.7 billion+ (November 2021)
Spinny is a used-car buying platform that is powered by new-age technologies and enables reliable and hassle-free transactions in used cars. Founded in 2015 in Gurgaon, Haryana, India, Spinny is built on a full-stack business model with the aim of making the process of buying used cars simple and transparent and ultimately helping the customers to buy cars that match their aspirations.
Spinny has turned unicorn after it received its Series E funding round of $248 million (Rs 1,849 crore), as of November 24, 2021. The company received an investment of Rs 739.7 crore each from Tiger Global and Abu Dhabi Growth Fund, while the remaining funds poured in from Somerville SPV and Aveni Spinny. Spinny is now officially the fourth Indian startup from the used car space to join the unicorn club, where Droom, CarDekho, and Cars24 have already joined earlier.
Upstox is a fintech company that offers innovative investment solutions for users, including securities brokerage and stock trading services. Based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, the company extends equity trading opportunities for retail investors via the platform, promising their clients to be benefited from their cutting-edge trading platform that brings in the best-in-class services.
Upstox turned unicorn with the recent fundraising round led by Tiger Global Management, as of November 25, 2021. The company agreed to allot around 18761 Series C preference shares at an issue price of Rs 98,608 in order to raise the sum of $25 million (Rs 185 crore) from Tiger Global. Upstox has raised the recent funds at a post-money valuation of an estimated $3.4 bn, which pushes it past its rival Groww, which was recently valued at $3 bn in October 2021. Upstox thus became the 40th unicorn startup in India in 2021.
Slice is a financial startup based out of Bengaluru, India that focuses on payment cards/credit cards, and extends them to their target audiences, mostly comprising Gen Z and millennials.
Slice has mopped around $220 mn in the recent funding round dated November 29, 2021, led by Tiger Global and Insight Partners to achieve a unicorn valuation. The series B round that Slice witnessed included participation from Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal and Checkout co-founder and CEO, Guillaume Pousaz, along with a list of existing investors that includes Sunley House Capital, Moore Strategic Ventures, Anfa, Gunosy, Blume Ventures, and more. Slice is currently the 41st Indian startup unicorn of 2021.
Pristyn Care
Startup Name
Pristyn Care
Headquarters
Haryana, India
Industry
Healthtech, Health care
Founders
Harsimarbir (Harsh) Singh, Dr. Garima Sawhney and Vaibhav Kapoor
Founded
2018
Investors
Tiger Global Management, Hummingbird Ventures
Products and Services
Healthcare services
Valuation
$1.2 billion (December 2021)
Pristyn Care is a healthcare startup founded in September 2018, which is designed to disrupt elective surgery procedures. Headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana, India, Pristyn Care believes in leveraging cutting-edge technology and advanced procedures to simplify medical care and surgery experiences.
The startup successfully raised $84 Million on December 7, 2021, via new funding round, Series E, led by Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global, Hummingbird Ventures, Epiq Capital, QED, and others to enter the unicorn club of Indian startups. With its unicorn valuation, the health tech startup from Gurgaon has turned to be the fourth startup to achieve the feat in its space in India after Innovaccer, PharmEasy, and CureFit.
Founded in 2021, GlobalBees is a Thrasio-style startup focused on acquiring other companies, especially startups, and scaling them with adequate funds and resources to extend joyful product experiences. GlobalBees can also be considered as the venture arm of FirstCry.
GlobalBees has already been in talks ever since it raised $150 mn in India’s largest Series A funding round. Furthermore, the company has become a unicorn when it again raised around $111.5 mn in a mix of equity and debt round of Series B led by a clutch of investors including FirstCry, SoftBank, Premji Invest, Chiratae Ventures, Trifecta Capital, and others.
Beauty, baby care, skin care, body care products and more
Valuation
$1.1 billion+ (December 2021)
Founded in 2016, Mamaearth is a personal care brand that was established as an organic alternative to the baby, hair, face and skincare products in the market. Headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana, Mamaearth extends the best organic products for babies and their mothers.
Mamaearth turned unicorn after the latest funding round that it raised on December 28, 2021, worth $80 million led by Sequoia Capital. Gurugram-based organic skincare, haircare, and body care brand, Honasa or Mamaearth became the first unicorn in India in 2022.
Fractal Intelligence is a Mumbai-based analytics startup founded in 2000 by Ramakrishna Reddy, Pranay Agrawal, Srikanth Velamakanni, Nirmal Palaparthi, and Pradeep Suryanarayan and is currently headquartered in New York, US. Primarily established as a strategic analytics partner to the most sought-after Fortune 500 companies globally, Fractal empowers every human decision by bringing analytics, AI, and other cutting-edge technology to the decision-making process.
Fractal Analytics currently has its presence across 15 countries including the United States, UK, Ukraine, and India. The company has recently turned unicorn by raising $360 million from a fundraising round led by TPG Capital, and Apax Partners, as per the reports dated January 5, 2022. Fractal is one of the leading players in the AI space with Qure.ai, Crux Intelligence, Theremin.ai, Eugenie.ai and Samya.ai as its flagship products. It is also important to note that Fractal is the second Indian unicorn of 2022.
LEAD School is a Mumbai-based edtech company that helps bring in improved marketing and academic solutions for educational institutions to transform their school education in India. Founded in 2012 by Smita Deorah and Sumeet Mehta, LEAD School helps digitize and transform private schools to help them serve students from varying economic backgrounds better.
LEAD School turned unicorn on January 13, 2022, thereby becoming the first Indian edtech startup to achieve a unicorn valuation in 2022. LEAD raised a funding round worth $100 mn today, led by GSV Ventures and WestBridge Capital to attain unicorn status. The Deorah and Mehta-led startup has thus become the third unicorn startup in India in 2022.
Darwinbox has been founded by Chaitanya Peddi, Jayant Paleti and Rohit Chennamaneni as a cloud-based Hr technology product, which serves as an end-to-end HR software that helps enterprises automate the entire employee lifecycle. The HR software that the company provides the organizations, helps them manage all of their HR requirements including recruitment, payroll, employee engagement, talent management, and people analytics across the employee life cycle under one platform.
Darwinbox has already served 1.5 million employees across 650+ organizations from over 90 different industries. The company claims to be the third-largest HRTech platform after SAP and Oracle. The growing HR Tech platform has raised $72 million in its Series D funding round from TCV on January 25, 2022, to attain the unicorn club of Indian companies. The unicorn valuation obtained by Darwinbox has made it the first Indian Saas unicorn of 2022 and the fourth unicorn overall that the country has seen this year.
DealShare
Startup Name
DealShare
Headquarters
Bengaluru, Andhra Pradesh, India
Industry
Ecommerce, Grocery
Founders
Rajat Shikhar, Sankar Bora, Sourjyendu Medda, and Vineet Rao
Founded
2018
Investors
Tiger Global, Alteria Capital, Alpha Wave Global, Innoven Capital and other
Products and Services
Grocery and other consumer products via its ecommerce business
Valuation
$1.62 billion+ (January 2022)
DealShare is a social eCommerce startup based in Bengaluru. Founded in 2018 by Rajat Shikhar, Sankar Bora, Sourjyendu Medda, and Vineet Rao, DealShare boasts of having multi-category consumer goods that are available at affordable prices.
DealShare has turned into a unicorn, as per the reports dated January 27, 2022. The Bangalore-based grocery and essentials delivery eCommerce platform have raised $130 million via a Series E funding round led by Tiger Global, Alpha Wave, Kora Investment, and others for this recent round in funding.
ElasticRun
Startup Name
ElasticRun
Headquarters
Pune, Maharashtra, India
Industry
Ecommerce, Logistics, Transportation
Founders
Sandeep Deshmukh, Saurabh Nigam, Shitiz Bansal
Founded
2015
Investors
Softbank, Kalaari, Prosus, Innoven, Norwest Venture Partners and more
Products and Services
Online system, logistics and transportation support
Valuation
$1 billion+ (February 2022)
ElasticRun is an eCommerce logistics and transportation-based startup headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra, which is designed to serve as an online system that will empower the eCommerce and distribution industry of India by improving the reception of orders from customers and the dispatch of delivery drivers.
In a recent round of funding dated February 8, 2022, ElasticRun has raised over $300 million from SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Goldman Sachs with some of its existing investors including Prosus Ventures. At the conclusion of the fresh funding round, the company posted a post-money valuation of $1.44 bn. ElasticRun was just valued at $400 mn during the last round that it saw in April 2021, thereby implying that the valuation of the company saw a 3X rise. With this round, the Kirana commerce platform becomes the 6th unicorn startup in India in 2022.
Trifecta, Saint Gobain, Bessemer Venture, Helion Venture, Kharis Capital, and more
Products and Services
Interior Design solutions
Valuation
$1.44 billion+ (February 2022)
Built with an aim to connect individuals with designers, services, and products, Livspace is an interior designing startup that works as an omnichannel home interior and renovation platform. Headquartered in Bengaluru, Livspace helps homeowners to find pre-created looks for rooms, kitchens, and storage areas on the platform. Furthermore, Livspace also extends the opportunities to its customers to choose and buy the designs they want, along with further options for customization.
The Anuj Srivastava and Ramakant Sharma-led startup raised $180 Mn in a Series F funding round led by American investment giant KKR & Co. and other existing investors of Livspace including Jungle Ventures, Venturi Partners, Ingka Group (Ikea), and Peugeot Investments. This has lifted the valuation of Livspace to $1.44 bn. With the unicorn valuation that Livspace attained with the funding round dated February 8, 2022, the company witnessed a 2X jump in its valuation since December 2019, when it was valued at $500 million. The company became the 7th Indian unicorn in 2022 and is the 50th unicorn since January 2021.
Founded by Supam Maheshwari and Amitava Saha, Xpressbees is an eCommerce logistics platform that extends reliable delivery solutions to its partners along with customized delivery solutions. Headquartered in Pune, India, the company offers a wide range of delivery and logistics-oriented services including comprehensive last-mile delivery, reverse logistics, payment collection, drop shipping, vendor management, cross-border services, fulfilment services, and more. Furthermore, Xpressbees also boasts of bringing in tailored software solutions to clients.
Xpressbees is the 8th unicorn company in India, which raised $300 million worth of funds in its latest Series F funding round led by Blackstone Growth, TPG Growth, and ChrysCapital on February 9, 2022. The funding round via which it raised the funds that will support the next phase of business growth of Xpressbees also saw participation from its existing investors including Investcorp and Norwest Venture Partners.
Uniphore
Startup Name
Uniphore
Headquarters
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India and Palo Alto, California, USA
Industry
AI, Saas, Software
Founders
Ravi Saraogi, Umesh Sachdev
Founded
2008
Investors
IIFL, Sorenson, March Capital, Chiratae Ventures and more
Products and Services
auMina and akeira and other software products
Valuation
$2.5 billion+ (February 2022)
Uniphore is a Conversational Automation platform founded by Ravi Saraogi and Umesh Sachdev in 2008. The customer service platform developed by Uniphore is powered by AI and automation technologies the vision of which is to bridge the gap between people and machines through voice. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Uniphore extends first-rate customer service to global businesses and helps them benefit from the integrated suite of software products for conversational analytics, assistance, and security that Uniphore provides. auMina and akeira, two proprietary AI solutions are already developed by Uniphore in the speech analytics and virtual assistant verticals.
Uniphore raised $400 million in a Series E round led by NEA, March Capital, and others to become the eighth unicorn of India in 2022, as per the reports dated February 16, 2022, at the end of which the company was valued at $2.5 billion.
Hasura
Startup Name
Hasura
Headquarters
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Industry
Software
Founders
Rajoshi Ghosh and Tanmay Gopal
Founded
2017
Investors
Greenoaks, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Vertex Ventures and more
Products and Services
GraphQL development platform
Valuation
$1 billion+ (February 2022)
Hasura is a Bengaluru-based GraphQL development platform that has built its platform with an aim to boost web application development. The Rajoshi Ghosh and Tanmay Gopal-led startup plan to do this by reducing the roadblocks, thereby making data access easy for the frontend and full-stack developers. The platform turned into an open-source platform in July 2018 and since then developers from around the world have used Hasura to help themselves build the data layer for modern applications.
This developer-focused tooling products platform turned into a unicorn on February 22, 2022, thereby becoming the 10th Indian startup to enter the coveted unicorn club in 2022. It raised a funding of $100 million to obtain unicorn status in its Series C funding round.
CredAvenue
Startup Name
CredAvenue
Headquarters
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Industry
Fintech, Finance, PaaS
Founders
Gaurav Kumar and Vineet Sukumar
Founded
2017
Investors
Dragoneer, B Capital Group, Insight Partners, Sequoia Capital and more
Products and Services
CredLoan, CredCo-Lend, Plutus
Valuation
$1.3 billion+ (March 2022)
Termed as a complete corporate debt solution, CredAvenue is founded by Gaurav Kumar in 2017 and is designed as a fully integrated, unified digital platform, which helps investors discover, trade, execute and fulfil debt solutions for investors. Vineet Sukumar, who joined the startup in October 2020 also stands as the Founder and Director of CredAvenue.
CredAvenue turned into a unicorn on March 6, 2022, by raising $137 million worth of funds in a series-B round led by Insight Partners, B Capital Group, and Dragoneer. The company is currently valued at over $1.3 billion, which is more than double the valuation of CredAvenue that was measured in September 2021. The Chennai-based debt marketplace startup becomes the 11th Indian startup to attain unicorn status in 2022.
Baskar Subramanian, Srinivasan KA, Srividhya Srinivasan
Founded
2008
Investors
Accel, Mayfield, Premjiinvest, Emerald Media and more
Products and Services
Cloud solutions for broadcasting
Valuation
$1 billion+ (March 2022)
Founded in 2009, by Baskar Subramanian, Srinivasan KA, Srividhya Srinivasan, and originally headquartered in Bengaluru, Amagi is a media-tech and broadcasting startup that helps target TV advertisements geographically. As a Cloud Saas technology provider, Amagi offers a mix of media and innovation to bring services that are powerful, cost-effective, and result-oriented, thereby making a way for a new TV-media advertising platform.
Amagi raised $95 million in funding on March 16, 2022, led by Accel and a clutch of existing investors like Norwest Venture Partners and Avataar Ventures, which helped it attain a unicorn valuation. With this funding round, Amagi becomes the 12th Indian startup to enter the unicorn club in 2022. It is also presently hailed as one of the highest valued media tech companies in the world.
Started as Boomerang Commerce, founded by Guru Hariharan, CommerceIQ is an omnichannel management platform that is currently headquartered in Palo Alto, California, US. Founded in 2012, CommerceIQ uses cutting-edge technologies including Machine Learning and Automation to multiply e-commerce sales.
CommerceIQ raised $115 million in its Series D funding round dated March 21, 2022, led by Softbank to turn a unicorn. This funding round made CommerceIQ the 13th unicorn that India has seen so far in 2022 and the second Indian company to turn unicorn by a funding round led by SoftBank after ElasticRun.
Alpha Wave, LLC, Matrix, Capital Management, Tiger Global, Norwest and more
Products and Services
Financial Services
Valuation
$1 billion+ (March 2022)
Oxyzo is a credit solutions provider, working as the lending arm of the unicorn industrial goods and services procurement platform, OfBusiness. Founded by Asish Mohapatra, Ruchi Kalra, with a deep understanding of the SMEs’ business trends, Oxyzo aims to transform small and medium-scale enterprises into something bigger in terms of operations, revenue, and profit margins.
In the latest Series A funding round that Oxyzo witnessed on March 23, 2022, where it received $200 million from a clutch of investors including Alpha Wave Global, Tiger Global, Matrix Partners, Norwest Venture Partners, and more, the company turned unicorn. This was the first external round of investment that Oxyzo received that has made it attain unicorn status. Owned by OfBusiness, Oxyzo is the second unicorn of the group. Raising such a large amount in the Series A round, Oxyzo has also been recorded as the first Indian startup to do so to date.
Games 24×7
Startup Name
Games 24×7
Headquarters
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Industry
Gaming, Fantasy Sports
Founders
Bhavin Pandya, Trivikraman Thampy
Founded
2006
Investors
Malabar Investment and more
Products and Services
Gaming platform
Valuation
$1 billion+ (April 2022)
Games 24×7 is India’s leading scientific gaming company. Founded by Bhavin Pandya and Trivikraman Thampy, on June 1, 2006, headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Games 24×7 offers real money skill gaming, daily sports fantasy games, and casual gaming for its users.
The leading games platform recently turned unicorn on March 30, 2022, by raising $75 mn of funds led by Malabar India Fund and is currently valued at $2.5 billion. Tiger Global was an existing investor who also took part in the same funding round. Games 24×7 is currently hailed as India’s 99th unicorn company, as per the reports dated 30th March 2022.
Open is a neobanking startup that was founded in 2017 and is headquartered currently in Bangalore. Ajeesh Achuthan, Anish Achuthan, Deena Jacon, and Mabel Chacko were the minds behind the foundation of Open.
The neobanking culture is rapidly influencing the Indian banking and financial system and Open has been one of the major players in this growing culture. Open is currently powering 2.3+ million SMEs and processing over $30 billion in annualized transactions, which is certainly huge. This neobanking startup has put another feather in its cap by raising $50 mn in its Series D round on May 2, 2022, and turning into a unicorn, led by IIFL, Temasek, 3one4 Capital, and Tiger Global. With this, Open has seized the title of being the 1st Indian unicorn from the neobanking space and the 16th unicorn that India has seen so far in 2022.
It is also important to note here that Open has resumed India’s unicorn streak, which showed an unprecedented pause towards the end of March 2022, after Games 24×7 achieved the unicorn status.
Tutoring, Study materials for Classes 6-12, and Live Courses for them and for the other entrance examinations like JEE, NEET and more
Valuation
$1.1 billion+ (June 2022)
PhysicsWallah is an edtech company founded by Alakh Pandey in 2016, where Prateek Maheshwari. It offers online and offline courses and study materials for engineering and medical entrance examinations like JEE and NEET along with various entrance and state board exams. Video lectures, live classes, test series, and dynamic exercises are some of the main services that PhysicsWallah offers.
PhysicsWallah had last seen the Series A funding round, which was the maiden fundraising round that poured $100 mn into the startup. This round was led by Westbridge and GSV Ventures and helped the bootstrapped startup turn into an Indian unicorn company on June 7, 2022, thereby making PhysicsWallah the 101st Indian unicorn. PhysicsWallah, which was valued at $1.1 bn post the infusion, is currently hailed as the second bootstrapped Indian company that turned a unicorn. PhysicsWallah belongs to the edtech space that is seeing a huge upheaval after the unwinding of the country post-pandemic. Losses rage the edtech sector now, and layoffs are the new normal for the Edtech space in India.
Blume Ventures, Kedaara Capital, PremjiInvest, Goldman Sachs and more
Products and Services
Ecommerce platform for cosmetics and beauty products including haircare, skincare products and more
Valuation
$1.1 billion+ (June 2022)
Purplle is an Indian multi-brand beauty retailing online marketplace that was founded in 2011. Founded by Rahul Dash and Manish Taneja, Purplle is an online store that offers a wide range of products spanning numerous categories like fragrances, cosmetics, hair and skincare, and more.
The Mumbai-headquartered D2C cosmetic ecommerce brand turned unicorn on June 7, 2022, by raising $33 mn of funding from South Korea-based Paramark Ventures and its existing investors including Kedaara Capital, Blume Ventures, and PremjiInvest.
LeadSquared
Startup Name
LeadSquared
Headquarters
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Industry
Saas, Technology
Founders
Nilesh Patel, Prashant Singh, and Sudhakar Gorti
Founded
2011
Investors
WestBridge Capital, International Finance Corporation, Gaja Capital and more
Products and Services
Marketing Automation, Field Force Automation, Self-serve Portal, Sales Execution CRM, Sales Performance Suite
Valuation
$1 billion+ (June 2022)
Raising $153 mn in its Series C funding round from WestBridge Capital and others, LeadSquared turned unicorn, thereby becoming the 103rd Indian unicorn, as of June 21, 2022. With this latest funding in its arsenal, LeadSquared is planning to invest more in its business in India and North America. It is also looking to foray into the APAC and EMEA regions ahead, and would also fund some acquisitions. Besides, it is also looking to increase its workforce, and might even double its headcounts in the next 18 months.
LeadSquared was founded by Nilesh Patel, Prashant Singh, and Sudhakar Gorti in 2011, and is currently headquartered in Bengaluru. New Jersey, Philippines, South Africa, Australia, and Indonesia are some other territories where the company has seen its expansion to date. As a company, LeadSquared offers solutions for end-to-end sales, marketing, and onboarding automation, making these processes easy for its customers. LeadSquared already has 2,000+ customers, which belong to a variety of industries, including education, BFSI, healthcare, real estate, automotive, hospitality,and more. Some of its customers include biggies like Byju’s, Godrej Housing Finance, Olx, Dunzo, Practo, Kotak Securities, Amazon Pay, NIIT, Uni,and more.
OneCard
Startup Name
OneCard
Headquarters
Pune, Maharashtra, India
Industry
Financial Services, Credit card challenger
Founder
Vaibhav Hathi, Rupesh Kumar, Anurag Sinha
Founded
2018
Investors
Sequoia Capital, Ocean View Investment, QED Holdings, Matrix Partners, Hummingbird and more
Products and Services
Metal credit cards, Visa credit cards, OneScore
Valuation
$1.3 billion (FY22)
OneCard was founded in 2018 by Vaibhav Hathi, Rupesh Kumar, and Anurag Sinha, and is a subsidiary of FPL Technologies. Being an Indian startup from the credit card challenger space, OneCard competes with companies like Slice, Karbon Card, Uni Card, and more. OneCard rolled out its first mobile metal credit card in 2020, which it offers as a service along with Visa credit cards in partnership with numerous banks, and OneScore, a digital credit score checking platform that helps users check their credit scores without paying anything and without even any spams. OneCard currently extends its services in 12+ states across India.
OneCard turned unicorn after it raised $100 mn in funds via its Series D funding round led by Temasek, Sequoia Capital, QED Holdings, Matrix Partners, Hummingbird, and others, on June 13, 2022. With this fundraising round, OneCard is now valued at around $1.3 bn, thereby turning into the 104th Indian unicorn in 2022. Its total funding now crossed $225 mn, as of July 14th, 2022. After Slice, OneCard is now the second unicorn Indian startup in the credit card challenger space now.
5ire
Startup Name
5ire
Headquarters
London, England, UK
Industry
Blockchain Network
Founder
Pratik Gauri, Prateek Dwivedi, and Vilma Mattila
Founded
August 2021
Investors
SRAM & MRAM, GEM Global Yield LLC SCS (GGY), Launchpool, Sanctum Global Ventures
5ire is a London-based 5th generation Layer-1 (L1) blockchain network founded by Pratik Gauri and Prateek Dwivedi, who are of Indian origin, and with the help of web3 financier Vilma Mattila, in August 2021. 5ire aims to build a space in the web3 revolution, just like Google did in the case of web1 revolution and Facebook revolutionised the web2 space, mentioned the company CEO Pratik Gauri. The name “5ire” came from the idea of the 5th industrial revolution.
5ire raised $100 mn in Series A funding from UK-based conglomerate SRAM & MRAM at a valuation of $1.5 Bn to be listed as the 105th unicorn of India.
Shiprocket
Startup Name
Shiprocket
Headquarters
New Delhi, India
Industry
Ecommerce, Logistics, Supply Chain Management
Founders
Gautam Kapoor, Saahil Goel, Vishesh Khurana and Akshay Ghulati
Founded
2017
Investors
Tamesek Holdings, Lightrock, Bertelsmann, Moore Strategic Ventures
Products and Services
Ecommerce Logistics and Shipping Software, Courier Delivery App
Valuation
$1.2 billion (August 2022)
Shiprocket was founded in 2017 by Gautam Kapoor, Saahil Goel, Vishesh Khurana and Akshay Ghulati. The startup is a developer of an eCommerce shipping and enablement application and is headquartered in New Delhi. The platform makes use of a machine learning-based data engine to recommend the best courier service for a business and select a courier company. Apart from this, it offers benefits like packaging, warehousing, printing shipping labels, and tracking orders from a single panel. This helps the merchants and sellers to manage the deliveries smoothly.
The Zomato-backed logistics startup has become the 106thunicorn startup in India after raising $33.5 million from Temasek Holdings and Lightrock raising its valuation to $1.2 billion. This makes it the 21st Indian startup to turn unicorn in 2022.
Tata 1mg (formerly 1mg) was founded in the year 2015 by Prashant Tandon, Gaurav Agarwal, and Vikas Chauhan. The startup is headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana. It is an online drug delivery platform that intends to make healthcare more accessible and affordable. The platform is known to offer medicines and other healthcare products, lab tests, and online consultations from healthcare professionals. All this makes it a one-stop solution for all of the customersā healthcare needs.
The Tata-owned health tech platform has become the 107th unicorn startup in India after raising $40 million in an internal round of funding led by Tata Digital, raising its valuation to $1.25 billion.
Molbio Diagnostics
Startup Name
Molbio Diagnostics
Headquarters
VERNA, Goa, India
Industry
HealthTech, MedTech
Founders
Chandrasekhar Nair, Sriram Natarajan
Founded
2010
Investors
Temasek Holdings, Motilal Oswal Private Equity
Products and Services
Medical Diagnostics, TB Diagnostic Tools, RT-PCR
Valuation
$1.53 (September 2022)
Molbio Diagnostics is a manufacturer of molecular diagnostics. The company was founded by Sriram Natarajan and Chandrasekhar Nair and is headquartered in Verna, Goa. It operates as a platform that specializes in providing affordable diagnoses for tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.
After raising $85 million from Temasek and existing investor Motilal Oswal Alternates, Molbio Diagnostics became India’s 108th unicorn startup in September 2022 and the first unicorn startup from Goa, increasing its valuation to $1.53 billion.
Zepto was founded by Kaivalya Vohra and Aadit Palicha, both Stanford students who decided to drop out of the university to pursue entrepreneurship. The startup was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in Mumbai. It is a quick commerce platform designed to deliver groceries to your doorstep within 10 minutes, ensuring convenient access to essential food items.
Zepto became India’s first unicorn in 2023 after a long 11-month unicorn drought. The startup raised $200 million in a Series E funding round led by StepStone Group with participation from Goodwater Capital and existing investors in August 2023. This funding round increased Zepto’s valuation to $1.4 billion, making it an exclusive member of the unicorn club.
Krutrim
Startup Name
Krutrim
Industry
Research Services
Founder
Bhavish Aggarwal
Founded
2023
Investors
Matrix Partners India and others
Valuation
$1 billion (January 2024)
Krutrim is an artificial intelligence startup launched by Ola founder and Chairman Bhavish Aggarwal in 2023. Krutrim AI is a part of the Ola group and is committed to building the entire AI computing stack for the future. It aims to provide an advanced AI computing stack for India, including infrastructure, cloud services, foundational models, and AI-powered applications. By offering a comprehensive AI computing stack tailored for the Indian market, Krutrim aims to empower consumers, startups, enterprises, and scientists with cutting-edge technology.
India’s own AI, Krutrim AI, raised $50 million at a valuation of $1 billion in a funding round led by Matrix Partners India and others. This not only makes Krutrim India’s first unicorn of 2024 but also represents a historic achievement as India gets its first artificial intelligence unicorn, marking it as Bhavish Aggarwal’s third unicorn startup.
Real-Time Credit Decisioning, Analytics, Onboarding Automation, SME Lending Solutions, and More
Valuation
$1 billion (March 2024)
Perfios Software Solutions is Indiaās leading B2B fintech software company. Headquartered in Bangalore, Perfios specializes in credit decisioning, analytics, and onboarding automation. Their core data platform seamlessly aggregates and analyzes both structured and unstructured data, providing tailored solutions for the BFSI sector. Perfios empowers financial institutions to make informed decisions while enhancing customer experiences across the banking, financial services, and insurance sectors.
Perfios raised $80 million from Teachersā Venture Growth (TVG), the late-stage venture and growth investment arm of Ontario Teachersā Pension Plan. This deal has raised Perfios’ valuation to $1 billion, making it a unicorn startup in India.
Porter
Startup Name
Porter
Headquarter
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Industry
Logistics, Transportation
Founder
Pranav Goel, Uttam Digga, Vikas Choudhary
Founded
2014
Investors
Tiger Global Management, Vitruvian Partners
Products and Services
Two-wheelers, Trucks, Packers and Movers, Porter for Enterprise, Courier Service
Valuation
$1 Billion (May 2024)
Porter is an online logistics marketplace that simplifies truck booking for businesses. They offer mini trucks and tempo rentals based on date and location, with real-time tracking for efficient logistics management.
Founded in 2014 by Pranav Goel, Uttam Digga, and Vikas Choudhary and headquartered in Bengaluru, Porter has disrupted logistics with its on-demand marketplace for LCVs, bikes, and specialised services like Enterprise and Packers & Movers.
Porter became the third unicorn startup in India in 2024 following a recent friends and family round, during which individuals purchased shares from the company’s employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) at a valuation of $1 billion. This came after a successful funding round in 2021, where Porter raised $100 million from investors like Tiger Global Management and Vitruvian Partners.
RateGain
Startup Name
RateGain Travel Technologies Limited
Headquarter
Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
Industry
SaaS, Travel Technology, Hospitality Solutions
Founder
Bhanu Chopra
Founded
2004
Investors
Pinebridge Global Funds, Troo Capital, ICICI Prudential MF, Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance
Products and Services
Hotel Distribution, Hotel Booking Engine, Travel-Intent, Competitor Pricing Intelligence
Valuation
$1 Billion
RateGain Travel Technologies Limited is a SaaS company in the travel and hospitality industry. It offers solutions for hotels, airlines, online travel agents, and more. Founded in 2004 by Bhanu Chopra, RateGain operates in over 100 countries.
In 2024, RateGain became the only listed company to reach unicorn status in India, with a valuation of $1 billion. Headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, the company helps businesses grow revenue through acquisition, retention, and wallet share expansion. It was one of the six companies that entered the Indian startup unicorn club in 2024.
Rapido
STARTUP NAME
Rapido
Headquarter
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Industry
Transportation, Mobility Tech
Founder
Aravind Sanka, Pavan Guntupalli, Rishikesh SR
Founded
2015
Investors
WestBridge Capital, Nexus Venture Partners
Products and Services
Bike Taxi Service, Auto Rickshaw Services
Valuation
$1 Billion (July 2024)
Rapido is Indiaās largest and fastest-growing bike taxi app service. Headquartered in Bengaluru, Rapido offers two-wheeler ride services with transparent fares, making intra-city travel and last-mile connectivity affordable and fun. The platform also includes app-based auto rickshaws and delivery services, quickly expanding into various transportation solutions.
Founded in 2015 by Aravind Sanka, Pavan Guntupalli, and Rishikesh SR, Rapido raised $120 million in a Series E funding round in July 2024, led by WestBridge Capital. This funding round boosted Rapidoās valuation to over a billion, making it a unicorn startup in India.
Ather Energy
Startup Name
Ather Energy
Headquarters
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Industry
Automotive, Electric vehicles, Motor Vehicle Manufacturing
Ather Energy is a leading electric two-wheeler manufacturer in India, headquartered in Bengaluru. The company is known for its innovative and eco-friendly scooters, including the Ather 450 series and Ather Rizta, which feature advanced lithium-ion battery packs and digital management systems. Ather Energyās products are designed to offer a cleaner, smarter mode of transportation.
Founded in 2013 by Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain, Ather Energy secured $71 million in a funding round led by the existing investor National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) in August 2024. This funding round increased Ather Energy’s valuation to $1.3 billion, making it a unicorn startup in India.
Moneyview
Startup Name
Moneyview
Headquarters
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Industry
FinTech, Digital Lending, Personal Financial Management
Founder
Puneet Agarwal, Sanjay Aggarwal
Founded
2014
Investors
Accel India, Nexus Ventures, Tiger Global Management
Products and Services
Loans, Investments, Personal Finance Management Solutions, Smart Pay, Credit Tracker
Valuation
$1.2 Billion (September 2024)
Moneyview, a leading consumer lending platform, offers personalised financial products such as loans, credit tracking, investments, and personal financial management solutions. Headquartered in Bengaluru, the company enables users to access instant personal loans, track finances, and manage expenses through a seamless, paperless process.
Founded in 2014 by Puneet Agarwal and Sanjay Aggarwal, Moneyview became a unicorn startup in September 2024 after raising $4.6 million in a funding round from Accel India and Nexus Ventures, bringing its valuation to $1.2 billion.
Fleet Camera System, Driverā¢i One, Driverā¢i Hub-X, Driver Drowsiness with Driver Monitoring System (DMS) Sensor
Valuation
$1.34 Billion (January 2025)
Netradyne is a leading logistics AI startup, transforming fleet management with advanced technology. The company utilises artificial intelligence, machine learning, and edge computing to enhance driver safety by minimising accidents, identifying risky driving behaviours, and shielding drivers from false claims. Its flagship product, Driverā¢i, collects and analyses vast amounts of data to set new safety standards for commercial vehicles, helping businesses enhance safety, boost profitability, and build a driver-focused culture.
Founded in 2015 by Avneesh Agrawal, Netradyne became India’s first unicorn of 2025 in January after securing $90 million in a Series D funding round led by Point72 Private Investments, alongside Qualcomm Ventures and Pavilion Capital, bringing its valuation to$1.34 billion.
Former Indian Unicorn Companies
India has seen many unicorn companies to date and the above list containing is a testament to that. However, if you wonder about the total number of unicorns in India, then the numbers would be even more than what reflects in the list above because many of the unicorn companies in the country have either gone defunct or devalued thus, lost their unicorn status. Here’s remembering the prominent ones among them:
Quikr is a Bengaluru-based Indian online marketplace and classified advertising company that was founded in 2008 by Pranay Chulet. Quikr boasts of having its listings in over 1000 cities in India across a wide range of product categories including cars, mobile phones, household products, education, jobs, services, and more.
The online classified ads major was valued at over $1.5 billion on October 8, 2015. However, the company lost its unicorn status in February 2020.
Started as a social media instant messaging app, Hike Messenger was beyond a craze when it first launched. It was the time when Whatsapp was launched recently in India and was far from gaining the popularity that it is currently known for. Kavin Bharti Mitta, who was the founder and CEO of Hike, founded the company in December 2012.
Hike raised $175 million in a Series D funding round, which valued the startup at $1.4 billion in just under 3.7 years in August 2016, thereby becoming the then youngest startup in India to achieve the feat!
However, the company saw a massive drop in its revenue as Whatsapp rapidly rose to fame and dominated the market. The company tried some strategies to lift its brand value. It even tried a sticker-centric experience by rebranding itself as Hike Sticker Chat in April 2019. The company finally announced its shutdown on January 15, 2021.
ShopClues was founded by Sanjay Sethi, Radhika Aggarwal, and Sandeep Aggarwal in 2011 and has claimed to be India’s first and largest managed marketplace. It was once a promising company with over 2.5 crore listed products and 6,00,000+ merchants. Shopclues also turned into a unicorn back in 2016 and was hailed as the fourth unicorn startup in India. However, ShopClues has slowly and steadily collapsed from being a promising unicorn to an also-ran by the company and was finally sold to Singapore-based Qoo10 Pte Ltd at a valuation of just $70-100 million in an all-stock deal.
FAQs
What is the meaning of a Unicorn startup?
Startups with a valuation of over $1 Billion are known as Unicorns.
How many unicorn startups are there in India in 2024?
As of September 2024, there are 117 unicorns in India.
Which are the top Indian unicorns?
Some of the top unicorns that India boasts of today are:
Zomato
Nykaa
PolicyBazaar
OYO
Ola
Paytm
Swiggy
BYJU’S
FirstCry
Lenskart
Freshworks
Moglix
Nykaa
Swiggy
Pine Labs
BlackBuck
Which is India’s first unicorn startup?
InMobi, a Bangalore-based multinational mobile advertising technology company, founded in 2007 is the first to enter the unicorn club. InMobi became the first unicorn in 2011.
Is Nykaa a unicorn?
Nykaa entered the unicorn club in 2020.
Which country has the most unicorns?
The United States is at the top of the list with over 650 unicorns as of August 2023.
What is the obsession with unicorn startups?
Unicorn startups boast of their valuation, which has crossed the $1 billion mark, and are always at the edge of their gameplay. The companies grouped in as unicorns are forever in competition with each other, and always stand as inspirational figures for the rest of the startups and other budding companies.
How many companies turn unicorns?
Though startups are everywhere now around us, as per the recently conducted surveys, 9 out of every 10 startups fail. Therefore, being a successful startup and turning it into a unicorn is always difficult for startups. AngelList says that a venture-backed seed-stage startup has a 1 in 40 shot, which is equivalent to a 2.5% chance of achieving unicorn status today.
Is Zerodha a unicorn?
Yes, Zerodha entered the unicorn club in 2020 with a valuation of about $1 billion.
Which Indian startups became unicorns in 2020?
Pine Labs
FirstCry
Nykaa
Unacademy
Zerodha
Razorpay
Postman
Cars24
Dailyhunt
Glance, InMobi, and more.
Which Indian startups became unicorns in 2021?
BrowserStack
Moglix
PharmEasy
CRED
Meesho
Urban Company
Digit Insurance
Groww
Gupshup
Chargebee
Zeta
Infra.Market
Innovaccer
Five Star Business Finance
Licious
Vedantu and more.
How many startups turned unicorns in India in 2024?
As of September 2024, six startups turned unicorns including Krutrim, Perfios, Porter, Rapido, Ather Energy, and Moneyview.
What are the Indian companies that turned unicorns in 2022?
The Indian companies that turned unicorns in 2022 are:
Namita Thaparās journey is one of bold decisions and thoughtful investments. As the Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, she leads one of Indiaās top pharma companies, but her story goes far beyond that. On the set of Shark Tank India, Thapar is known for her keen eye for promising startups and the wisdom she offers young entrepreneurs. Her investments are more than just financial support. They are stories of growth, passion, and vision.
In this article, let’s explore the complete overview of all the investments made by Namita Thapar, both in and out of Shark Tank India.
Story of Namita Thapar: The Pharma Queen Who Became a Shark
About Namita Thapar and Emcure Pharmaceuticals
Namita Thapar, one of the sharks on Shark Tank India, is among the most famous and leading businesswomen in India. Born on March 21, 1977, in Pune, she is the Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, one of Indiaās top pharmaceutical companies. Emcure Pharmaceuticals develops, manufactures, and sells a variety of medicines worldwide, with a focus on areas such as cardiology, oncology, and womenās health. The company operates in over 70 countries and launched its IPO in July 2024, marking a prominent growth moment in its journey.
Thapar is also a qualified Chartered Accountant and an MBA graduate from Dukeās Fuqua School of Business. Along with her role at Emcure Pharmaceuticals, she serves as a board member, speaker, and trustee for various prestigious organisations. She runs a company called Incredible Ventures Pvt. Ltd., which aims to educate and create business experiences for future entrepreneurs. On the show Shark Tank India, Thapar is known for her keen investment sense and strategic mindset and is widely respected for her encouraging and supportive nature towards entrepreneurship in India.
Namita Thapar has been a part of all seasons of Shark Tank India and continues to make impactful investments in innovative startups. Here are some of the prominent investments by Namita Thapar from Shark Tank India:
Brandsdaddy
Startup Name
Brandsdaddy
Industry
Consumer Services
Founder
Roshaan Vivekanand Mishra, Annkita Roshaan Mishra
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 35 lakhs for 5% equity
Brandsdaddy – Namita Thapar Investments
Brandsdaddy, founded in 2013, is a manufacturer of fire extinguisher balls in India. The Brandsdaddy AFE Fire Extinguishing Ball, when thrown into a fire, gets activated in 3ā10 seconds and effectively disperses extinguishing chemicals. This fire extinguisher by Brandsdaddy works well and can be placed in fire-prone areas to prevent any mishaps.
Namita Thapar contributed INR 35 lakhs in exchange for 5% equity in the company, as well as INR 35 lakhs in debt at a 12% interest rate.
Girgit
Startup Name
Girgit
Industry
Fashion, Clothing and Apparel
Founder
Pooja Bajaj Shah
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 20 lakhs for 20% equity
Girgit – Namita Thapar Business Investments
Girgit is a clothing brand that sells colour-changing clothes, shoes, watch straps, and more. The products offered by the startup change colour when exposed to different temperatures. For example, the shoes change colour when they come into contact with the sunlight.
Girgit received an INR 20 lakh investment from Namita Thapar in exchange for 20% equity.
STAGE
Startup Name
STAGE
Industry
Entertainment Providers
Founder
Parveen Singhal, Vinay Singhal, Shashank Vaishnav
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 50 lakhs for 0.2% equity
STAGE – Namita Thapar Investments
STAGE is an Indian-language content platform (OTT) founded in the year 2019. This Indore-based startup offers a platform that allows artists to create local standup content for a local audience in their native language. The content forms include poetry, comedy, storytelling, and more.
STAGE secured INR 1.5 crore in exchange for 0.6% equity and also INR 1.5 crore in debt at 18% interest from Namita Thapar, Aman Gupta, and Peyush Bansal in Shark Tank India season 2. Here, Namita’s investment stood at INR 50 lakhs for 0.2% equity and INR 50 lakhs in debt at 18% interest.
Very Much Indian – Namita Thapar Business Investments
Very Much Indian is an online store that sells traditional and authentic sarees. These sarees are sourced directly from Indian weavers. The aim of the startup is to bring in authentic sarees from all across India. It offers sarees in a wide variety like cotton, pure silks, bandhani, linen, chanderi, kota, kanjeevaram, and many more.
The sharks Namita and Aman were impressed by Very Much Indian and agreed to a deal. Namita invested INR 25 lakhs in the startup in exchange for 5% equity.
JhaJi Store
Startup Name
JhaJi Store
Industry
Food and Beverage
Founder
Kalpana Jha, Uma Jha
Namita Thapar’s Investment
NA
JhaJi Store – Namita Thapar Investments
JhaJi Store is an online store that sells homemade achar (pickles). The recipe for the pickles made by the startup has its roots in Mithilanchal, Bihar. All of the ingredients used to make achar are natural and sourced locally from small-scale farmers and traders. The startup offers a variety of pickles and chutneys that are free from artificial colours, preservatives, and additives.
In January 2023, JhaJi Store raised an Angel round worth INR 13 crores from Namita Thapar and four other investors, including Vineeta Singh.
Bummer
Startup Name
Bummer
Industry
Clothing and Apparel
Founder
Sulay Lavsi
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 37.5 lakhs for 3.75% equity
Bummer – Namita Thapar Investments
Bummer is a startup that offers comfortable underwear for men and women. They aim to deliver customers the best and softest fabric possible. Bummer was the first company that Namita Thapar invested in Shark Tank India season 1. This startup asked for INR 75 lakhs investment for 4% equity. The fabric’s quality and designs attracted Namita Thapar to invest INR 37.5 lakhs for 3.75% equity in this startup.
Skippi Ice Pops
Startup Name
Skippi Ice Pops
Industry
Food and Beverage
Founder
Ravi Kabra, Anuja Kabra
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 20 lakhs for 3% equity
Skippi Ice Pops – Namita Thapar Investments
Skippi Ice Pops delivers 100% natural Ice Pops with all-natural colours, preservatives, and sweeteners. Owned by Kabra Global Products Pvt Ltd., it is India’s first Ice Popsicle brand. Skippi Ice Pops made another achievement by becoming the first company to grab the attention and investment of all the sharks on Shark Tank India. Namita Thapar invested INR 20 lakhs for a 3% equity in Skippi Pops.
The couple, Aditi Gupta and Tuhin Paul started Menstrupedia Comic in 2012. The startupās primary aim is to create and spread awareness of menstruation through its comics. The right thing the founders did was to present their pitch before Namita Thapar, who has been in the pharma industry for years. For a 20% equity in Menstrupedia, Thapar offered the asked amount of INR 50 lakhs and the founders accepted the deal.
Altor is a smart helmet company founded by a team of college graduates. They made the helmet with good impact protection and features like Google Assistant, Bluetooth connectivity, audio navigation, and many such facilities. Altor received INR 25 lakhs for 3.5% equity from Namita Thapar, who was attracted by the product’s advanced features and the founders’ noblest idea.
Nuutjob
Startup Name
Nuutjob
Industry
Wellness, Beauty & Personal care
Founder
Ananya Maloo, Anushree Maloo
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 8.33 lakhs for 6.6% equity
Nuutjob – Namita Thapar Investments
Nuutjob is a male intimate hygiene company started by two sisters from Ahmedabad. It is a unique business idea and a taboo topic to speak about in India. Initiating such an idea into a business concept by these two sisters was widely appreciated. Namita Thapar agreed to invest INR 8.33 lakhs in Nuutjob in return for 6.66% equity in the company.
Farda
Startup Name
Farda
Industry
Clothing and Apparel
Founder
Chahat Pahuja, Sanskar Mishra
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 15 lakhs for 10% equity
Farda – Namita Thapar Investments
A stylish streetwear brand, Farda is a customized denim clothing company founded by Chahat Pahuja and Sanskar Mishra. Farda offers unique and cool designer clothes that can be altered as per the customer’s requirements. The pitching and the presentation made by the founders were so fantastic that they instantly attracted the sharks. Namita offered to support these young talents by investing INR 15 lakhs for 10% of the companyās equity.
Auli Lifestyle
Startup Name
Auli Lifestyle
Industry
Beauty and Personal care
Founder
Aishwarya Biswas
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 75 lakhs for 15% equity
Auli Lifestyle – Namita Thapar Business Investments
Aishwarya Biswas, the founder of Auli Lifestyle, pitched her idea for a fund requirement of INR 75 lakhs. Auli Lifestyle is a company that manufactures Ayurvedic products for skincare and markets them in a few states in India. The company has its own retail stores to sell the products. Namita Thapar, the Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, was so taken with the concept of Auli Lifestyle that she agreed to invest the entire sum of INR 75 lakhs. She was willing to take 15% equity in return for her investment, to which the founder agreed.
Thinkerbell Labs
Startup Name
Thinkerbell Labs
Industry
Education, Hardware
Founder
Sanskriti Dawle, Dilip Ramesh, Aman Srivastava, Saif Shaikh
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 35 lakhs for 1% equity
Thinkerbell Labs – Namita Thapar Investments
Annie is the product of Thinkerbell Labs, which four peers from college co-founded. Prominent investors like Anand Mahindra have already backed the company. On Shark Tank India, the co-founders made their presentation through a 10-year-old visually impaired kid. This attracted the sharks Namita Thapar, Anupam Mittal, and Peyush Bansal to invest INR 1.05 crores out of which Namita contributed INR 35 lakhs for 1% equity in the company.
The Renal Project is a healthcare service business that entered Shark Tank India with an original ask of INR 1 crore. This company helps patients requiring dialysis through its home and in-center dialysis services. The judges were captivated by the Renal Project’s business execution and were persuaded to invest in the company. Namita Thapar offered to invest INR 50 lakhs and provide business development assistance through her pharmaceutical connections. She, in turn, agreed to 3% equity, which sealed the deal.
COCOFIT
Startup Name
COCOFIT
Industry
Food and Beverages
Founder
Sasi Kanth Visinigiri, Pavan Kumar Seepana, Sunil Kumar Tentu
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 1.6 for 1.6% equity
COCOFIT – Namita Thapar Investments
COCOFIT is a franchise business that deals with coconut-based beverages. The founders pitched their business in Shark Tank India and startled the judges with their asking amount. They asked INR 5 for 5% equity in the company. Cocofitās beverages impressed all the sharks, but only three of them showed interest in investing. Namita Thapar agreed to invest her part of INR 1.67 for a share of 1.67% in the company.
Beyond Water established its business as Indiaās first liquid enhancer. The product adds some taste and colour to the water we drink to make it fun and healthy. Beyond Water also adds some nutritional value to the water. Namita Thaparās field of expertise makes her invest more in health-related startups. Beyond Water’s business concept convinced her, and she invested INR 37.5 lakhs for 7.5% ownership in the company.
Find Your Kicks India
Startup Name
Find Your Kicks India
Industry
Retail, Fashion and Accessories
Founder
Danish Chawla, Simardeep Singh, Harshdeep Singh
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 10 lakhs for 5% equity
Find Your Kicks India – Namita Thapar Investments
Find Your Kicks India is one of the few companies that received an āAll Shark Dealā in the Shark Tank India show. Though her business is in no way related to sneakers, Namita Thapar was so excited during the presentation right from the beginning. Find Your Kicks India is involved in buying, selling, and trading top brands and limited edition sneakers. Thapar put in her INR 10 lakhs for 5% equity with the āAll Sharks Dealā made at INR 50 lakhs.
AAS Vidyalaya
Startup Name
AAS Vidyalaya
Industry
EdTech
Founder
Vikas Kakwani
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 50 lakhs for 5% equity
AAS Vidyalaya – Namita Thapar Investments
AAS Vidyalaya is an EdTech company founded with a mission to encourage rural education. The founders made it an āAnywhere Anytimeā online school for the convenience of rural students while also following the NCERT guidelines. The mission they had for the company was so clear that it prompted Namita Thapar to invest INR 50 lakhs for a 5% stake in the company.
Brainwired
Startup Name
Brainwired
Industry
AgriTech
Founder
Sreesankar Nair, Romeo P Jerard
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 15 lakhs for 2.5% equity
Brainwired – Namita Thapar Investments
WeSTOCK is an amazing device designed by Brainwired for monitoring the health of livestock. For now, this device monitors and updates the health of cows and is expected to be expanded to all livestock. When a startup related to health pops up, Namita Thapar finds a way to share her expertise in the companyās development. She readily agreed to invest INR 15 lakhs for 2.5% equity, and the same was offered by Aman, Peyush, and Ashneer Grover too.
InACan
Startup Name
InACan
Industry
Food and Beverages
Founder
Sameer Mirajkar, Viraj Sawant
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 20 lakhs for 2% equity
InACan – Namita Thapar Business Investments
InACan, a cocktail startup, won the ‘All Shark Deal’ in the Shark Tank show. The company received twice the amount they had requested from the sharks. A deal of INR1 crore was agreed upon between the sharks and the founders for 10% equity in the company. Namita Thapar contributed INR 20 lakhs for a 2% stake in the startup. InACan’s mission is to give a fantastic bar experience to the customers at their place. So they manufacture delicious and low-calorie cocktails that are available in 250ml cans. This makes the drinks easy to carry and store, ready to drink anywhere and anytime.
Sunfox Technologies
Startup Name
Sunfox Technologies
Industry
Healthtech, Medtech
Founder
Rajat Jain, Arpit Jain
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 20 lakhs for 1.2% equity
Sunfox Technologies – Namita Thapar Investments
Spandan’s portable ECG device grabs all the sharks’ attention and investment in the show. The company created a small, compact device to help people know their ECG, BP, and blood sugar levels. They aim to reduce undiagnosed health failures and death rates by offering affordable health monitors to keep constant track of our bodies. Sunfox Technologies bagged a deal from five sharks for INR 1 crore in exchange for 6% equity, where Namita invested INR 20 lakhs and got 1.2% equity in turn.
Rare Planet
Startup Name
Rare Planet
Industry
Consumer Goods, Ecommerce, Retail
Founder
Ranodeep Saha, Vijay Kumar TR
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 65 lakhs for 3% equity
Rare Planet – Namita Thapar Investments
Rare Planet unites thousands of rural artisans to create handicrafts and markets them through retail stores and online platforms. The amount of hard work, marketing strategies, and creativity in their products made Namita Thapar invest in the company. Rare Planet asked for a sum of INR 65 lakhs and Thapar contributed the entire money in return for 3% equity in the company.
Watt Technovations
Startup Name
Watt Technovations
Industry
Healthcare, MedTech
Founder
Nihaal Singh Adarsh
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 25 for 1% equity
Watt Technovations – Namita Thapar Investments
The founder of Watt Technovations, Nihaal Singh Adarsh, is a 19-year-old student keen on giving shape to his innovative ideas. He pitched his idea of reducing the difficulties of using PPE kits for long hours during his Shark Tank India show. He asked for INR 101 for 2% of the company. Later, he even increased his offer on equity to 4%. As a means of motivation, four out of five sharks, including Namita Thapar, agreed to give him the requested amount of INR 101 (INR 25 each from Namita, Peyush, and Ghazal, and INR 26 from Anupam Mittal) for 4% equity (1% equity each).
Wakao Foods
Startup Name
Wakao Foods
Industry
Food and Beverage Services
Founder
Sairaj Dhond
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 25 lakhs for 7% equity
Wakao Foods – Namita Thapar Investments
Wakao Foods is a plant-based meat startup. It is a ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat food manufacturer in India. The base for all its food products is jackfruit. Wakao offers vegan foods made out of jackfruit with no added preservatives. Namita Thapar invested INR 25 lakhs in Wakao Foods for 7% equity because of the founder’s confidence and clarity in the business, as well as the quality of the product.
In our country, where cricket crowns the world of sports, this startup has come to promote Kabaddi and bring in more fans and players to the sport. Kabaddi Adda conducts leagues, broadcasts them on OTTs, finds the talents, and opens a way for them on national and international stages. Namita Thapar and Vineeta Singh were inspired to invest INR 40 lakhs each after meeting the founders. They concluded the deal in return for 6% equity, with 3% equity for each shark.
CMM (Colour Me Mad Pvt. Ltd.) Your Foot Doctor is a customised footwear company that addresses osteoporosis problems through its products. This startup offers customised soles for your footwear that keep feet and bones comfortable and free from strains. Namita Thapar invested INR 40 lakhs for a 25% stake in Color Me Mad. Namita understood the problems of osteoporosis, and she believed that this customised footwear could be a solution to them.
Nomad Food Project
Startup Name
Nomad Food Project
Industry
Food and Beverages
Founder
Aditya Rai, Advaith Inamke
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 10 lakhs for 5% equity
Nomad Food Project – Namita Thapar Investments
Nomad Food Project is a startup that deals in the manufacturing and selling of bacon-related jams and relishes. This company has centred their productions on bacon and tried different dishes around it. Nomad Foodās uniqueness in trying creative bacon and other dishes and excellent marketing allured Namita Thapar to invest INR 10 lakhs for equity of 5% in the company.
TagZ Foods
Startup Name
TagZ Foods
Industry
Manufacturing
Founder
Anish Basu Roy, Sagar Bhalotia
Namita Thapar’s Investment
NA
TagZ Foods – Namita Thapar Investments
TagZ Foods is a potato chips company based in Bengaluru that uses an innovative technique to produce chips. The startup promises 50% less fat in its products because they donāt fry or bake the potatoes; instead, they use a popping technology. The founders pitched their business on Shark Tank India and bagged a deal from Ashneer Grover, while Namita invested in TagZ Foods immediately after the show. The amount invested by her, however, remains undisclosed.
Sneakare
Startup Name
Sneakare
Industry
Retail
Founder
Krishnav Dhingra
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 7 lakhs for 4% equity
Sneakare – Namita Thapar Investments
Sneakare is a company that produces accessories and other products required for protecting your sneakers. This startup sells items that help protect sneakers from damage and ensure proper storage of them. Namita Thapar invested INR 7 lakh in Sneakare in exchange for 4% equity.
Store My Goods
Startup Name
Store My Goods
Industry
Consumer Services
Founder
Sudeep Gupta, Swati Gupta, Lovedeep Gupta
Namita Thapar’s Investment
INR 25 lakhs for 2% equity
Store My Goods – Namita Thapar Investments
Store My Goods offers customised and hassle-free storage facilities for businesses, companies, and individuals. The founders pitched their business to sharks Peyush Bansal and Namita Thapar on Shark Tank India. It was a joint deal, and Namitaās investment was for INR 25 lakhs for 2% equity and another INR 25 lakhs as debt at 12% interest as and when required.
Namita Thapar’s Investment Exits
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According to Crunchbase, Namita has made an exit from TagZ Foods. In January 2024, the Shark Tank India star, Namita Thapar took a partial exit from her investment in Rare Planet at a 3.5x return.
Conclusion
Namita Thapar is a charming, optimistic, and keen investor who invests in diverse business areas. Though her pharmaceutical background has kept her interested in health-related startups, she also encourages and invests in other businesses. Thaparās love, passion, and support for new entrepreneurs is appealing, and we can hope to see more such investments from her in the future.
FAQs
Who is Namita Thapar in Shark Tank India?
Namita Thapar is the Executive Director at Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
What is Namita Thapar company?
Namita Thapar is the Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, a leading Indian pharmaceutical company. It develops, manufactures, and markets a wide range of medicines globally, with a focus on cardiology, oncology, and womenās health.
What is Namita Thapar net worth?
Namita Thapar’s net worth is estimated to be around INR 600 crores as per Mint.
How much investment has Namita Thapar made in Shark Tank India?
Namita Thapar made an investment of about Rs. 7 crores in 25 companies during Season 1 of Shark Tank India. She increased her investment in Season 2 to Rs. 10.25 crores. In Season 3, her investments are estimated to be around Rs. 9.95 crores.
What industry does Namita Thapar invest in?
Namita Thapar invests in various industries, including healthcare, clothing and lifestyle, and the food and beverage industry.
India is currently experiencing a startup boom, with entrepreneurs popping up all over the country, from urban centres to rural areas. The term “startup” has become a household name in recent years, and it’s no surprise why. The Indian audience was recently treated to a showcase of innovative ideas on the hit TV show “Shark Tank India.”
This show quickly rose to popularity and became a favourite among Indian viewers due to its compelling cast of entrepreneurs, cutting-edge ideas, and an impressive panel of judges. The show is a testament to the wealth of entrepreneurial talent in India. While some startups were fortunate enough to receive funding from the “sharks,” the show also highlighted the fact that success is possible even without a deal.
The startup scene in India is alive and well, with a steady stream of creative and determined entrepreneurs emerging every day. Whether they secure funding from the sharks or chart their own path, these startups are helping to shape the future of India and beyond.
What is Shark Tank?
Shark Tank is an American business reality TV series aired on ABC in 2009. The show features two groups: entrepreneurs and investors, also known as “sharks.” On the show, selected entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to the sharks to secure investments. If their ideas impress the sharks, the entrepreneurs may land a deal.
Inspired by the American version, India launched its version of Shark Tank called “Shark Tank India.” The first season premiered on December 20th, 2021, on Sony Entertainment Television. In its first season, seven sharks made appearances and secured various deals. The current season has 12 sharks.
The first season of Shark Tank India was a triumph for both the sharks and the entrepreneurs. The show received 62,000 entries from aspiring business owners, from which 198 were selected to pitch their ideas to the sharks. 67 of these pitches resulted in successful deals.
Although not all startups were able to secure a deal on the show, many went on to achieve great success. Here are some of the most successful startups that were rejected on Shark Tank India:
Moonshine is Asia and India’s first meadery, founded in 2016 by Rohan Rehani and Nitin Vishwas. Mead, the oldest alcoholic beverage, is created by fermenting honey with fruits and spices and contains no artificial flavours or colours. The founders appeared on Shark Tank India with a valuation of INR 160 crores and requested INR 80 lakhs in exchange for 0.5% equity in the company. Although all the sharks expressed interest, the founders did not find the counteroffer appealing, and the deal was rejected.
Urban Monkey is a Mumbai-based streetwear fashion brand founded by Yash Gangwal in 2013. Aimed at young people in India, the brand appeared on Shark Tank India with a valuation of INR 100 crores.
Its product line includes caps, sunglasses, belts, backpacks, clothing and more, which have been popular with celebrities such as Rannvijay Singha and Raftaar. Yash sought an INR 1 crore investment in exchange for 1% equity, but despite the brand’s success, the sharks rejected the deal.
Morriko Foods
Company Name
Morikko Foods
Founded
2017
Valuation
INR 33.33 Crores
Morriko Foods – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Morriko Pure Foods, formerly Kamdhenu Foods, is a Gujarat-based startup specializing in solar-dehydrated fruit and vegetable powders. Established in 2002 by Bipin Shah and rebranded as Morriko in 2017 with the addition of co-founders Tanmay Shah and Kalyani Shah, the startup aims to promote healthy snacking. It offers a variety of products, including mango chunks, guava chunks, drumstick powder, herbal teas, and more. On Shark Tank India, Morriko appeared with a valuation of INR 33.33 crores and sought an INR 1 crore investment in exchange for 3% equity. Despite counteroffers, the founders declined.
ExperientialEtc – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
ExperientialEtc, another successful startup, is a top-notch experiential marketing agency that creates exceptional experiences. Founded in 2017 by Karan Bhardwaj and Prashant Pandey and based in Mumbai, the startup has a net worth of INR 50 crores.
ExperientialEtc leverages 3D holographic displays, projection mappings, life-size kinetic structures, and magical LEDs to enhance communication. The company also utilizes machine language and interactive videos for digital requirements.
The founders asked for 2 crores INR in exchange for 4% equity in the company. Although the sharks were impressed with the idea, they still rejected the deal.
Agri Tourism
Company Name
Agri Tourism
Founded
2003
Valuation
INR 400 Crores
Agri Tourism – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Agri Tourism is a unique startup that offers an immersive tourism experience in agriculture. Founded by Pandurang Taware in 2003 and based in Maharashtra, this startup boasts a net worth of INR 40 crores. It connects tourists directly with farmers, creating a mutually beneficial experience.
The startup provides top-notch food and amenities for tourists during their stays in rural villages. With agriculture tourism gaining popularity in India, Agri Tourism is poised for success. Pandurang asked for INR 50 lakhs in exchange for 5% equity. Despite the potential of the business, the sharks declined to invest.
Torch-It is a startup that creates disability assistive devices to foster an inclusive and sustainable ecosystem. In 2016, Hunny Bhagchandani and Mohit Chelani founded the company, which has a valuation of 75 crores INR. The startup’s devices use ultrasonic sensors to show the proximity of objects, assisting visually impaired individuals in their navigation. The founders asked for 75 lakhs INR in exchange for 1% equity, but despite investors’ inspiration for the idea, the deal was rejected.
Shades of Spring
Company Name
Shades of Spring
Founded
2018
Valuation
INR 300 Crores
Shades of Spring – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Shades of Spring is a Bengaluru-based brand specializing in flower gifting, founded in 2018 by Nidhi Gupta and Anju Bhagat. The brand offers farm-fresh flowers for special occasions and through subscription models featuring over 500 varieties produced by Indian farmers. Their offerings include weekly and monthly flower subscriptions, luxury bouquets, hand-tied bouquets, and more.
The founders asked for 3 crores INR in exchange for 1% equity in the company, valuing the brand at 300 crores INR. Despite its success before appearing on the show, the sharks rejected the deal.
Green Protein
Company Name
Green Protein
Founded
2020
Valuation
INR 30 Crores
Green Protein – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Green Protein is a plant-based protein beverage startup founded in 2020 by Madhvi Datwani, Parag Khimani, and Parigna Thorat. The startup, based in India, has a valuation of 30 crores INR and offers plant-based, vegan, cruelty-free, and delicious beverages.
Green Protein offers six fruit flavours and three smoothie flavours with no added sugar that are easy to mix with water without the need for special blenders. The founders asked for 60 lakhs INR for 2% equity, but the deal was rejected despite counter offers from the sharks.
PDD Falcon, a startup based in Mumbai that deals in environmentally friendly stainless steel products, was founded in 2020 by Sneha Visaria and Chirag Visaria. With a valuation of INR 25 crores, the startup offers over 300 made-in-India stainless-steel products, including tiffin boxes, air-tight containers, bottles, straws, and more. The founders asked for 75 lakhs INR for 3% equity, but despite having a good business and great products, the deal was rejected.
Kunafa World
Company Name
Kunafa World
Founded
2019
Valuation
INR 18 Crores
Kunafa World – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Kunafa World, a startup in the traditional Middle Eastern dessert Kunafa, was founded in 2019 by Jameela Ruhi and Zamzeer Ahmad. Based in Bengaluru, the startup has a valuation of INR 18 crores.
With a delicious combination of semolina dough, sugar-based syrup, and cheese and cream filling, Kunafa World offers more than 15 different varieties of desserts in India. The founders sought 90 lakhs INR for 5% equity, but the sharks declined the deal despite the dessert’s appeal.
Theka Coffee
Company Name
Theka Coffee
Founded
2017
Valuation
INR 5 Crores
Theka Coffee – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Theka Coffee stands out from most coffee shops by using cold brew rather than espresso in their drinks. To create their unique beverages, they steep finely ground coffee in cool water for around 16 to 36 hours, producing a tastier, less bitter, and more caffeinated brew. On a TV show, Bhupinder Madan, the creator of Theka, requested a 10% equity stake in exchange for a Rs. 50 lakh investment. However, this exposure did not hinder Theka’s progress. In fact, Zenith Multi Trade in Dubai provided Rs. 2.5 crore in funding for the brand.
Additionally, industry giants such as Microsoft and Reliance Retail have approached Bhupinder with lucrative proposals to promote and sell Theka Coffee products in their establishments.
Zypp
Company Name
Zypp
Founded
2017
Valuation
INR 220 Crores
Zypp – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
The startup, based in Gurugram, aims to electrify last-mile deliveries in South Asia by providing units of electric two-wheelers to ride-sharing businesses, e-commerce, food, grocery, and medicine distributors. On a TV show, the founders asked for Rs. 2.2 crore for 1% equity, but they didn’t get any investors. However, the company has received funding at major stages and has grown substantially in the past year.
Recently, Northern Arc provided the firm with $10 million in loan financing to help it expand its EV fleet services. The company plans to use debt as a new expansion funnel and deploy 1.5 lakh electric scooters in India by 2025. It is also focusing on expanding its portfolio to increase the production of its scooters to meet the surge in demand.
Recode Studios
Company Name
Recode Studios
Founded
2018
Valuation
INR 100 Crores
Recode Studios – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Recode Studios, a makeup brand and online marketplace based in Ludhiana, has successfully established a strong presence across India with a network of over 250 physical stores and a thriving online platform accessible through its website and mobile app. In a strategic move made in 2021, the brand diversified its product offerings by incorporating items from other brands into its platform.
Despite achieving a notable net sales figure of ā¹15 crore and a net profit of ā¹48 lakh for the fiscal year 2022, founders Dheeraj Bansal and Rahul Sachdeva faced rejection on Shark Tank India. The startup, recognized for hosting exclusive offline makeup classes in luxurious five-star properties priced at ā¹1,500 per class, did not secure funding for the show. The purported reason for this setback was the perceived direct competition with Sugar Cosmetics, a brand founded by one of the Sharks, Vineeta Singh.
Atmosphere
Company Name
Atmosphere
Founded
2018
Valuation
INR 25 Crores
Atmosphere – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Led by sisters Ariella Blank and Rebekah Sood, Atmosphere emerged as a standout startup that faced rejection on Shark Tank India but gained prominence with its inventive venture centred on crafting premium-quality Kombucha. Recognized as one of India’s leading brands in this specialized market, Atmosphere employs a meticulous fermentation process incorporating green tea, yeast, and bacteria to produce a varied range of flavours, such as the koala, mango peach, exotic lime, and lychee love. Despite delivering an impressive pitch, Anupam Mittal turned down the counteroffer, citing a range of operational and price-related concerns.
Flatheads
Company Name
Flatheads
Founded
2018
Valuation
INR 25 Crores
Flatheads – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Presenting his Bengaluru-based startup, Flatheads, Ganesh Balakrishnan, a co-founder, showcased the company’s expertise in crafting sustainable and environmentally friendly casual sneakers tailored for urban dwellers. In his pitch, Balakrishnan sought a 3% equity stake with a valuation of 25 crores, requesting an investment of 75 lakhs. During the pitch, the sharks noted that the startup grappled with challenges, particularly in the crucial domains of the essential marketing 4Psāproduct, price, place, and promotion. Founded in 2018 by Ganesh Balakrishnan and Utkarsh Biradar, Flatheads integrates innovative materials such as bamboo or banana yarn to ensure both comfort and cooling in their footwear.
Organic Smokes
Company Name
Organic Smokes
Founded
2015
Valuation
INR 100 Crores
Organic Smokes – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Organic Smokes is a smoking company that was founded by the Chhabra brothers: Nitin, Piyush, and Gaurav. Their mission is to provide a healthy, organic alternative to traditional tobacco smoking. They use an ancient Ayurvedic technique to craft herbal cigarettes using exotic ingredients such as Tulsi, Green Tea, Rose Petals, and Spearmint. They have replaced nicotine with caffeine to strategically manage the Placebo Effect. Their products are Ministry of Ayush-approved and patented, providing a guilt-free substitute for smokers while also delivering rejuvenating tastes and various health benefits. Despite their unique offerings and commitment to harm reduction, Organic Smokes faced difficulties in securing a deal on Shark Tank India.
Magic of Memories – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Magic of Memories, an innovative startup founded by Priti Magoo, specializes in creating jewellery infused with the DNA of individuals, including elements like umbilical cords, breast milk, and even human blood. Priti, a former optometrist, brought this unique concept to the Indian market in 2019, drawing inspiration from a trend popular in Germany and Australia.
Despite establishing a robust online presence through its website and Facebook, the Shark Tank India pitch failed to attract any offers from the investors. Priti was seeking 25 lakhs for a 5% equity stake, but the lack of interest from the sharks resulted in no deal being struck. This is noteworthy, considering the company’s strong financial performance, with sales reaching 27 lakhs in the current year.
Coezy Sleep
Company Name
Coezy Sleep
Founded
2021
Valuation
INR 1.75 Crores
Coezy Sleep – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Coezy Sleep, a standout contender on Shark Tank India Season 2, introduces an innovative sleep solution through stretchable apparel designed to improve sleep quality, employing a cocoon-like approach reminiscent of swaddling a newborn. Established by Hardik Rathore, the startup’s relaxers utilize a unique 360-degree compression technique, offering users a soothing and restful sleep experience. Despite its groundbreaking concept, all panellists on the show opted not to invest in Coezy Sleep, expressing reservations about its safety and suitability for the current conditions in India.
Digital Paani
Company Name
Digital Paani
Founded
2020
Valuation
–
Digital Paani – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Digital Paani is a startup focused on providing digital solutions for water management. It aims to improve water usage efficiency and monitoring by using technology to help businesses and households better manage their water resources. The company seeks to address the growing challenges of water conservation and efficient usage through innovative, tech-driven solutions.
Digital Paani aimed to transform water management with digital solutions for efficient usage and monitoring. While their pitch emphasized the growing need for technology in environmental conservation, the sharks chose not to invest.
Smart Mop by Caspian
Company Name
Smart Mop by Caspian
Founded
2021
Valuation
–
Smart Mop by Caspian – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Smart Mop by Caspian presented an innovative cleaning solution aimed at making household chores more efficient. The mop featured advanced functions like automated cleaning and smart sensors. However, the sharks felt that the market for smart home cleaning devices was too small, leading them to pass on the investment. The brand’s appearance on Shark Tank India highlighted the show’s focus on diverse household innovations.
Road Pilot
Company Name
Road Pilot
Founded
2021
Valuation
–
Road Pilot – Shark Tank India Rejected Startups
Road Pilot introduced a tech-based solution to improve road safety by offering real-time data and alerts for drivers. The startup aimed to reduce accidents and enhance the driving experience. Despite its noble mission, the sharks felt the business lacked scalability and decided not to invest. Road Pilot’s pitch highlighted the role of technology in safety and added to the diverse range of innovations showcased on Shark Tank India.
Conclusion
The debut of Shark Tank in India was a huge success, with many entrepreneurs securing impressive investment deals from the sharks.
However, some startups failed to secure an investment, either because they were unable to impress the sharks or because they could not reach a mutually agreeable deal. Despite this, startups like Moonshine, Shades of Spring, and others have continued to thrive and be successful in their respective fields even after being rejected for investment.
FAQs
Which are the top startups rejected in Shark Tank India?
Some of the successful startups rejected in Shark Tank India are:
Moonshine
Morriko Foods
ExperientialEtc
Agri Tourism
Torch-it
Shades of Spring
Green Protein
PDD Falcon
Kunafa World
Urban Monkey
Which is the biggest deal in Shark Tank India?
Some of the biggest deals in Shark Tank India are:
AAS Vidyalaya – INR 1.5 Crore
Annie by Tinkerbell Labs – INR 1.05 Crores
Skippi Icepops – INR 1 Crore
Sunfox Technologies – INR 1 Crore
Get-A-Whey – INR 1 Crore
The Yarn Bazaar – INR 1 Crore
Hammer Lifestyle – INR 1 Crore
IN A CAN – INR 1 Crore
Which are the most successful Shark Tank India products that didn’t get a deal?
The most successful Shark Tank India products that didn’t get a deal are:
Moonshine
Qzense Labs
Auric
Binks Pets
Arata Academy
Which are Shark Tank India companies that failed?
Some of the Shark Tank India companies that failed are:
ToyGaroo
The Grub Club
Keto India
Committed and Ghosted
Which are the successful companies rejected by Shark Tank India?
Some of the successful companies rejected by Shark Tank India are The Lip Bar, Kodiak Cakes, Xero Shoes, Rocketbook, Agritourism, and more.
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 ā¹200) 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 ā Wed, 26 Feb 2025.
How often is Maha Kumbh Mela?
Maha Kumbh Mela is approximately every 6 and 12 years.
Parnas Ghosh
Souvik Dey
