Every top-notch company has begun from scratch, and for Meesho, it was a dining table in Koramangala, Bengaluru, a place where a mind-blowing idea took shape and grew into an e-commerce giant. At the center of this journey is Sanjeev Barnwal, an IIT-Delhi graduate who went from designing camera technology at Sony in Japan to building the backbone of Meesho, an e-commerce platform for online shopping for millions of Indians.
From convincing small sellers to adapt digital commerce to scaling a platform that now competes with giants like Flipkart and Amazon, his journey inspires India’s new-age entrepreneurs.
Today, as Meesho prepares to go public, Sanjeev Barnwal’s name resonates with entrepreneurial grit and fearless innovation. His story reminds us that game-changing companies often start with nothing more than a dream and the courage to pursue it.
Sanjeev Barnwal – Biography
Name
Sanjeev Barnwal
Nationality
Indian
Education
Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
Early Career
Worked at Sony, Japan, on DSLR and Cyber‑Shot camera tech
Current Role
Co‑Founder & Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Meesho
Key Achievements
Scaled Meesho into one of India’s fastest-growing e-commerce platforms; introduced AI-driven logistics and reseller platform; Meesho listed as one of FT’s High-Growth Companies in Asia-Pacific (2025)
Sanjeev Barnwal began his educational journey at DAV JVM Shyamali in Ranchi, Jharkhand, where he studied until 2007. Following his schooling, he pursued higher education at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, earning a Bachelor of Technology (BTech.) degree in Electrical Engineering. This strong academic foundation laid the groundwork for his future career in technology and entrepreneurship, eventually leading him to co-found Meesho.
Sanjeev Barnwal – Career Journey
After completing his schooling at IIT Delhi, Sanjeev Barnwal, co-founder and CTO of Meesho, set out for an exciting chapter of his life. He ventured to Japan to join Sony’s prestigious Core Tech Team, where he gained invaluable knowledge and hands-on experience in cutting-edge technology. At the time, Sony itself commanded an impressive market capitalization of INR 1,03,22,590 million, highlighting the scale and influence of the company where he honed his skills.
Despite finding fulfilment in his role, Sanjeev quietly nurtured a bigger dream, the desire to build his own company. Eager to turn this dream into reality, he reached out to his friend Vidit Aatrey, who was then working at Bangalore-based InMobi. After about a month of discussions and planning, the duo decided it was time to take the plunge. In June 2015, both Sanjeev and Vidit returned to India, leaving their corporate careers behind to chase their entrepreneurial vision.
Sanjeev Barnwal – Co-Founding Meesho
In December 2015, Meesho was launched with a vision to democratize e-commerce in India. Within months, the platform began to redefine the e-commerce landscape. Sanjeev Barnwal, serving as the Chief Technology Officer, played a crucial role in constructing a scalable technology infrastructure tailored for markets beyond India’s metropolitan cities. This strategic focus enabled Meesho to cater effectively to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, areas often overlooked by traditional e-commerce giants.
A key differentiator for Meesho was its innovative business model. By adopting a zero-investment, zero-commission approach, the platform empowered resellers and everyday sellers to thrive without the burden of upfront costs or commission fees. This model not only attracted a diverse seller base but also fostered a community-driven marketplace.
By the end of 2024, Meesho reported a significant milestone, reaching 175 million annual transacting users, marking a 25% increase from the previous year. Notably, approximately 50% of this user base hailed from Tier-4 and smaller towns, including regions like Naidupeta (Andhra Pradesh), Sherghati (Bihar), and Harapanahalli (Karnataka).
Today, Meesho stands as a testament to how a clear vision, combined with innovative execution, can transform the e-commerce landscape, making it more inclusive and accessible to all.
Sanjeev Barnwal – Celebrating a Decade in IPO & Legacy
As Meesho celebrates its 10th anniversary, Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal interact with its in-house voicebot to reminisce about their modest start in a Bengaluru flat. Over the years, the company not only disrupted the Indian e-commerce market but also prepared itself for one of the most anticipated IPOs of the year.
In June 2025, Meesho officially converted into a public limited company, reorganized its capital structure, and appointed leading banks, Morgan Stanley, Citi, Kotak, and JP Morgan, as advisors for the IPO (The Times of India). Adding to this momentum, the company also secured shareholder and NCLT approval to shift its headquarters from the US to India, while raising INR 4,250 crore to strengthen its IPO prospects. With an anticipated valuation between $7–10 billion, Meesho’s IPO, expected in late 2025, is being closely watched as a defining milestone in India’s startup success story.
Sanjeev Barnwal – Net Worth & Ventures
By early 2025, Sanjeev Barnwal’s estimated net worth had surpassed $2.1 billion, reflecting Meesho’s impressive growth, from its social commerce roots to a leading e-commerce platform.
While some reports may quote lower figures in INR crores, the USD-based valuation enjoys broader acceptance in financial circles. Beyond Meesho, Barnwal actively contributes to India’s startup ecosystem as an angel investor and mentor. According to Planify, he has invested in at least 18 companies.
Sanjeev Barnwal – Awards & Recognition
Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies (2020): Meesho, under Sanjeev’s tech leadership, was the only Indian company included in Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies list in 2020.
Forbes 30 Under 30 (Asia & India): He earned a spot in Forbes 30 Under 30, both in the Asia and India editions, recognizing his impact in consumer technology and entrepreneurship at IIT Delhi.
Economic Times & Fortune 40 Under 40: Sanjeev was also featured in Economic Times’ 40 Under 40 and Fortune India’s 40 Under 40 lists, spotlighting him as a prominent young leader in India’s business landscape.
EY India Entrepreneur of the Year (Start-up Category): In 2021, he and co-founder Vidit Aatrey won the Start-up category at EY India’s Entrepreneur of the Year awards for their innovative work with Meesho, empowering millions of resellers across India.
IIT Delhi’s GOLD Award (2021): Sanjeev was honored with the Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award by IIT Delhi in 2021. This award celebrated his entrepreneurial achievements with Meesho and his contributions to India’s startup ecosystem.
Sanjeev Barnwal is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Meesho, one of India’s fastest-growing e-commerce platforms.
What is the educational background of Sanjeev Barnwal?
Sanjeev Barnwal studied at DAV JVM Shyamali, Ranchi, and later pursued a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi.
What was Sanjeev Barnwal’s early career before Meesho?
Before co-founding Meesho, Sanjeev worked at Sony in Japan on DSLR and Cyber-Shot camera technology as part of their prestigious Core Tech Team.
Today, one can easily launch their very own online business while sitting comfortably at their home, without investing a lot of money. Online shopping has developed significantly over the previous decade, and eCommerce companies now generate billions of dollars in monthly sales all across the globe.
People are depending on online purchasing platforms more than ever since the outbreak of the pandemic, and many are also using this opportunity to develop their online empires. The online reselling industry is no different in that aspect.
If you too are considering starting your reselling business, Meesho is a platform you can consider. Meesho is an online resale platform that allows anybody to establish a company without having to put up any money. Leading the reselling landscape of India, Meesho takes pride in reselling indeed!
Here is the story behind the popular Indian reselling platform: MeeshoStartup Story, History,Founders, Mission and Vision, Business Model, Revenue Model, Funding andInvestors, Competitors, and more.
Meesho is an online shopping platform. The online reseller platform perhaps requires no introduction. It has carved a niche for itself and has gained popularity among consumers and retailers alike by making online reselling and shopping hassle-free and affordable. Meesho provides secure and timely transactions, as well as low-cost returns and shipping.
Meesho – How does it Work?
Meesho, India’s largest resale platform, was founded in 2015. The Meesho app essentially connects manufacturers to resellers. Manufacturers list their commodities on the Meesho shopping app, which allows merchants to choose from any of their products and sell them to customers using social networks like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. Clothing, accessories, furniture, culinary utensils, and cosmetics producers are among the suppliers who list their products on Meesho.
Independent resellers can then choose any product from these suppliers and sell it to customers using the social media sites mentioned. It’s as simple as posting a photo of the item on Instagram or writing a Facebook post to sell it. After the customer and the reseller have agreed on the purchase, the Meesho items are delivered to the buyer’s home. Buyers have the option of paying with a debit or credit card or cash on delivery for a secure and quick procedure of transaction.
The Indian eCommerce Market is expected to develop significantly, reaching an estimated value of USD 112.93 billion in 2024, according to a Statista report analysis.
The market is predicted to maintain its upward trend and reach USD 299.01 billion by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.5% over the forecast period of 2024 to 2029. This development trend highlights the robust expansion and considerable prospects found in India’s eCommerce industry.
Meesho – Founders and Team
Meesho startup was founded by Sanjeev Barnwal (Co-Founder and CTO) and Vidit Aatrey (Co-Founder and CEO) in 2015.
Sanjeev Barnwal is the Co-Founder and Chief Technological Officer (CTO) of Meesho. Sanjeev Barnwal has also worked at Sony Mobile Communications as an Android Camera Hardware Abstraction Layer Architecture Designer and Developer. He graduated from IIT Delhi with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and has also worked with Sony Corporation before that.
Vidit Aatrey
Vidit Aatrey is the Co-Founder and CEO of Meesho. Before Meesho, the Meesho Co-founder worked with the mobile marketing platform InMobi, where he designed growth strategies for the company. Aatrey has also seen the Operations part of the business when he was with ITC Limited. He also graduated from IIT Delhi with a bachelor’s degree in engineering.
Meesho works with an employee strength of 1,001-5,000 employees in its team.
In 2015, when Meesho was started, it was known as FASHNEAR. The idea behind FASHNEAR was just like Swiggy or Zomato. FASHNEAR dealt with Fashion-related goods and allowed customers to buy clothes and fashion accessories from the shops in their locality. Local shops selling apparel and accessories could register with the FASHNEAR app, and customers could order from these local shops, and delivery persons were there to deliver the goods.
“Sanjeev and I fulfilled every role during this period. We did the inventory of every shop, spending entire days taking photos of all the products and cataloging them on our app. I also worked as the delivery person in the beginning because I wanted to hear my customer’s feedback firsthand.” Vidit said speaking about FASHNEAR’s initial days.
However, soon the founders started to notice some flaws in the FASHNEAR business model. Some major drawbacks they noticed were that consumers were not very concerned about buying clothes from local shops. Besides, the shop owners also wanted to increase sales by selling their products online in different locations of the country rather than selling their products locally. These problems inspired Vidit and Sanjeev to work on a better business model. By the end of 2015, Fashnear was renamed as ‘Meesho’.
The founder duo visited many shopkeepers and resellers to identify their problems. They noticed that many shopkeepers were already selling goods through WhatsApp, but their reach was limited because they delivered their goods only locally. They also found out that most of the shops registered on Meesho were operated by women, and these women sold their goods out of their homes rather than in any physical shops.
The business model of Meesho has been built considering these facts and issues, and currently, with Meesho, women can comfortably start a reselling business from home without owing any inventory. Meesho also empowers small shops and manufacturers to deliver their goods across the country, while Meesho takes care of the delivery of the products, facilitates COD options, and ensures that consumers can seamlessly return the products if they wish.
Thus, Meesho serves as a bridge between suppliers (manufacturers and shopkeepers who list their products on Meesho), resellers, and customers. Meesho also helps suppliers manage their inventories. Meesho online shopping offers a wide range of affordable products, from fashion to home essentials.
Meesho Story – The Rise from a Social Commerce Startup to Becoming a Unicorn
Meesho – Name and Logo
Meesho Logo
Meesho New Logo: The company’s new logo depicts “Aam” as hospitable and welcoming while reflecting “Jamuni”‘s relationship with desire. The company’s position as a comprehensive platform serving the daily needs of Indian shoppers will be reinforced by this rebranding initiative, which will also increase its attractiveness and resonance with consumers.
Meesho is owned by “Fashnear Technologies Private Limited.”
Meesho – Mission and Vision
Meesho’s mission is to “Democratise Internet Commerce for Everyone.”
The company’s vision is to “enable 100 million small businesses in India, including individual entrepreneurs, to succeed online.”
Meesho relaunched Farmiso as Meesho Superstore in its rebranding attempt on April 5, 2022. This was done to focus on the customer demands of everyday needs in Tier 2 markets and beyond that.
The company boasts of the fact that it has successfully managed to expand its grocery service to 6 states within 9 months.
Meesho Superstore Logo
This rebranding and integration of the Meesho grocery app Farmiso to the main Meesho app is quite significant and is in line with the quest for super apps, which are to dominate the Indian and global digital ecosystem soon. Furthermore, with only 0.5% of the grocery sales happening digitally, it is really important to note that Meesho has a massive market that it can tap into.
Meesho Mall
Meesho is taking a significant step forward with the introduction of ‘Meesho Mall,’ aligning with its ‘User First’ approach. This strategic expansion signifies Meesho’s dedication to meeting the diverse needs of the Indian population. ‘Meesho Mall’ will offer a wide range of products, including branded items, aimed at enhancing the shopping experience for Indian consumers.
Meesho – Business Model
Meesho’s business model deviates little from the direct-to-consumer (D2C) paradigm. In contrast to the direct-to-consumer (D2C) paradigm, which involves producers selling products directly to customers, Meesho functions as a platform that facilitates transactions between businesses, namely between manufacturers and reselling business owners.
These resellers work as go-betweens, bringing together producers and final customers. Meesho essentially operates in a business-to-business (B2B) environment. The corporation made this adjustment in 2021, moving away from its original reseller-centric model. Meesho no longer just facilitates transactions; instead, it helps companies increase sales, earning fees and commissions in the process.
Meesho – Revenue Model
Meesho earns money from different resources; some of the prominent ones are:
Commission
The commissions Meesho charges from the vendors have been a major source of their revenue. When a reseller sells a product on the Meesho platform, the seller of that product will be charged a certain percentage of commission. The commission-based business is similar to those of e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, and others.
As per the company’s website, a 0% commission is charged from the suppliers on all product categories. No commission is charged from the resellers.
Logistics
Meesho offers logistics services to the suppliers and charges a fee for the same. The Meesho team is working on reducing the logistics charges to increase the profitability of the sellers.
Advertisements
A portion of Meesho’s revenue comes from advertisements. As the number of sellers on the platform is increasing, sellers who want to highlight their products in front of the resellers and customers on the platform pay a certain amount for advertising their products.
Meesho has announced its largest Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) buyback scheme to date, with a total of Rs 200 crore (about $25 million) as per the news report of March 13, 2024.
With prior buybacks of $1 million in February 2020, $5 million in November 2020, and $5.5 million in October 2021, this is the horizontal e-commerce unicorn’s fourth buyback. This project has the potential to benefit about 1,700 current and former employees, ranging from junior executives to senior leadership positions.
Meesho – Challenges Faced
Meesho faced several difficulties in the early going that are common for a young company in the online retail space. Online retail is becoming more and more popular, but there are still a lot of challenges to overcome, like limited transaction possibilities, shipping limitations, and shortages of supplies. The CEO underlined Meesho’s decision to forgo keeping inventory in their warehouses to promote small businesses from the beginning.
But these difficulties were made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in terms of supply chain interruptions. Meesho and other companies in the industry continued to face difficulties even after the government took action to loosen mobility constraints.
Some of the other challenges faced by Meesho are:
Pandemic-caused Challenges
COVID-19 had a significant negative impact on Meesho’s business, which prompted the company to concentrate on building logistical networks in the face of inconsistent state laws. Closings in the fashion sector led to a shift in focus toward selling necessities like groceries and masks to sustain resellers. To support resellers and build trust in the face of uncertainty, a microcredit strategy was implemented.
Change in Strategy, Huge Cash Burn, and No Profit
Meesho changed its business model from social commerce to business-to-consumer (B2C) in response to fierce competition from Flipkart and Amazon, substantial financial burn, and little profit. To reorganize the supermarket industry and guarantee its long-term viability, layoffs took place.
Meesho Layoffs
To streamline operations, Meesho let go of 150 workers in April 2022 and 251 in May 2023.
Significant Counterfeit Issues
Meesho had to deal with counterfeit goods, which led to legal lawsuits and quality assurances to protect its brand and customers’ faith.
Meesho Smear Campaigns
Influencers who disseminate false Meesho information may face legal action for doing so. Legal letters were delivered to them.
Meesho – Funding and Investors
Meesho has raised $1.4 billion in 13 rounds of funding. Their latest funding was raised on May 6, 2024, from a Venture – Series Unknown round.
Here are the funding details:
Date
Round
Amount
Lead Investors
May 6, 2024
Venture Round
$275 million
–
Oct 13, 2023
Secondary Market
$52.5 million
Westbridge Capital
Oct 20, 2021
Debt Financing
–
Trifecta Capital Advisors
Sep 30, 2021
Series F
$570 million
B Capital Group, Fidelity Management and Research Company
Apr 5, 2021
Series E
$300 million
SoftBank Vision Fund
Aug 12, 2019
Series D
$125 million
Prosus & Naspers
Jun 14, 2019
Corporate Round
$25 million
Meta
Nov 5, 2018
Series C
$50 million
DST Partners, RPS Ventures, Shunwei Capital
Jun 7, 2018
Series B
$11.5 million
Sequoia Capital India
Oct 12, 2017
Series A
$3.4 million
Elevation Capital
Aug 18, 2016
Seed Round
$120K
Y Combinator
Meesho – Shareholding
Meesho’s shareholding pattern as of September 2021, sourced from Tracxn:
Meesho Shareholders
Percentage
Series Seed
2.7%
Series A
10.9%
Series A1
0.2%
Series B
12.2%
Series C
10.9%
Series D1
9.6%
Series D2
2.7%
Series E
11.5%
Series F
10.9%
Other Capital
28.4%
Meesho Shareholding
Meesho – Investments
Meesho’s investment in Elenas is a clear indication of the company’s faith in the business—it has supported Elenas twice. Meesho first contributed $2 million on October 15, 2020, as part of the seed investment round. Meesho strengthened its support by contributing a further $6 million on March 4, 2021, during the Series A investment round, building on this promise.
This follow-up investment demonstrates Meesho’s faith in Elenas’ potential and ambition.
Meesho – Growth
Meesho’s growth highlights are:
It has over 50 lakh products as of August 2024
It has 650+ product categories as of August 2024
The company has 11 lakh+ sellers as of August 2024
Meesho has 14 crore+ customers as of August 2024
It has served 19,000+ pincode as of August 2024
It has 1.1 million resellers as of March 2023
Meesho has passed 14.5 crore app downloads as of 2023
It has more than 20,000 manufacturers from more than 500 towns
Financials
Meesho announced it became profitable in June 2023 and the company expects to be fully profitable for the entire fiscal year by FY25 or FY26. Its adjusted losses dropped by 97%, reaching INR 53 crore for the fiscal year ending in March 2024.
In FY 2024, Meesho’s revenue grew by 33% to INR 7615 crore, compared to INR 5735 crore in FY 2023.Total expenses increased by 8% to INR 8150 crore. Net loss reduced significantly by 82%, from INR 1675 crore in FY 2023 to INR 305 crore in FY 2024.
Meesho Financials
2023
2024
Operating Revenue
INR 5735 crore
INR 7615 crore
Total Expenses
INR 7564 crore
INR 8150 crore
Employee Benefit Expenses
INR 726 crore
INR 750 crore
Logistics & Fulfilment Expenses
INR 4817 crore
INR 5927 crore
Server & Software Tools Expenses
INR 567 crore
INR 575 crore
Net Loss
INR 1675 crore
INR 305 crore
Meesho – Partnership and Tie-ups
Meesho has partnered with many companies: some of the prominent ones are:
Rural Development Ministry of the Union Government
Meesho has partnered with the Rural Development Ministry of the Union Government to promote and market goods made by Self Help Groups (SHGs) from different parts of India, including handloom and handicrafts. Through this partnership, SHGs will be given more opportunities to market their goods while also being empowered and given a platform to do so.
Vision and AI Labs of IISC
Meesho and the Indian Institute of Science’s (IISc) Vision & AI Lab (VAL) have signed a one-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This collaboration seeks to help Meesho advance research in key areas like multimodal large language models (LLMs) and generative artificial intelligence (AI).
“We use AI for product recommendation, product ranking, making listing easy for sellers, suggesting price points to sellers, etc,” said co-founder and CTO Sanjeev Barnwal.
LazyPay
Meesho has joined forces with LazyPay in a partnership designed to enhance the checkout process, providing shoppers with seamless and faster transactions and ultimately improving their overall shopping experience.
Cashfree
The company has partnered with cash-free payments and is set to introduce a feature that allows for instant refunds on cash-on-delivery (COD) orders processed through its platform, streamlining and expediting the refund process for customers.
iCubesWire
It has a partnership with iCubesWire and with this collaboration it will take steps to to improve product discoverability for Indian consumers, enhancing their online shopping experience.
Plum
Meesho and Plum, a platform for employee health insurance, have partnered strategically to raise the bar for employee benefits and care.
We Hub
We Hubhas formed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Meesho to support female entrepreneurs in reaching financial independence by providing them with increased market exposure and prospects.
Meesho – Advertisements and Campaigns
Meesho Campaign
Meesho announced the launch of its “Sahi Sahi Lagaya Hai” campaign in September 2021 to appeal to the tier 2 markets and beyond. Through this campaign, Meesho highlights how its consumers benefit from a wide range of products across diverse categories at affordable prices from sellers all across the country with the help of the Meesho app.
Meesho stated in an interview that the company plans to go public in the following 12 to 18 months, as per the news report from August 2023. This action demonstrates the company’s faith in its business plan and preparation for the next stage of expansion. Meesho would get more funding and market exposure via a possible stock market offering, which would strengthen its position in the e-commerce industry.
Meesho aims to onboard 10 million small businesses by 2027, a significant increase from its current seller base of 1.3 million. This goal represents a ten-fold expansion.
FAQs
What is Meesho shop?
Meesho, which was formed as “meri eshop“, was founded as a social commerce platform in 2015 by Sanjeev Barnwal and Vidit Aatrey, and operates as an online reselling app for users. Meesho has recently started pivoting an eCommerce model. Meesho online platform helps small businesses and individuals start their online stores with zero investment.
What does Meesho do?
Meesho, based in Bengaluru, is an online reseller platform that aspires to build an environment where anybody can establish a business with no financial investment.
Who are Meesho founders?
Meesho owners are Sanjeev Barnwal and Vidit Aatrey.
When was Meesho founded?
Meesho was founded in 2015.
Which companies do Meesho compete with?
Volusion, Elenas, DealShare, GlowRoad, Shop101, Huboo, and Drop are among Meesho’s major rivals.
How to close the Meesho account?
You can easily close your Meesho account, and there are 3 convenient steps you can follow to do it:
You can email the company
You can call the company and ask them to close your Meesho account
You can message the Twitter or Facebook handle of the Meesho company to delete your account
What does Meesho supplier offer?
Meesho supplier helps the Meesho sellers to sell online to 14 crore+ customers at 0% commission.
How to log out from Meesho?
You can log out from the Meesho supplier app without any hassles just by clicking on the Log Out option.
What is the Meesho customer care number?
The Meesho care number is 080-61799600.
What are the Meesho return charges?
Meesho return charges for the customer, if the product is returned within the SLA, is 0.
Is Messho an Indian company?
Meesho is an online shopping platform owned by the Indian company Fashnear Technologies Private Limited.
Sarika Anand
