about indian startups
India has emerged as a global hub for startups, with a thriving ecosystem fueled by innovation, entrepreneurship, and a growing pool of talented tech professionals. Indian startups are tackling a wide range of challenges across various industries, from healthcare and education to e-commerce and fintech. Some of the most successful Indian startups include Flipkart, Ola, Paytm, Zomato, and BYJU’s, which have achieved unicorn status and attracted significant investments from global investors. The Indian government has also introduced several policies and initiatives to support and encourage the growth of startups, such as Startup India and Digital India, further boosting the startup ecosystem in the country.
What is a startup
A startup or start-up is a company or project undertaken by an entrepreneur to seek, develop, and validate a scalable business model. While entrepreneurship includes all new businesses, including self-employment and businesses that do not intend to go public, startups are new businesses that intend to grow large beyond the solo founder. At the beginning, startups face high uncertainty and have high rates of failure, but a minority of them do go on to be successful and influential.
List of top successful startups companies in india
1. Paytm
Startup : paytm
Founder : Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Valuation : $24 billion
Paytm is an Indian multinational financial technology company, that specializes in digital payments and financial services, based in Noida. It was founded in 2010 by Vijay Shekhar Sharma under One97 Communications.
Paytm’s MDR for wallet, net banking, and credit card is 1.99 percent. It charges INR 5-65 for annual UPI subscription. Convenience Fees. Customers pay a convenience fee to execute specific transactions on Paytm. For instance, you pay between INR 1-6 for mobile currency recharges.
2. Flipkart
- Startup : Flipkart
- Founder : Sachin Bansal ,Binny Bansa
- Valuation : $37.6 billion
Flipkart is an Indian e-commerce company founded in 2007 by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal. Initially focused on online book sales, it later expanded into other categories. The Bengaluru-based company had raised $3.6 billion in July 2021, at a valuation of $37.6 billion.
it started with a primary focus on online book sales and soon, expanded to lifestyle products, electronics, home essentials and groceries. Today, Flipkart is the biggest online Indian marketplace competing with the world leader Amazon.
The intermediary commission is the central pillar of the revenue model of Flipkart.
3. Ola cabs
- Startup : ola cabs
- Founder : Bhavish Aggarw, Ankit Bhati
- Valuation : $5 billion
Ola is an Indian ride-hailing company founded in 2010 by Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati. It initially started as an online taxi aggregator, and later expanded to other services such as ride-sharing, bike-sharing, and food delivery. As of 2021, it operates in over 250 cities across India, Australia, and the UK.
Ola Cabs is an Indian multinational ridesharing company, headquartered in Bangalore. It also operates in other business verticals including financial services and cloud kitchens. A variety of venture capitalists including Softbank have large stakes in the company.
Based on the two-sided network model, Ola connects customers seeking on-demand transportation with driver partners through a mobile app.
4. BYJU’S
- Startup : BYJU’S
- Founder : Raveendran
- Valuation: $22 billion
BYJU’S is an Indian edtech company founded by Byju Raveendran in 2011. The company offers a variety of educational products, including a learning app, online tutoring, and test preparation materials.
As of March 2022, Byju’s is valued at $22 billion and the company claims to have over 115 million registered students. making it one of the most valuable edtech companies in the world.
BYJU’S generates revenue primarily through its subscription-based model. The company offers a freemium model where users can access a limited amount of content for free, but they have to pay to unlock the complete course. BYJU’S also generates revenue through its test preparation courses and live tutoring services. Additionally, the company has partnerships with schools and institutions to offer its products to students.
5. CRED
- Startup : CRED
- Founder : kunal shah
- valuation : $6,4 billion
CRED is an Indian fintech startup founded in 2018 by Kunal Shah. CRED is a credit card rewards platform that allows users to redeem rewards points for discounts and cashback on their credit card bills. CRED has over 2 million users and is backed by investors such as Sequoia Capital, Ribbit Capital, and Tiger Global Management.
Kunal Shah, the founder of CRED, is also the co-founder of Freecharge, a digital payments company that was acquired by Snapdeal for $400 million in 2015. After the sale of Freecharge, Shah decided to start his own fintech company and launched CRED in 2018.
CRED earns revenue from transaction fees, merchant charges, and interest on deposits. Its revenue model is based on a commission charged from merchants for every transaction made through CRED.
6. Groww
- Startup : groww
- Founder : Lalit Keshre , Harsh Jain, Neeraj Singh, and Ishan Bansal.
- valuation : $2 billion
Groww is an Indian investment platform founded in 2016 by Lalit Keshre, Harsh Jain, Neeraj Singh, and Ishan Bansal. The platform offers investment products such as mutual funds, stocks, and gold, as well as financial education resources. As of 2022, the company is valued at over $2 billion, making it a unicorn startup.
Groww’s primary revenue model is based on commissions earned from the investment products that users buy and sell through its platform. The company charges a fee for every transaction made by the user. Groww also generates revenue through its premium subscription service called Groww Plus, which provides additional features and benefits to users. Additionally, the company earns interest on the uninvested funds that users keep in their accounts.
7. InMobi
- Startup : inMobi
- Founder : Naveen Tewari, Mohit Saxena, Amit Gupta, and Abhay Singhal.
- Valuation: $2 billion
InMobi is an Indian mobile advertising technology company founded in 2007 by Naveen Tewari, Mohit Saxena, Amit Gupta, and Abhay Singhal. The company offers a variety of advertising products and services, including programmatic advertising, data analysis, and mobile app monetization solutions. As of 2021, the company is valued at around $2 billion.
InMobi generates revenue through various advertising products and services it offers to its clients. The company’s primary revenue model is based on programmatic advertising, where it facilitates the buying and selling of advertising inventory through real-time bidding. InMobi charges a commission for every transaction made through its platform. The company also offers data analysis and mobile app monetization solutions, which generate additional revenue streams.
8. Dream 11
- Startup : Dream 11
- Founder : Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth
- Valuation: $8 billion
Dream11 is an Indian fantasy sports platform founded in 2008 by Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth. The platform allows users to create their own virtual teams of real-life players from various sports, including cricket, football, basketball, and more. As of 2022, the company is valued at over $8 billion.
Dream11 generates revenue through its fantasy sports platform by charging a commission on the contests that it hosts. The platform charges a percentage of the entry fee paid by users to participate in the contests, typically ranging from 10% to 20%. Additionally, the company has partnerships with various sports leagues and teams, which provide additional revenue streams through sponsorships and advertising.
9. Nykaa
- Startup : Nykaa
- Founder : Falguni Nayak
- Valuation: $4.8 billion
Nykaa is an Indian e-commerce company focused on beauty and wellness products founded in 2012 by Falguni Nayar. The platform offers a wide range of products across categories such as makeup, skincare, haircare, fragrances, and more. As of 2022, the company is valued at over $4.8 billion, making it one of the most valuable startups in India.
Nykaa generates revenue primarily through the sale of beauty and wellness products on its e-commerce platform. The company earns a commission on every sale made through its platform. Additionally, Nykaa also generates revenue through its private label products, which are sold exclusively on its platform. The company has also ventured into the brick-and-mortar retail space, opening several physical stores across India, which provide additional revenue streams. Furthermore, Nykaa also earns advertising revenue from brands that advertise on its platform.
10. Delhivery
- Startup :Delhivery
- Founder :Sahil Barua, Mohit Tandon, Bhavesh Manglani, Suraj Saharan, and Kapil Bharati.
- Valuation: $3 billion
Delhivery is an Indian logistics and supply chain services company founded in 2011 by Sahil Barua, Mohit Tandon, Bhavesh Manglani, Suraj Saharan, and Kapil Bharati. The company offers a variety of services, including last-mile delivery, warehousing, and freight services, to businesses across India. As of 2021, the company is valued at over $3 billion.
Delhivery generates revenue through its logistics and supply chain services offered to businesses across India. The company earns revenue from the fees charged for its delivery services, which include last-mile delivery, warehousing, and freight services. Delhivery also generates revenue through its technology platform, which offers businesses access to its logistics services and enables them to track their shipments in real-time. Additionally, the company has partnerships with several e-commerce companies and offers value-added services, such as cash-on-delivery and return management, which provide additional revenue streams.
11. BookMyShow
- Startup :BookMyshow
- Founder :Ashish Hemrajani, Parikshit Dar, and Rajesh Balpande.
- Valuation: $1 billion
BookMyShow is an Indian online ticketing platform for movies, events, and live performances, founded in 1999 by Ashish Hemrajani, Parikshit Dar, and Rajesh Balpande. The platform allows users to book tickets online for a variety of events, including movies, plays, concerts, and sports events. As of 2021, the company is valued at over $1 billion.
BookMyShow generates revenue through the sale of tickets for various events, including movies, plays, concerts, and sports events. The company earns a commission on every ticket sold through its platform. Additionally, BookMyShow generates revenue through its advertising and sponsorship deals with event organizers and sponsors. The company also earns revenue through its loyalty program and subscription services, which provide users with various perks and benefits, such as early access to ticket sales and discounts on tickets. Furthermore, BookMyShow has expanded its business by venturing into the content production and live entertainment space, which provides additional revenue streams.
12. upGrad
- Startup :upGrade
- Founder :Ronnie Screwvala, Mayank Kumar, Ravijot Chugh, and Phalgun Kompalli
- Valuation: $2.25 billion
upGrad is an Indian online higher education platform founded in 2015 by Ronnie Screwvala, Mayank Kumar, Ravijot Chugh, and Phalgun Kompalli. The platform offers a variety of courses and programs in collaboration with universities and industry partners, across domains such as data science, management, software engineering, and more. As of 2021 upGrad has raised $210 million in a funding round at a valuation of $2.25 billion
upGrad generates revenue primarily through the sale of online courses and programs offered on its platform. The company earns revenue from the fees charged for its courses, which range from short-term certification programs to full-fledged degree programs. upGrad also generates revenue by partnering with universities and industry partners, who pay a fee for offering their courses on the platform. Additionally, the company generates revenue through its corporate training programs, which are tailored to the specific needs of companies and organizations. Furthermore, upGrad has also ventured into the test preparation space, offering courses and programs for various competitive exams such as GRE, GMAT, and CAT, which provide additional revenue streams.
13.ShareChat
- Startup :sharechat
- Founder :Ankush Sachdeva, Bhanu Singh, and Farid Ahsan.
- Valuation: $5 billion
ShareChat is an Indian social media and messaging platform founded in 2015 by Ankush Sachdeva, Bhanu Singh, and Farid Ahsan. The platform allows users to create and share content in regional languages and has a strong focus on serving users in non-English speaking regions of India. As of 2021, the company has closed a multi-tranche funding round to raise a total of $520 million at a valuation of $5 billion
ShareChat generates revenue primarily through advertising. The platform offers a variety of advertising solutions to brands and advertisers, including display ads, native ads, and video ads, among others. The company also generates revenue through its influencer marketing programs, which allow brands to collaborate with popular creators on the platform to promote their products or services. Additionally, ShareChat has recently launched a short video app called Moj, which competes with platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. The company has stated that it plans to monetize Moj through advertising and by partnering with creators to offer them revenue-sharing opportunities.
14. Vedantu
- Startup :vedantu
- Founder :Vamsi Krishna, Pulkit Jain, Anand Prakash, and Saurabh Saxena
- Valuation: $2 billion
Vedantu is an Indian online tutoring platform founded in 2011 by Vamsi Krishna, Pulkit Jain, Anand Prakash, and Saurabh Saxena. The platform offers live online classes and one-on-one sessions to students across India, covering a variety of subjects and courses from primary to higher secondary level. As of 2021, the company is valued at over $2 billion.
Vedantu generates revenue primarily through its online tutoring services. The company charges students for live online classes and one-on-one sessions with its tutors. Vedantu offers a variety of courses covering a range of subjects from primary to higher secondary level. Additionally, the company has also launched a subscription-based service called Vedantu Masterclasses, which provides access to a library of pre-recorded video classes and lectures by experts. Vedantu also generates revenue through its teacher training and certification programs, which enable teachers to become certified online tutors on the platform. Furthermore, Vedantu has recently launched a platform called WAVE, which allows teachers to create and sell their own courses online, providing an additional revenue stream for the company.
15. Quikr
- Startup : Quikr
- Founder :Pranay Chulet and Jiby Thomas
- Valuation: $1 billion
Quikr is an Indian online classified advertising platform founded in 2008 by Pranay Chulet and Jiby Thomas. The platform allows users to buy and sell a variety of products and services, including electronics, furniture, real estate, and jobs, among others. As of 2021, the company is valued at over $1 billion.
Quikr generates revenue primarily through advertising and listing fees. The platform allows users to post ads for free, but charges a fee for premium listings, which receive more visibility and reach a larger audience. Quikr also generates revenue through its advertising services, which allow brands and advertisers to promote their products and services on the platform. Additionally, Quikr has ventured into several other business areas, such as real estate, jobs, and on-demand services, where it earns revenue through commissions and fees charged to customers and partners. Furthermore, the company has also launched a payments platform called QuikrPay, which allows users to make secure online payments for transactions conducted through the platform.
16. CarDekho
- Startup :cardekho
- Founder : Amit Jain and Anurag Jain.
- Valuation: $1 billion
CarDekho is an Indian online platform that offers a range of automobile-related services, including new and used car sales, car insurance, and car loans. It was founded in 2008 by brothers Amit Jain and Anurag Jain. The company is headquartered in Gurugram, India, and has expanded its operations to other countries, including Indonesia and Philippines. As of 2021, CarDekho is valued at over $1 billion and has raised over $250 million in funding from various investors. The company has also made several acquisitions in the automobile industry to expand its services, such as acquiring the online marketplace for used cars, Gaadi.com, in 2018.
CarDekho generates revenue through various sources, including:
- Commission from new and used car sales: CarDekho earns a commission from dealerships for every new and used car sold through its platform.
- Advertising: The company earns revenue by displaying ads for car-related products and services on its platform.
- Subscription fees: CarDekho offers a range of premium services, such as car inspection and valuation reports, which users can access by paying a subscription fee.
- Lead generation: The company earns revenue by selling leads to car dealerships and other automobile-related businesses.
- Car loans and insurance: CarDekho earns a commission on car loans and insurance products sold through its platform.
- Data analytics: CarDekho also generates revenue by providing data analytics services to automobile manufacturers and dealerships, helping them to understand customer behavior and market trends.
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