Building Empires: Inspiring stories of India's top 10 startups
Flipkart, Ola, Paytm, Zomato, BYJU'S, among others, have created a name for themselves in India's startup industry.
In recent years, India has emerged as a global hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, with a thriving startup ecosystem and numerous success stories. These visionary entrepreneurs have braved all odds, overcome challenges, and built empires from the ground up. Their journey is a testament to the power of determination, resilience and innovation.
Flipkart: Ecommerce giant
Founded in 2007 by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, started as an online bookstore and quickly grew into a full-fledged ecommerce platform. With a relentless focus on customer satisfaction and innovative business strategies, the founders turned Flipkart into one of India's most valuable startups, garnering international attention and ultimately, being acquired by Walmart.
Ola: Ride-hailing major
Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati have revolutionised India's transport sector with , a convenient and reliable ride-hailing platform. Ola's success has made him one of the world's largest ride-hailing companies through its commitment to technological innovation, customer-centric approach and strategic partnerships.
Paytm: Revolutionising digital payments
Vijay Shekhar Sharma founded Paytm in 2010 to revolutionize digital payments in India. Paytm has enabled millions to transact seamlessly online through its easy-to-use mobile wallet and robust payment infrastructure. Today, specializes in various financial services, including digital banking and e-commerce, and has become a nationally well-known company.
Zomato: Redefining food delivery
Deepinder Goyal and Pankaj Chaddah launched , an online food delivery and restaurant discovery platform, in 2008. Zomato has transformed how people order food and explore eateries through technology and data analytics. Zomato has become integral to Indian food culture due to its vast presence and user-friendly interface.
Byjus: Giving edtech a boost
Byju Raveendran's vision of making quality education accessible to all students led to the creation of his , a leading online learning platform. Through engaging content, personalised learning experiences and adaptive technology, BYJU'S has revolutionised the education landscape in India, enabling millions of students to learn and excel.
Swiggy: Change the game of food delivery
Sriharsha Majety, Nandan Reddy and Rahul Jaimini founded , an on-demand food delivery platform in 2014. With a focus on fast and efficient grocery delivery, Swiggy revolutionized the traditional grocery delivery market and set a new standard for customer service and operational excellence.
Dream 11: Fantasy sports phenomenon
Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth founded Dream11, a fantasy sports platform, in 2008. Leveraging India's passion for cricket and other sports, allows users to create fantasy teams and compete against each other. The platform's success has popularized fantasy sports and attracted significant investments and partnerships.
OYO Rooms: Disrupting the hospitality industry
Founded by Ritesh Agarwal, OYO Rooms is a hospitality startup that has changed the Indian budget hotel industry. Ritesh founded OYO Rooms when he was 19 with a vision of providing affordable and standard accommodation to travelers. Rooms works with hotels to leverage technology to streamline operations and improve customer experience. With an innovative business model and a relentless focus on customer satisfaction, OYO Rooms has grown rapidly and expanded internationally to become one of the largest hotel chains in the world.
InMobi: Mobile advertising giant
Founded by Naveen Tewari, InMobi is a mobile advertising platform that has transformed the way businesses reach and engage with consumers. Naveen founded InMobi to take advantage of the growing mobile industry and harness the power of data-driven advertising. provides targeted advertising solutions that help businesses reach their desired audience effectively. Cutting-edge technology and global reach make InMobi a leading player in mobile advertising, enabling brands to engage with consumers in personalized and impactful ways.
Freshworks: Leader in customer engagement software
Girish Mathrubootham founded Freshworks as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company that provides customer engagement and support solutions. Girish founded Freshworks with the goal of making customer support and retention more accessible and efficient for businesses of all sizes. offers a variety of cloud-based software products such as helpdesk software, CRM, and live chat solutions. The company's commitment to innovation and customer focus has helped it gain a foothold in the global market, serving thousands of customers worldwide.
Edited by Affirunisa Kankudti