From AP Dhillon to Diljit Dosanjh, Xley is building India’s creator-first AI marketplace
From managing early TikTok campaigns to building a global AI marketplace, this startup aims to redefine how creators and brands collaborate.
When influencer marketing was still finding its feet in India in 2017, Gautam Madhavan bet early on the power of creators. Through his agency, Mad Influence, he helped brands navigate the uncharted world of TikTok collaborations at a time when budgets were small and the industry largely unorganised.
Eight years later, the creator ecosystem has grown massively, but challenges like delayed payments, poor collaboration, and the lack of a single platform for brands and creators still remain.
To fix this gap, Madhavan launched Xley, an AI-powered marketplace that connects brands, agencies, and creators through automation and trust.
After working with global youth organisation AIESEC and blockchain conference brand Satoshi United for a few years, Madhavan founded Mad Influence, an influencer marketing agency, in 2018. The same year, he set up Mad Group as the parent company, bringing together Mad Influence and, later, Xley (pronounced “Zilly”).
The idea for Xley was born during the pandemic. “We wanted to build the world’s largest influencer network, not just an agency,” says Madhavan. In 2023, he launched Creators United, a festival for influencers, agencies, and brands. As the event grew, Madhavan realised an annual event alone could not solve the ecosystem’s problems.
“I need to build a marketplace for creators, which is more global, more scalable,” Madhavan tells YourStory, which led to the launch of Xley in April 2025.
How it works
Xley automates the entire influencer marketing process, from finding the right creators to managing campaigns and payments. Brands can set their campaign goals and budgets, and Xley’s agentic AI recommends suitable creators based on factors like age, location, and engagement. The AI also helps with negotiation, planning, and execution, making the process faster and more transparent.
The AI-driven dashboard is designed for simplicity. Brands can just enter their brief, and Xley’s intelligent agents manages tasks such as discovery, outreach, scripting, execution, and reporting, creating a smooth, end-to-end experience.
Madhavan says that to solve payment delays, campaign funds are kept in escrow and released to creators within 24 hours once the work is approved. “I want to build a creator-first platform that helps creators earn 20–30% of their monthly income,” says Madhavan.
Since launching in April 2025, Xley has onboarded over 30,000 creators and 30 brands, including Hyundai, Reliance, Warner Music, and Bosch, with about 3,000 daily active users. It has also generated over Rs 1 crore in revenue without spending on marketing, growing mainly through Mad Influence’s goodwill.
One Music India was Xley’s first client. The label, known for working with artists like AP Dhillon, Diljit Dosanjh, and Guru Randhawa, used Xley for influencer-driven campaigns to promote songs such as “Katal”, “Sira”, and a track by Karan Aujla.
Revenue model and operations
Xley follows a B2B2C approach. While creators do not pay to use the platform, brands are charged in two ways. First, through a platform fee of 5–10% on each campaign. Second, via a monthly subscription, starting at just Rs 1,000 and capped at Rs 10,000.
Madhavan bootstrapped the company with an initial investment of Rs 4.5 crore from his savings. “I started Mad Influences in 2018 with Rs 1 lakh of my savings. Since our startup is already profitable, we’re considering external funding at the moment,” he says.
The startup is headquartered in Noida, with operations in Mumbai. Xley currently employs about 20 people, including a 15-member tech team. Beyond them, five members handle key roles in product, marketing, operations, sales, and leadership. The platform is accessible through the web and the Xley mobile app, which is available on both iOS and Android.
Xley has built its tech stack entirely in-house, including its AI models, which are custom-trained on past influencer marketing data.
Competition and differentiation
India has several influencer marketplaces like One Impression, Big Bang Social, and Qoruz, but Madhavan believes Xley stands out naturally. “We focus on being creator-first, not brand- or platform-first,” he says. He also draws inspiration from international players like GRIN and Affluence for their culture and execution.
The biggest challenge for Xley was being bootstrapped. “As a non-tech founder, running a fully bootstrapped startup was difficult; I had to learn a lot of tech on the go while balancing innovation,” Madhavan says.
Looking ahead
For now, the team plans to onboard more brands, roll out new AI tools to automate campaign planning, and expand its upcoming affiliate marketing feature.
The affiliate program, launching next month in partnership with CashKaro and EarnKaro, will enable creators to earn commissions by promoting products and earning for each sale made through their referral links. Madhavan says, “It will help even small creators, those with around 5,000 followers, build a steady income stream and turn Xley into a one-stop platform for influencer campaigns.”
By the end of next year, the startup aims to have over 5,000 brands using its platform as it continues to build smarter tools and stronger opportunities for India’s growing creator community.
According to Mordor Intelligence, the Indian influencer marketing platform market generated a revenue of $687.2 million in 2022 and is expected to reach $7,146.2 million by 2030. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 34%. “We’re aiming to capture at least 30% of it within the next five years,” Madhavan says.