Grit Meets Growth: Top 10 Young Entrepreneurs in India Who Are Redefining Success
India’s startup scene is being rewritten by a fearless new generation of young entrepreneurs in India, leaders who aren’t waiting for permission to change the world. They’re scaling billion-dollar companies before their 30th birthdays, building brands that resonate globally, and using their platforms to influence millions.
What sets them apart? Relentless ambition, lightning-fast execution, and the courage to disrupt entire industries. They’re not just founders, they’re brand builders, policy shapers, and cultural icons. From redefining urban mobility to reshaping how we invest, shop, and learn, these innovators are proving that age is just a number, but vision is everything.
Here’s our curated list of the top young entrepreneurs in India, ranked by Instagram followers. Each profile traces their journey from humble beginnings to national influence, and highlights the awards and recognitions that mark their ascent. Because in today’s business world, credibility is built not just in revenue, but in recognition.
1. Ritesh Agarwal – Founder & CEO, OYO
Instagram: @riteshagar
Awards & Recognitions: First Asian resident to win the Thiel Fellowship (2013); Featured in Forbes Asia 30 Under 30; Bloomberg’s 50 Most Influential; Business World Young Entrepreneur Award.
About: From the small town of Bissam Cuttack in Odisha, Ritesh Agarwal turned a teenage curiosity into a global hospitality empire. At 17, he dropped out of college to launch Oravel Stays, inspired by his own budget travel frustrations. That venture evolved into OYO, now India’s largest hotel chain with a footprint in over 80 countries. Ritesh’s genius lay in standardizing budget hotels with tech-driven quality checks, making affordable stays accessible at scale. His early days were defined by door-to-door pitches to skeptical hoteliers and nonstop coding marathons. Recognition came fast, the Thiel Fellowship catapulted him into the global spotlight, while multiple entrepreneurial awards cemented his status at home. Today, Ritesh’s story embodies how relentless drive, adaptability, and a deep understanding of local markets can fuel worldwide impact.
2. Nikhil Kamath – Co-founder, Zerodha & True Beacon
Instagram: @nikhilkamathcio |
Awards & Recognitions: EY Entrepreneur of the Year India 2024; Featured in Forbes India 30 Under 30; Hurun India 40 & Under Self-Made Rich List.
About: Dropping out of school at 16, Nikhil Kamath bypassed the traditional education path and went straight into stock trading. By 2010, alongside his brother, he co-founded Zerodha, a discount brokerage that redefined retail investing in India by eliminating hidden fees and simplifying the trading process. From its grassroots beginnings, Zerodha grew into a fintech powerhouse with over 10 million clients. Nikhil’s vision extended beyond trading, True Beacon, his second venture, targeted ultra-high-net-worth clients with low-cost wealth management. Known for his minimalist lifestyle and contrarian insights, he’s collected accolades like EY Entrepreneur of the Year while being lauded as a disruptor in India’s conservative finance space. Nikhil’s story proves that formal qualifications are optional, but conviction and discipline are non-negotiable.
3. Deepinder Goyal – Founder & CEO, Zomato
Instagram: @deepigoyal |
Awards & Recognitions: Entrepreneur of the Year – NDTV Indian of the Year Awards; Distinguished Alumni Award – IIT Delhi; Featured in GQ Men of the Year; Fortune India 40 Under 40.
About: Growing up in Punjab, Deepinder Goyal always sought solutions to everyday inefficiencies. While working at Bain & Company, he noticed colleagues struggling to find restaurant menus, a frustration that led to the creation of Foodiebay, later rebranded as Zomato. Under his leadership, Zomato grew from a simple restaurant listing site into a global food delivery and dining powerhouse, even going public in 2021. Deepinder has guided Zomato through competitive market battles, strategic acquisitions, and a challenging IPO journey, earning top entrepreneurial awards along the way. His recognition by IIT Delhi and in national media reflects not just his business achievements, but his cultural impact, turning the way India eats into a billion-dollar narrative.
4. Bhavish Aggarwal – Co-founder, Ola & Ola Electric
Instagram: @bhavishaggarwal |
Awards & Recognitions: Economic Times Entrepreneur of the Year (2017); Forbes India 30 Under 30; Time 100 Most Influential People (2018); Fortune India 40 Under 40.
About: An IIT Bombay graduate, Bhavish Aggarwal left Microsoft in 2010 to solve India’s transport woes. After a bad taxi experience, he launched Ola Cabs, a ride, hailing platform that would redefine urban mobility for millions. Expanding from cars to auto-rickshaws, bikes, and eventually electric vehicles, Bhavish built Ola Electric to lead India’s EV revolution. His awards, from Forbes to Time 100, recognize not just business growth but his role in shaping policy and sustainability conversations. His trajectory from employee to industry-shaper shows the power of solving personal pain points with scalable solutions.
5. Aadit Palicha – Co-founder & CEO, Zepto
Instagram: @a.palicha |
Awards & Recognitions: Digital Trailblazer Award – India Digital Awards 2025; Forbes Asia 30 Under 30.
About: At 19, Aadit Palicha dropped out of Stanford and co-founded Zepto with childhood friend Kaivalya Vohra. Their mission: deliver groceries in 10 minutes. Aadit orchestrated the vision, fundraising, and market strategy, propelling Zepto to unicorn status in record time. His ability to scale hyperlocal logistics, build a recognizable consumer brand, and lead a largely Gen Z workforce earned him accolades like Forbes Asia 30 Under 30. The Digital Trailblazer Award reflects his unique blend of speed, execution, and customer obsession. Aadit represents the next wave of entrepreneurs, data-driven, brand-conscious, and unafraid of high-stakes competition.
6. Kaivalya Vohra – Co-founder & CTO, Zepto
Instagram: @kaivalyavohra |
About: Kaivalya Vohra left Stanford at 18 to co-create Zepto, handling the complex tech backbone that makes sub-10-minute deliveries possible. A lifelong coder with a passion for scalable systems, he transitioned from Olympiad-level mathematics to solving last-mile logistics at scale. While awards have yet to formally acknowledge his achievements, Kaivalya’s role in building India’s fastest-growing quick-commerce startup is recognition in itself. His focus on engineering precision and user experience makes him a rare tech founder whose work speaks louder than his online presence.
7. Gaurav Munjal – Co-founder & CEO, Unacademy
Instagram: @gauravmunjal |
About: From uploading coding tutorials on YouTube to leading one of India’s largest edtech platforms, Gaurav Munjal’s journey is a study in persistence. Co-founding Unacademy in 2015, he transformed it from a free education channel into a venture-backed learning giant with millions of students. While individual awards are limited, Unacademy’s widespread recognition, from investor trust to cultural relevance, reflects his leadership. Gaurav’s willingness to pivot, experiment, and scale rapidly in a competitive sector underscores why he’s one of India’s most respected startup CEOs.
8. Richa Kar – Founder, Zivame
Instagram: @richakar |
Awards & Recognitions: DNA Women Achievers Award (2024); Fortune India 40 Under 40 (2016).
About: Richa Kar broke barriers in 2011 by launching Zivame, India’s first online lingerie store, despite the social stigma around intimate wear. An engineer and MBA, she identified the discomfort and lack of choice women faced in traditional retail. Zivame’s discreet, empowering shopping experience changed the conversation on lingerie in India. Her recognition in Fortune 40 Under 40 and the DNA Women Achievers Award highlights her influence in both business and cultural change. Richa’s journey proves that entrepreneurship can be as much about social transformation as it is about profit.
9. Shashvat Nakrani – Co-founder, BharatPe
Instagram: @shashvatn |
Awards & Recognitions: Featured in Hurun India U30 List 2025; IIFL Wealth Hurun Rich List youngest wealth creators.
About: Shashvat Nakrani co-founded BharatPe at 19, creating a unified QR payment platform for small merchants. His fintech simplified digital transactions for millions, giving BharatPe a massive grassroots presence. Recognitions like the Hurun India U30 List and youngest wealth creator status underline his early success. Shashvat’s story is proof that fintech innovation isn’t just about tech, it’s about empowering everyday businesses with tools they can trust.
10. Ankush Sachdeva – Co-founder, ShareChat & Moj
Instagram: Not Public
About: An IIT Kanpur graduate, Ankush Sachdeva launched ShareChat to fill the gap in regional-language social networking. Later, Moj emerged as India’s answer to TikTok, capturing huge market share. While public awards are rare, ShareChat’s valuation and user base are recognitions in their own right. Ankush’s strategy of building for Bharat, not just India’s English-speaking elite, sets him apart in the crowded social media landscape.
Conclusion
These top young entrepreneurs in India have disrupted industries, created jobs, and inspired a generation. Their awards and recognitions are milestones, but their true legacy lies in the companies they’ve built and the cultures they’ve shaped.
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