Zepto's Young Founders Crowned India's Youngest Self-Made Billionaires

Published 1 hour ago3 minute read
David Isong
David Isong
Zepto's Young Founders Crowned India's Youngest Self-Made Billionaires

The IDFC FIRST Private and Hurun India’s Top 200 Self-made Entrepreneurs of the Millennia 2025 list showcases a vibrant landscape of entrepreneurship in India, marked by a significant rise of young founders alongside established visionaries. Leading this youth surge are Zepto co-founders Kaivalya Vohra, 22, and Aadit Palicha, 23, who are the youngest on the prestigious list. Their quick-commerce startup, Zepto, is notably valued at approximately ₹52,400 crore, underscoring the rapid pace at which young innovators are building substantial businesses in India's dynamic startup ecosystem.

Following closely in the ranks of young achievers is Shashvat Nakrani, 27, co-founder of BharatPe, a fintech giant. His inclusion, along with others, highlights the continued appeal and early success found in the fintech and consumer technology sectors. The list further identifies several other influential founders under the age of 32, including Manik Garg (30) of Saatvik Green Energy, Hardik Kothiya (31) of Rayzon Solar, Ritesh Agarwal (31) of PRISM/OYO, Ankush Sachdeva (32) of ShareChat, Neetish Sarda (32) of Smartworks, Rajan Bajaj (32) of Slice, and Viraj Nirani (32) of TruAlt Bioenergy. These young entrepreneurs are making significant strides across diverse industries, from clean energy and digital platforms to fintech and co-working spaces. Despite this notable influx of youth, the overall average age of founders on the list stands at 48, reflecting a balanced mix of nascent talent and seasoned experience contributing to India’s burgeoning self-made business landscape.

In terms of enterprise valuation, Lenskart has emerged as the most valuable unlisted company on the IDFC FIRST Private and Hurun India’s Top 200 Self-made Entrepreneurs of the Millennia 2025 list. Co-founded by Peyush Bansal, Amit Chaudhary, Neha Bansal, and Sumeet Kapahi, the eyewear brand commands a valuation of ₹67,000 crore, marking an impressive 60% increase compared to the previous year. This substantial growth firmly establishes Lenskart's position as a leader among unlisted entities.

Hot on Lenskart's heels are fintech powerhouse Razorpay, founded by Harshil Mathur and Shashank Kumar, and renewable energy firm Greenko, spearheaded by Anilkumar Chalamalasetty and Mahesh Kolli. Both companies share an impressive valuation of ₹66,600 crore. The top five most valuable unlisted companies are completed by Groww, valued at ₹62,100 crore, and Zerodha, with a valuation of ₹57,300 crore, demonstrating the robust performance of financial technology platforms.

The remainder of the top 10 most valuable unlisted companies includes Zepto, founded by Kaivalya Vohra and Aadit Palicha, with its valuation of ₹52,400 crore. This is followed by PRISM (OYO), led by Ritesh Agarwal, and OfBusiness, co-founded by Asish Mohapatra, Ruchi Kalra, Vasant Sridhar, Bhuvan Gupta, and Nitin Jain, each valued at ₹44,400 crore. Real estate major M3M India, founded by Basant Bansal, holds a valuation of ₹37,400 crore. Rounding off the top 10 is Meesho, co-founded by Sanjeev Barnwal and Vidit Aatrey, with a valuation of ₹34,600 crore. This comprehensive list highlights the diverse sectors and innovative companies driving India's entrepreneurial success in 2025.

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