Top 33 Best Startups in India for 2025 – Updated List

India has become one of the world’s fastest-growing startup ecosystems. From tiny tech innovations to billion-dollar unicorns, Indian startups are revolutionising industries, generating employment, and solving real-world challenges at scale. India is now a global innovation powerhouse with more than 100,000 registered startups growing.

The emergence of digital infrastructure, growing internet penetration, and good government initiatives such as Startup India, Digital India, and Atmanirbhar Bharat have all contributed significantly to fostering the ecosystem. Indian startups are not just fetching huge investments from international venture capitalists today but are also going global, vying with Silicon Valley players head-to-head.

Furthermore, incubators, accelerators, and angel networks in cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, and Hyderabad provide mentoring, early funding, and access to growth resources. As a result, today’s startups are not only solving local problems but are building products with global relevance.

Here is a list of some of the top startups in India that have come from this esteemed nation, with a short glance at each company, along with its founding details and LinkedIn profile.

1. Zerodha (Stock Trading)

Zerodha revolutionised online stock trading in India with its zero-commission model. It has become India’s largest retail stockbroker, and its tech-first approach and investor education tools have helped millions. This startup is India’s most successful bootstrapped fintech and is highly trusted, profitable, and founder-led.

• Founding Year: 2010
• Founders: Nithin Kamath, Nikhil Kamath
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Bootstrapped
• LinkedIn: Zerodha LinkedIn

2. OYO Hotels & Homes (Hospitality)

OYO Hotels revolutionised budget accommodations by partnering with small hotels to standardise and offer affordable stays. It has expanded globally, including a significant presence in the U.S. Originally known as “Oravel Stays,” it rebranded to OYO, aiming to provide affordable and standardised accommodations worldwide. The company has its headquarters in Gurugram, India, and has expanded operations into over 80 countries.

• Founding Year: 2013
• Founder: Ritesh Agarwal
• Headquarters: Gurgaon
• Backed by: SoftBank Vision Fund, Lightspeed India, and Airbnb
• LinkedIn: OYO Hotels & Homes LinkedIn

Read: Top Startups in Delhi

3. Ditto Insurance (Insuretech)

Ditto simplifies insurance by offering transparent advice and helping consumers choose the right health and term plans. It helps millennials navigate through the entire sphere of insurance for the majority of new entrants into the insurance world. Unbiased advice without hidden sales pitches sets up the brand as one of the most reliable advisory platforms.

• Founding Year: 2021
• Founders: Shrehith Karkera, Bhanu Harish Gurram, Pawan Kumar Rai, Lokesh Gurram
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Zerodha
• LinkedIn: Ditto Insurance LinkedIn

4. Skyroot Aerospace (SpaceTech)

Skyroot Aerospace is one of the revolutionary space-tech startups in India, committed to creating low-cost, reliable launch vehicles for small satellites. The company made headlines as the first Indian private company to launch a rocket (Vikram-S) into space. ISRO support and the new SpaceTech policy pave the way for affordable satellite launch services in India. It is one of the top startups in India in India’s private space sector with deep R&D and engineering talent.

• Founding Year: 2018
• Founders: Pawan Kumar Chandana, Naga Bharath Daka
• Headquarters: Hyderabad
• Backed by: Greenko, Mukesh Bansal, Solar Industries
• LinkedIn: Skyroot Aerospace LinkedIn

5. Licious (FoodTech)

Licious is a D2C brand in meat and seafood that has revolutionised the way fresh meat can be delivered to consumers. The company operates on the farm-to-fork model, providing fresh, high-quality meat products directly to consumers with the utmost hygiene. It has significantly grown over the last few years since the demand for fresh and hygienic meat arose following the pandemic, and plans to expand with 500 stores and ready-to-eat products.

• Founding Year: 2015
• Founders: Vivek Gupta, Abhay Hanjura
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Temasek Holdings, Vertex Ventures, 3one4 Capital, and Avendus Capital.
• LinkedIn: Licious LinkedIn

6. Curefoods (Cloud Kitchen)

Curefoods is a cloud kitchen startup in India which operates the likes of EatFit, Yumlane, and Aligarh House Biryani. Capitalising on the trend when there was growing demand for cloud kitchens due to the pandemic, the company is building its solid presence in India’s food-tech space. It plans an IPO in FY26, aiming to raise $300-$400 million.

• Founding Year: 2020
• Founder: Ankit Nagori
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Blacksoil Group, Three State Ventures, Iron Pillar, and Chiratae Ventures
• LinkedIn: Curefoods LinkedIn

7. Cred (Fintech)

CRED started as a credit card bill payment platform offering rewards and has now expanded into lending, UPI payments, and credit scores. Known for its premium user experience and quirky marketing, CRED targets India’s affluent urban millennials. The company combines financial services with lifestyle offerings to create a unique user base.

• Founding Year: 2018
• Founder: Kunal Shah
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Sequoia, Tiger Global, Falcon Edge
• LinkedIn: Cred LinkedIn

8. Mobile Premier League (MPL) (Gaming)

Mobile Premier League, also known as MPL, is an online gaming platform that enables its users to play skill-based games and win actual cash prizes. It is India’s largest mobile e-sports platform, offering over 60 games. It has expanded to the U.S. and Europe and became a unicorn in 2021. MPL has tapped into the growing mobile gaming market, providing a platform for competitive gaming and real-money rewards.

• Founding Year: 2018
• Founders: Sai Srinivas, Shubham Malhotra
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Peak XV Partners, Times Internet and Google Ventures
• LinkedIn: MPL LinkedIn

9. Ola Electric (Electric Vehicles)

Ola Electric manufactures electric two-wheelers and is building an ecosystem for EVs, including battery production. It plans to launch electric motorcycles in 2025. This company is leading the EV revolution in India, hoping to bring sustainable transport to the average Indian.

• Founding Year: 2017
• Founder: Bhavish Aggarwal
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Temasek-led investors, State Bank of India, SoftBank, Ratan Tata
• LinkedIn: Ola Electric LinkedIn

10. Meesho (E-commerce)

Meesho, founded by Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal in 2015, provides sellers with an easy way of selling to millions without needing their e-commerce infrastructure. It offers a social commerce platform that enables small businesses, along with entrepreneurs, to sell online using the social media platforms of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. Meesho is one of the leading e-commerce startups in India.

• Founding Year: 2015
• Founders: Vidit Aatrey, Sanjeev Barnwal
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Fidelity, Softbank, Prosus, B Capital, Sequoia India, Meta.
• LinkedIn: Meesho LinkedIn

11. Razorpay(Fintech)

Founded in 2014 by Harshil Mathur and Shashank Kumar, Razorpay is one of the leading payment gateway startups in India. The organisation serves businesses through a secure platform for accepting and processing online payments. Razorpay grew very fast over the years as it continually aimed to provide seamless payments for both businesses and consumers. Through its all-around suite of financial services, it now encompasses payment gateway solutions, banking services, and corporate credit lines.

• Founding Year: 2014
• Founders: Harshil Mathur, Shashank Kumar
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Lone Pine Capital, Alkeon Capital, TCV, GIC, Tiger Global, Y Combinator
• LinkedIn: Razorpay LinkedIn

12. GoKwik (E-commerce Enabler)

GoKwik is one of the fastest commerce-enabler startups in India that helps online businesses raise conversions at checkout and decrease return rates. Founded in 2020, GoKwik uses the smartest AI algorithms to make the customer buying experience seamless at the checkout stage, ensuring the cart does not get abandoned in the first place. This proprietary technology, with fraud detection, works in the background to give a seamless and secure payment experience.

• Founding Year: 2020
• Founders: Chirag Taneja, Vivek Bajpai, Ankur Talwar
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Backed by: Sequoia Capital India, Matrix Partners India, RTP Global, Think Investments
• LinkedIn: GoKwik LinkedIn

13. upGrad (EdTech)

Founded in 2015 by Ronnie Screwvala, Mayank Kumar, Kompalli, and Ravijot Chugh, upGrad is an online higher education company that focuses on industry-relevant courses in collaboration with leading universities worldwide. The courses include data science, digital marketing, machine learning, and many more. The reason behind this website’s huge success is high-quality content, great faculty, and a focus on career outcomes for students.

• Founding Year: 2015
• Founders: Ronnie Screwvala, Mayank Kumar, Phalgun Kompalli, Ravijot Chugh
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Backed by: Temasek, Ronnie Screwvala
• LinkedIn: upGrad LinkedIn

14. Unacademy (EdTech)

Unacademy started as a YouTube channel in 2010 and transformed into one of India’s largest online education platforms in 2015. Co-founded by Gaurav Munjal, Roman Saini, and Hemesh Singh, the platform offers courses for competitive exams, professional certifications, and school education. It provides live classes, recorded sessions, and a subscription model for students.

• Founding Year: 2015 (as a platform)
• Founders: Gaurav Munjal, Roman Saini, Hemesh Singh
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Temasek, Sachin Tendulkar
• LinkedIn: Unacademy LinkedIn

15. ZestMoney  (Fintech – BNPL)

ZestMoney, an online lending company, offers credit to consumers who don’t have any credit cards. The originator of the company dates back to 2015 and was first started by Lizzie Chapman, Priya Sharma, and Ashish Anantharaman. ZestMoney offers ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ services to its clients, helping them make purchases and pay in easy instalments. Moreover, it also ties up with e-commerce websites and retail stores, which makes it that much easier for people to procure credit.

• Founding Year: 2015
• Founders: Lizzie Chapman, Priya Sharma, Ashish Anantharaman
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Quona Capital, Goldman Sachs, Ribbit Capital, PayU
• LinkedIn: ZestMoney LinkedIn

16. Cars24 f(AutoTech)

Cars24 is a user-friendly car-selling and buying platform. It was founded by Vikram Chopra, Mehul Agrawal, and Gajendra Jangid in 2015. The company allows car sellers to sell their cars with ease, as soon as possible, offering buyers a wide range of certified used cars. In using technology, this company deals with all levels of transparency and safety for hassle-free transactions.

• Founding Year: 2015
• Founders: Vikram Chopra, Mehul Agrawal, Gajendra Jangid
• Headquarters: Gurgaon
• Backed by: SoftBank, Alpha Wave Global, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Global Car Group.
• LinkedIn: Cars24 LinkedIn

17. Urban Company (Home Services)

Founded by Abhiraj Bhal, Varun Khaitan, and Raghav Chandra in 2014, Urban Company is an at-home services platform that connects consumers with professionals for everything from cleaning and beauty treatments to plumbing and electrical work. The company has rapidly scaled to become one of the largest service marketplaces in India and offers its services across multiple cities, as well as internationally.

• Founding Year: 2014
• Founders: Abhiraj Bhal, Varun Khaitan, Raghav Chandra
• Headquarters: Gurgaon
• Backed by: Kunal Bahl, Rohit Bansal
• LinkedIn: Urban Company LinkedIn

18. Nykaa

Nykaa is the largest online beauty and wellness store in India, selling a wide portfolio of products from international and Indian brands. The company was founded by Falguni Nayar in 2012 and, within such a short period, has grown into a billion-dollar brand not just through its online retail but also through offline sales with the experience of being omnichannel. The company sells across different categories, including makeup, skincare, haircare, and personal care; it has also launched its beauty product lines.

• Founding Year: 2012
• Founder: Falguni Nayar
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Backed by: TPG Growth, Steadview Capital, Sunil Kant Munjal
• LinkedIn: Nykaa LinkedIn

19. Ather Energy ( Electric Vehicles)

Ather Energy is one of the electric vehicle firms in India that designs and manufactures electric scooters with in-house tech, connected apps, and charging networks. Their flagship Ather 450X has become a symbol of Indian innovation in EVs. The Company has gained recognition for its cutting-edge technology and sleek designs, and its efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

• Founding Year: 2013
• Founders: Tarun Mehta, Swapnil Jain
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Hero MotoCorp, Flipkart Co-founders
• LinkedIn: Ather Energy LinkedIn

20. Eternal (formerly Zomato) (FoodTech)

Eternal, previously known as Zomato, is now a diversified technology company with diverse businesses. It operates food delivery (Zomato), quick-commerce (Blinkit), B2B supply chain (Hyperpure), and live events (District). The rebranding is evidence of diversification from the food delivery business.

• Founding Year: 2008
• Founders: Deepinder Goyal, Pankaj Chaddah
• Headquarters: Gurgaon
• Backed by: Kora, Fidelity Investments, Tiger Global Management, Bow Wave Capital Management
• LinkedIn: Zomato LinkedIn

21. Dunzo (Quick Commerce)

Dunzo is an on-demand delivery service where you get anything from groceries to documents. The users of Dunzo get their tasks done right there, quickly. It was founded in 2015 by Kabeer Biswas, Mukund Jha, Dalvir Suri and Ankur Agarwal. The high pace of growth, especially in the metropolitan cities of India, has lifted Dunzo among the top on-demand delivery service applications in the country. There is the potential of having the user outsource her errands, from picking parcels to buying essentials from a local shop on the platform.

• Founding Year: 2015
• Founders: Kabeer Biswas, Mukund Jha, Dalvir Suri, Ankur Agarwal
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Reliance Retail, Google, Blume Ventures, Aspada Investments
• LinkedIn: Dunzo LinkedIn

22. Delhivery (Logistics)

Delhivery happens to be among the best logistics and supply chain service corporations in India. It was founded in 2011 by four friends – Sahil Barua, Mohit Tandon, Suraj Saharan, and Bhavesh Manglani – as a hyperlocal express delivery service that later became the logistics business of e-commerce. Today, the company has specialised in a variety of services, from transport and warehousing to order fulfilment.

• Founding Year: 2011
• Founders: Sahil Barua, Mohit Tandon, Suraj Saharan, Bhavesh Manglani
• Headquarters: Gurgaon
• Backed by: SoftBank Vision Fund, Carlyle Group, Fosun International, Tiger Global
• LinkedIn: Delhivery LinkedIn

23. boAt (Consumer Electronics)

boAt is a lifestyle brand that offers stylish and affordable electronic accessories, primarily in the audio category. The company offers headphones, earphones, and speakers. Founded in 2016 by Aman Gupta and Sameer Mehta, boAt didn’t take long to capture India’s consumer electronics market, targeting specifically millennials. Delivering excellent products at an affordable price has indeed catapulted the company to a leader in the market.

• Founding Year: 2016
• Founders: Aman Gupta, Sameer Mehta
• Headquarters: Delhi
• Backed by: Fireside Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, Warburg Pincus, InnoVen Capital, Malabar Investments
• LinkedIn: boAt LinkedIn

24. Groww (WealthTech)

Groww is a user-friendly platform for mutual funds, stocks, and digital gold investment. It’s targeting the next 100 million Indian investors with a mobile-first experience. This leading fintech startup is democratising investing for Indian youth in Tier 2–3 cities.

• Founding Year: 2016
• Founders: Lalit Keshre, Harsh Jain, Ishan Bansal, Neeraj Singh
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Sequoia India, Y Combinator, Tiger Global
• LinkedIn: Groww LinkedIn

25. Zepto (Quick Commerce)

Zepto disrupted India’s quick commerce market by promising 10-minute grocery deliveries. With its focus on dark stores, hyperlocal logistics, and young user demographics, Zepto has become one of the fastest-growing startups. It is the leading 10-minute delivery space with strong brand recall and rapid metro expansion.

• Founding Year: 2021
• Founders: Aadit Palicha, Kaivalya Vohra
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Backed by: Nexus Venture Partners, Y Combinator, StepStone Group
• LinkedIn: Zepto LinkedIn

26. Lenskar (Eyewear E-commerce)

Lenskart is one of the largest online eyewear retailers in India. The company was launched in 2010 by Peyush Bansal, Amit Chaudhary, and Sumeet Kapahi. It has changed the eyewear industry altogether by providing fashionable eyewear at affordable prices and with good accessibility to consumers all over the nation. Omnichannel presence has been a core strength factor for Lenskart, consisting of online and offline stores.

• Founding Year: 2010
• Founders: Peyush Bansal, Amit Chaudhary, Sumeet Kapahi
• Headquarters: Gurugram
• Backed by: SoftBank Vision Fund, Temasek Holdings, TPG, Ratan N Tata
• LinkedIn: Lenskart LinkedIn

27. Swiggy (Food Delivery & Q-Commerce)

Swiggy is one of the largest food-delivery startups in India, connecting consumers with local restaurants and delivering food straight to customers’ doorsteps. Founded in 2014 by Sriharsha Majety, Nandan Reddy, and Rahul Jaimini, Swiggy has scaled rapidly across India and extended its services to grocery delivery with Swiggy Instamart. Swiggy has experienced success because of its efficient delivery network, user-friendly app, and very wide range of partner restaurants.

• Founding Year: 2014
• Founders: Sriharsha Majety, Nandan Reddy, Rahul Jaimini
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Prosus, SoftBank, Accel, Wellington Management
• LinkedIn: Swiggy LinkedIn

28. Paytm (Fintech & Digital Payments)

Paytm is a digital payments and financial services company. It has transformed the way Indians make payments for goods and services. Founded in 2010 by Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Paytm was first a mobile wallet, but now it also offers banking products, insurance, and investment products. With a massive network of merchants and consumers, Paytm has emerged as one of the largest digital platforms in India.

• Founding Year: 2010
• Founder: Vijay Shekhar Sharma
• Headquarters: Noida
• Backed by: SoftBank Vision Fund, Ant Group, Alibaba Group, Berkshire Hathaway
• LinkedIn: Paytm LinkedIn

29. CarDekh (AutoTech – Vehicle Discovery & Finance)

CarDekho is one of the largest start-ups in India, providing an online platform for customers to buy and sell new and used cars. It was founded in 2008 by Amit Jain and Anurag Jain. The site enables users to compare or review cars, subscribe for insurance, and offers many other such facilities. For the buyers, it links them up with dealers and offers financing options. CarDekho has made the company the first stop for car buyers in India due to its comprehensive automotive ecosystem.

• Founding Year: 2008
• Founders: Amit Jain, Anurag Jain
• Headquarters: Jaipur
• Backed by: Sequoia Capital, Hillhouse Capital, Tybourne Capital, Google Capital
• LinkedIn: CarDekho LinkedIn

30. Freshwork (SaaS – B2B Software)

Freshworks is a cloud computing company established in 2010 by Girish Mathrubootham and Shan Krishnasamy, with a focus on SaaS products. It aims to make customer engagement, customer support, and IT services management easier for businesses all over the world while providing unobtrusive solutions through its SaaS offerings. The company started with Freshdesk, a customer support software, but within subsequent years, it adapted to other forms of software solutions; these include Freshservice, which is its product for IT service management, Freshsales for CRM, and Freshteam for HR management.

• Founding Year: 2010
• Founders: Girish Mathrubootham, Shan Krishnasamy
• Headquarters: Chennai
• Backed by: Accel, CapitalG (Google’s venture capital arm), Peak XV Partners
• LinkedIn: Freshworks LinkedIn

31. BluSmar (EV Ride-Hailing & Mobility)

BluSmart is India’s first all-electric ride-hailing service startup, adapting its approach to meet the challenges of urban mobility with a thrust into sustainability. Set up in 2019, BluSmart ensures a safe, clean, and dependable transport experience towards reducing air pollution in metropolitan cities. The company is building its charging station network to support its electric vehicle fleet, making BluSmart a pioneer in green mobility in India.

• Founding Year: 2019
• Founders: Anmol Singh Jaggi, Punit Goyal
• Headquarters: Gurugram
• Backed by: Lightsource BP, Mayfield India Fund
• LinkedIn: BluSmart LinkedIn

32. Digit Insurance (Insurtech)

Digit simplifies general insurance with a mobile-first platform offering auto, travel, health, and smartphone insurance. It focuses on ease of claim settlement, transparency, and customer service. The company is one of the few profitable insurtech startups in India with strong user trust and digital-first services.

• Founding Year: 2017
• Founder: Kamesh Goyal
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Backed by: Fairfax Group, TVS Capital
• LinkedIn: Digit Insurance LinkedIn

33. PharmEasy (HealthTech)

PharmEasy is a leading online healthcare platform delivering medicines, lab tests, and doctor consultations. It has expanded via mergers with Medlife and Thyrocare. The company is dominating India’s online pharmacy sector with pan-India reach.

• Founding Year: 2015
• Founders: Dharmil Sheth, Dhaval Shah
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Backed by: TPG Growth, B Capital Group
• LinkedIn: PharmEasy LinkedIn

Conclusion

The startup ecosystem in India is heading for a golden period of innovation, growth, and global recognition. Startups in India, like Paytm and Razorpay, to edtech (Unacademy, UpGrad), mobility (Ola Electric, BluSmart), and consumer services (Swiggy, Urban Company) startups, are solving real-world problems at scale.

As the world continues to evolve, expect such revolutionary companies to drive digital change and Indian social and economic growth further. As a source of inspiration or cooperation, these are the most promising Indian startups to watch out for in 2025 and beyond.