Entrepreneur Stories
Micromax Founding Story: From The Beginning To Now
While a lot has been said about Micromax’s climb to success, not a lot has been said about the journey. Within two years of being formed, Micromax became one of the largest distributors of mobile handsets in the Country. The Company started off with four founders: Rajesh Agarwal, Vikas Jain, Rahul Sharma and Sumeet Kumar. Ever since its inception, Micromax’s philosophy has been simple, to be the best at what they do and never settle for repetition.
Fresh out of college and full of enthusiasm, the founders knew the year 1999 was time to capitalize on the dot.com boom happening in the Country at the time. All they could think of was software and how the world could change with the technology boom! Making modest beginnings as an M2M partner for Nokia (under a partnership with the Micromax Software,) the founders were introduced to the concept of fixed wireless terminals from a Finnish executive of the mobile company. This soon went on to power payphones in India which used SIM cards in areas with no landline connectivity.
They started supplying this technology everywhere and soon, M2M became the second largest company in the world! However, Nokia sold the business shortly and this left Sharma and Co., in a fix. Very soon they realised the big game changer was in creating handsets and not just in selling hardware or partnering with payphones. The scene changed quickly with the entry of Micromax smartphones in March 2008. The new kids shook up the market! In India, about 100 to 120 million handsets are sold annually, 80 million handsets are imported and the size of the handset business is valued at Rs 27,000 crores. In two years, Micromax increased its market share from 0.59 % in 2008 to about 5 % in 2010.
So how did Micromax break through a world which was dominated by Sony and Nokia? By being unique in every aspect, of course! The company’s policy was to identify with all factions of society. Micromax broke from the norms by introducing products that fit well with the rural consumer need. The handset manufacturer was the first to launch many innovative products such as handsets with 30 days battery backup, dual SIM/dual standby, handsets that could switch between networks (GSM to CDMA and vice versa,) QWERTY keypads and universal remote controls.
Through the years, Micromax established itself as the one stop shop for smartphones made available to people across different strata of the society. Today, a majority of Micromax phones boast this feature, even as competitors struggle to match its pace.
A decade ago, the success of a startup was measured largely by its ability to raise capital. Today, a different metric is gaining importance: the ability to generate meaningful exits for investors. Large stake sales by early backers are becoming increasingly common, not because growth opportunities have disappeared, but because India’s startup ecosystem is entering a more mature phase where capital is expected to complete its full cycle from investment to returns.
This evolution is particularly significant for consumer brands that have successfully blended technology, retail, and strong brand-building. Companies that were once viewed as high-risk startup bets are now attracting institutional investors capable of absorbing large transactions. Such developments indicate that these businesses are no longer being valued solely on future potential; they are increasingly being assessed on operational performance, market leadership, and long-term profitability. In many ways, investor exits are becoming a validation of a company’s ability to create lasting enterprise value.
The broader implication extends beyond a single company or investor. Successful exits encourage more global capital to enter India’s startup ecosystem because they demonstrate that liquidity opportunities exist at scale. As more venture-backed companies approach public listings, secondary transactions, or strategic investments, the focus of founders and investors alike may shift from chasing headline valuations to building durable businesses. The next chapter of India’s startup journey will likely be defined not just by the creation of unicorns, but by the creation of companies capable of delivering sustained returns to all stakeholders.
Apple has unveiled the new MacBook Air with M5 chip, starting at $999 for 13-inch and $1,299 for 15-inch models. The MacBook Air M5 boasts a 2nm M5 chip with 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU, and 50 TOPS Neural Engine for seamless AI tasks like real-time translation and 8K editing. Up to 22 hours of battery life, Thunderbolt 5, and Wi-Fi 7 make it the ultimate ultraportable, now 10% thinner at 0.44 inches with fanless cooling.
Key MacBook Air M5 features include Liquid Retina XDR display (500 nits, nano-texture option), 12MP Center Stage camera, and six-speaker Spatial Audio. Colors like new Sky Blue join Midnight and Starlight. Pre-orders are live today, with macOS Sequoia 15.4 enhancing Apple Intelligence and iPhone Continuity for students, pros, and remote workers.
Why buy MacBook Air M5 now? It outpaces Snapdragon X Elite rivals with ecosystem magic and future-proof performance, eyeing top 2026 laptop sales. CEO Tim Cook calls it “more capable than ever.” Visit apple.com for M5 MacBook deals and specs.
Delhi NCR-based gaming startup Zupee has acquired Mumbai-based microdrama platform Vertical TV in a deal valued under INR 40 Cr. This move strengthens Zupee Studio, its short-video arm launched in September 2025, by integrating Vertical TV’s expertise in bite-sized dramas like romance and thrillers.
Facing challenges from India’s 2025 real-money gaming ban, Zupee valued at $1 Bn after raising $120 Mn has pivoted to non-gaming content, including recent layoffs of 40% of its workforce. The acquisition builds on its November 2025 purchase of Australian AI firm Nucanon for interactive storytelling, targeting its 200 Mn+ users with engaging, mobile-first formats.
This deal underscores the rising microdrama trend in India, helping Zupee diversify amid regulatory pressures and compete in the short-video space dominated by quick, shareable content for on-the-go audiences.
