When we think about famous companies like Amazon and Dell, we only see the massive office spaces, the billion dollar revenues and the huge number of employees employed by the companies. Most often, we fail to see the humble beginnings of the companies, when the founder only had an idea and determination with him/her. Let us take a look at 5 such companies which began their journey in a humble way.
1) Amazon
This multinational technology Company started in the garage of its founder, Jeff Bezos, in Bellevue, Washington in 1994. Bezos started Amazon after reading that the future of internet projected an annual web commerce growth of 2300 %. Initially an online bookstore, Amazon grew massively into one of the biggest companies in the world and made Bezos the world’s richest man.
2) Disney
When Walt Disney started the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio with his brother Roy Disney, they only had Walt’s drawing skills and their uncle’s garage on which they could rely. Now, almost a century later, the Disney Brother Cartoon Studio, known as The Walt Disney Company, is the world’s biggest multimedia company and is worth over $ 150 billion. Since its beginning with Laughing Alice,the Company has established itself as the leader of American animation.
3) Harley Davidson
The dream of every motorbike enthusiast, Harley Davidson, started in a wooden shed in 1901. Creator William S. Harley designed a small engine, which was originally meant for a regular pedal-bicycle frame. Along with his friend Arthur Davidson, he created the first Harley Davidson bike, which took two years to finish. Now one of the biggest motorbike manufacturers in the world with a net worth of over $ 5.86 billion, Harley Davidson has come a long way.
4) Dell
Established in 1984 by a University of Texas student, Michael Dell, Dell Computer Corporation operated as PC’s Limited at the time. Michael Dell used to sell custom made computers from his dorm room and eventually dropped out of college in order to expand his company. The Company has now become one of the largest technological corporations in the world and is known for employing more than 1,45,000 people all over the world.
5) Nike
Nike, the multinational shoe manufacturer, probably had the humblest start. The company started as Blue Ribbons Sports in 1964 in the car trunk of its founder Phil Knight, who was a track athlete at the University of Oregon. Starting its journey from the car trunk, the Company has gone to achieve massive success, with a net worth of $ 32.4 billion, making Knight the 26th richest man in the world.
These companies and their founders are living proof you don’t need a lot of money and a massive office space to start your business. All you need is a great idea and determination to work towards it.
Info Edge, the parent of Naukri.com, has achieved a 36% gross internal rate of return (IRR) on its startup investments since 2007, turning a total investment of INR 3,959 crore across 111 startups into a portfolio now valued at INR 36,855 crore-a nearly 9X gain. Early bets on Zomato and Policybazaar have been especially lucrative, with holdings in these two companies alone worth INR 31,500 crore as of March 2025.
The company’s investment strategy spans multiple vehicles, including the SEBI-registered Info Edge Venture Fund (IEVF), Info Edge Capital, and Capital 2B, with a combined fund corpus of INR 3,423 crore and Info Edge committing INR 1,614 crore. Early-stage investments now contribute 30-40% of the company’s overall value.
Info Edge’s Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) investments have yielded an IRR of 18.7%. Many portfolio companies, such as TrueMeds, Geniemode, Attentive.ai, and InPrime, have attracted follow-on funding from major investors like Accel, Peak XV Partners, and Tiger Global. Notably, BlueStone, the largest investment of Info Edge Capital, has filed for an IPO after securing investments from Prosus, Peak XV, and Steadview Capital. Founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani emphasized the company’s focus on strong governance and financial controls, with a preference for value realization through public listings or strategic exits.
Bengaluru-based investment bank IndigoEdge, in partnership with entrepreneur Hitesh Ahuja, has launched PixelSky Capital, a secondaries fund targeting INR 400 crore. The fund will invest in eight late-stage tech and consumer companies expected to go public within three to four years, with cheque sizes of INR 40–50 crore each. PixelSky has already invested in beauty retailer Purplle and aims to close a second deal by June 2025.
The fund focuses on secondary transactions, allowing existing shareholders to sell stakes to new investors, providing liquidity ahead of IPOs. Founders have committed INR 10–15 crore, with additional capital coming from domestic family offices and startup founders. Final close is expected by March 2026.
Led by Hitesh Ahuja, who sold his foodtech startup Yumlane in 2023, and IndigoEdge cofounder Zerin Rahiman, PixelSky marks IndigoEdge’s expansion from advisory and proprietary investments into fund management. The firm has facilitated over 150 transactions worth around $3 billion and invested INR 25–30 crore as a limited partner in multiple VC funds. PixelSky is currently evaluating about 20 companies before finalizing its portfolio
Meta is developing its first true AR glasses, set to launch in 2027. Before the public release, employees will test the device starting in 2024. The company is also releasing new generations of Ray-Ban smart glasses in 2023 and 2025 with enhanced features like a “viewfinder” display.
Specifications and Features
The AR glasses are expected to feature OLED displays and Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets, offering sophisticated AR and AI capabilities. They will enable users to interact with virtual objects and project high-quality holograms of avatars onto the real world.
Design and Competition
Meta aims for a sleek design, potentially building on its Ray-Ban partnerships. The AR glasses market is competitive, with Apple and Google also investing heavily. Meta seeks to make its AR glasses a game-changer by offering a unique user experience.
Future Plans
In addition to AR glasses, Meta is expanding its VR offerings with new headsets like the Quest 3 and exploring other wearable technologies. The company is focused on reducing costs to make the AR glasses more consumer-friendly by launch.