Entrepreneur Stories
Pinterest: The Founding Story
Evan Sharp, Ben Silbermann and Paul Sciarra, the founders of Pinterest weren’t child prodigies. They weren’t being chased down the Wall Street by investors. They weren’t being hounded by potential take over bids. In fact, when they started out, no one really liked them. Raised by doctors, Ben Silbermann figured he would follow the same path as his parents. He even went on to study medicine at Yale Univeristy. However, he realised very soon that medicine wasn’t his passion or dream.
Pinterest officially came to be in the year 2010. Three months after, the online image sharing platform only had around 3,000 registered accounts. In the world of social media boom, the 3,000 users wasn’t a commendable number. However, Silbermann capitalized on these users and focused on a model which helped Pinterest grow into the phenomenon it is today.
In a lot of ways, Pinterest was the exact opposite of Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, everything which was hot at the time. Unlike these platforms, Pinterest focused on curating only images and not on real time content. One of the major reasons this image platform became such a huge success was that in the beginning, the users would hold regular meetings with their limited users. While this in itself was an unusual practice, what helped the platform grow was the online network’s ability to absorb the changes given by their users.
Pinterest also started a new campaign called Pin It Forward. According to this, users could create a pinboard and get more invites by getting friends to create pinboards. One of the major reasons for Pinterest’s outstanding leap to success is the company’s constant work at connecting with its users. They spoke to them on a regular basis and this connect helped form a strong bond even eight years after the platform launched.
What started off as a hobby for Ben Silberman, turned into a full time occupation for more than a 100 million users around the world. While Pinterest’s growth was rocky in the beginning, the company took off with a bang and according to several trade analysts, the online image sharing and buying platform is on its way to surpass existing giants like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram!
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.
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