Entrepreneur Stories
Snapchat Founding Story
What started off as a means to send girls and guys nude images, is one of the most used applications around the world today. A simple idea of being able to send disappearing pictures became a force in technology, advertising and entertainment. This is the founding story of Snapchat, the multimedia messaging app created by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy and Reggie Brown.
Launched in the year 2011, the idea came to the founders when they were studying at Stanford University where Spiegel presented its first incarnation as part of a project for his product design class. Initially called Picaboo, the photo sharing service was first launched on the Apple App Store. But, soon after launching the app, Spiegel and Murphy decided to remove Brown from the company which led to a lawsuit and a subsequent $ 158 million settlement.
Spiegel and Murphy relaunched the app, post the lawsuit, with a new name, Snapchat. Snapchat became incredibly popular with kids and gained 100,000 users by April 2012 majorly through word of mouth. While Evan’s, Bobby’s and Spiegel’s first crack at an idea like Snapchat was a disaster, the present iteration is the beta version is an unparalleled success. Snapchat, as we know it, came to be after 6 weeks of intense work and a presentation in front of 30 students and 2 professors. The idea of pictures not lasting forever was a concept people were really not familiar with and once everyone understood the concept, it became an instant success!
Even after going through rounds of failures and mishaps, Snapchat came to become one of the most successful businesses in the world of startups. One of the most unique photo sharing apps, Snapchat is now valued at a staggering $ 24 billion. In May 2015 alone, Snapchat raised $ 538 million in new funding rounds and it is believed to have shared more than 15 billion images during the last 3 years. With such quick growth and progress, Snapchat stands at being the third most valued startup in the world!
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.
