Entrepreneur Stories
Swiggy: The Story of A Company That Changed The Way A Country Eats
Nandan Reddy (29) and Sriharsha Majety (31,) both alumni of Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, are second time lucky entrepreneurs. Back in the year 2014, they worked together on their first startup venture, Bundl, a logistics aggregator which connected small and medium companies to courier service providers. The business started off fine. However, after almost a year into it, they realised their focus needed to change from the courier service field to the food industry.
In the year of working with like minded people. Nandan and Sriharsha realised there was a strong need for an online hyperlocal logistics company in the restaurant industry. By 14 August, the duo made their dream into a reality by rolling out Swiggy, the country’s first online food ordering platform. They roped in Rahul Janimini, an IIT Kharagpur alumni, to do coding work for the platform.
Back in 2014, Swiggy was founded in an office space in Koramangala, Bangalore. One neighbourhood, six delivery executives and 25 partner restaurants is what Swiggy started off with in the beginning. Almost four years into the field, Swiggy now has a major presence in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata. Not just that, they are partnered with 12,000 restaurants and over 13,000 delivery executives.
When it comes to food and ordering food, India is a young country with a lot of untapped potential. As a customer centric company, Swiggy as an online platform is entirely dedicated to improving the process and experience of food order and delivery. Since its inception, Swiggy has rapidly grown to become a leader in the Indian food delivery sector by consistently shrinking delivery timelines and improving customer experience.
From the time of its inception, this online platform has raised large sums of money which more than proves Swiggy’s worth as a food ordering platform. Starting from discovery through visual menus, massive reduction in delivery time and no minimum order, Swiggy has become the highest used online platform. With over 12,000 restaurants in their roster, industry best average delivery time of 37 minutes and reduced overhead costs, Swiggy has positioned itself at the top of this field.
To make sure they are here for the long run, Swiggy has launched a host of exciting features like Swiggy Pop, Swiggy Access and Swiggy Schedule. With constant developments in their technology, Swiggy has made sure it has secured the number one position in the country in relation to the online food ordering food.
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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