By Sumaila Zaman
In a digital world dominated by shopping one platform has quietly changed lives across India. It is Meesho. Designed to empower small sellers and entrepreneurs predominantly women Meeshos growth is not only about business success but a movement. But did you know how a simple idea of two IIT Delhi friends became a company worth crores? Well read the story given below…
Who are the IIT graduates who built a Rs 40000 crore business empire?
Sanjeev Barnwal and Vidit Aatrey were very close friends during college at IIT Delhi and after graduation Sanjeev joined Sony’s core tech team and moved to Japan where he gained significant experience in the industry. Throughout this journey the spark in him for entrepreneurship didn’t fade. He was ready to do something on his own. Soon he reconnected with Vidit who was working with InMobi in Bangalore to discuss launching a startup together.
Who is behind Meeshos success?
In June 2015 Sanjeev and Vidit took the huge step to quit their high-paying jobs and pursue their entrepreneurial vision. Family and friends were worried and critical about leaving steady jobs but they moved forward with their vision to build a fashion marketplace to help small businesses. With very limited money they launched Meesho from a two-bedroom apartment in Koramangala Bengaluru. The dining table was their first desk and that was the beginning of Meesho! Meesho stands for Meri Shop.
Aatrey and Barnwal noticed a gap. Platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp were clearly being used but not for business. They did what nobody else would do. They built an app Meesho with a existing business model of enabling resellers to begin a business especially homemakers. Sellers on Meesho can start with their own personal online store and then promote those products to their social circles chat with their customers on WhatsApp and link their stores with their Facebook profiles. Meesho takes care of payments and deliveries making it simple for anyone to run a business from home. The company earns by charging a commission from sellers. Founded in 2015 Meesho has now grown into an empire worth approximately Rs 40000 crore.