Indian Startups with Skyrocketing Valuations and Return on Investment (ROI) for Early Stage Startups Investors
India’s startup ecosystem has witnessed exponential growth over the years, producing unicorns that have delivered phenomenal returns to early stage startups investors. Below are few examples of prominent startups, their valuation growth, and ROI for initial backers. The sample highlights startups from different sectors, with varied scale and soaring over short to long term periods.
Flipkart
Founded: 2007
Sector: E-commerce
Valuation Growth
- 2011: Flipkart was valued at $150 million when Tiger Global made its initial investment.
- 2014: The valuation surged to $11 billion after rounds led by Accel and Naspers.
- 2018: Acquired by Walmart for $16 billion, marking one of the largest exits in Indian startup history.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Tiger Global: Invested approximately $8 million initially and earned over $3 billion during the Walmart acquisition.
- Accel Partners: Their ROI was reported at over 400x on their initial investment.
Annualized Growth Rate
From 2011 to 2018, Flipkart’s valuation grew at an approximate annualized rate of 89%.
Zomato
Founded: 2008
Sector: Food Delivery
Valuation Growth
- 2010: Raised its first round at a valuation of approximately $3 million.
- 2021: Listed on the Indian stock exchange with a valuation of $13 billion.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Info Edge: Invested $1 million in Zomato’s early days, which grew to over $1 billion in valuation at IPO, delivering a 1,000x ROI.
Annualized Growth Rate
Zomato’s valuation grew at an annualized rate of approximately 120% from 2010 to 2021.
Ola
Founded: 2010
Sector: Ride-Hailing
Valuation Growth
- 2011: Valued at $10 million during early-stage funding from Tiger Global and Matrix Partners.
- 2024: Valuation crossed $15 billion after its Series J funding round.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Tiger Global: Their early investment of $5 million is now worth over $1 billion, reflecting an ROI of 200x.
Annualized Growth Rate
From 2011 to 2024, Ola’s valuation grew at an annualized rate of 57%.
Paytm
Founded: 2010
Sector: FinTech
Valuation Growth
- 2011: Valued at $30 million during Series A funding.
- 2021: Listed on the Indian stock exchange with a valuation of $16 billion.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- SAIF Partners (now Elevation Capital): Invested $1 million in Paytm’s early days and saw returns of over $1.4 billion during the IPO, delivering a 1,400x ROI.
Annualized Growth Rate
Paytm’s valuation grew at an annualized rate of 90% between 2011 and 2021.
The Man Company
Founded: 2015
Sector: Men’s Grooming
Valuation Growth
- 2017: Valued at approximately $10 million during early funding rounds.
- 2023: Valuation estimated at $200 million after investments from Emami and others.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Emami: Invested $4 million in 2017 and saw a 5x increase in valuation by 2023.
Zepto
Founded: 2021
Sector: Quick Commerce
Valuation Growth
- 2021: Valued at $225 million in Series A.
- 2023: Valuation soared to $1.4 billion, achieving unicorn status.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Nexus Venture Partners: Early investors earned over 6x returns within two years.
Naukri.com
Founded: 1997
Sector: Job Portals
Valuation Growth
- 2006: IPO valued the company at $56 million.
- 2023: Parent company Info Edge valued at over $8 billion.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Early Angel Investors: Earned approximately 100x returns during IPO.
Rapido
Founded: 2015
Sector: Bike Taxi
Valuation Growth
- 2019: Valued at $200 million in Series A.
- 2023: Valuation crossed $800 million.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Westbridge Capital: Achieved 4x returns on early investments.
Oyo Rooms
Founded: 2013
Sector: Hospitality
Valuation Growth
- 2015: Valued at $60 million during Series A.
- 2023: Valuation estimated at $9 billion.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- SoftBank: Earned approximately 15x returns over eight years.
Perfios
Founded: 2008
Sector: FinTech
Valuation Growth
- 2015: Valued at $20 million during early rounds.
- 2024: Valuation crossed $1 billion.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Early Investors: Earned 50x returns over eight years.
Boat
Founded: 2016
Sector: Consumer Electronics
Valuation Growth
- 2020: Valued at $100 million.
- 2023: Valuation crossed $1.4 billion.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Warburg Pincus: Earned approximately 14x returns on their investment.
Tata 1Mg
Founded: 2015
Sector: HealthTech
Valuation Growth
- 2017: Valued at $50 million.
- 2023: Valuation estimated at $1 billion after Tata Digital’s acquisition.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Early Investors: Achieved 20x returns post-acquisition.
PhysicsWallah
Founded: 2020
Sector: EdTech
Valuation Growth
- 2021: Valued at $100 million.
- 2023: Valuation reached $1.1 billion, achieving unicorn status.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Westbridge Capital: Earned 11x returns within two years.
Oxyzo
Founded: 2017
Sector: FinTech
Valuation Growth
- 2022: Valued at $1 billion during Series A.
- 2023: Maintained unicorn status with continued growth.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Matrix Partners: Earned over 10x returns on early investments.
ElasticRun
Founded: 2016
Sector: Logistics
Valuation Growth
- 2020: Valued at $200 million.
- 2023: Valuation crossed $1.5 billion.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Prosus Ventures: Earned 7.5x returns over three years.
LivSpace
Founded: 2014
Sector: Home Interiors
Valuation Growth
- 2017: Valued at $100 million.
- 2023: Valuation exceeded $1.2 billion.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Jungle Ventures: Achieved 12x returns over six years.
PristynCare
Founded: 2018
Sector: HealthTech
Valuation Growth
- 2020: Valued at $250 million.
- 2023: Valuation crossed $1.4 billion.
Return on Investment (ROI) for early stage startups investors
- Sequoia Capital: Earned over 6x returns in three years.
Key Insights for Early-Stage Investors
- High Growth Potential: Indian startups have demonstrated exponential valuation growth, often exceeding 50% annualized rates.
- Long-Term Gains: Investors who entered early and remained patient realized significant multipliers on their investments.
Grab the opportunity when it knocks – InvestIN expects similar growth levels. By leveraging early-stage opportunities, investors can explore a right start up with high-growth potential and position themselves for outsized returns in the years to come.
