‘Snapdeal’ Co-Founders Kunal Bahl

Funds Raised: 636 Crores

Sales: Revenue 6,200 Crores by 2015 fiscal

After being denied H1B Visa to work in the U.S., Wharton graduate Kunal Bahl, 31, started discount coupon business in India in 2008. The business grew into an online deal site named Snapdeal in 2010 and then became an online marketplace in 2012.

Bahl used to call up his school-mate and IIT Delhi graduate Rohit Bansal, to discuss startup ideas. "Deep down, me and Rohit were never sure what we wanted to build. But we were certain of the fact that we wanted to become entrepreneurs," said Bahl.

Big investors such as eBay, Recruit Corp (Japan), Intel, amongst others poured in about $50 million to Snapdeal last year.

Bahl said that his vision is to change lives of large number of small retailers in India via a technology platform. His hard working nature makes him stay often till 2 am in office. He however, expressed that his employees are better than him at their jobs. As Snapdeal has over half a dozen investors now, investor handling is another craft which Bahl has learnt over time. 

Piyush Bansal – Founder ‘Lenskart’

Funds Raised: 87 Crore

Sales: 50 Crore in 2014 Fiscal

This former Microsoft employee dared to dream big and this is how Valyoo saw the day light. A graduate from McGill university in Canada, Piyush Bansal started Valyoo Technologies that runs many e-commerce firms. However, these firms sell eyewear, bags, watches and jewellery online. He is working on repositioning his company's operating model, to move towards profitability and a public listing. Bansal and his team have picked Lenskart to do the same for them.

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