Journey of Instacart’s Founder, Apoorva Mehta

Business Remedies | Rajshree Upadhyaya | August 07, 2025 |  Apoorva Mehta has carved a unique identity for himself by transforming and innovating the way people shop for groceries in the digital age. In today’s world, where convenience and instant solutions are top priorities, the stories of such entrepreneurs who redefine our everyday experiences stand out. One such name is Apoorva Mehta, the Indian-Canadian entrepreneur and founder of Instacart. He revolutionized the way grocery shopping works in the digital era. His journey-from a frustrated customer to a tech innovator-is a remarkable example of innovation, patience, and risk-taking.

Engineering and the Desire to Make a Difference
Born in India and raised in Canada, Apoorva Mehta’s story began like that of many immigrants-with a desire to achieve something meaningful and impactful. He studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Waterloo in Canada, which laid the technical foundation for his future ventures. After that, he worked for reputed companies like BlackBerry, Qualcomm, and Amazon, where he served as a Supply Chain Engineer. At Amazon, he gained deep knowledge in logistics and fulfillment systems, which later became the backbone of Instacart. However, despite having a secure job and promising career, the flame of entrepreneurship kept burning inside him. In 2010, he quit his job and moved to San Francisco, stepping into the world of startups.

20 Failed Attempts and One Successful Idea
Over the next two years, Mehta worked on around 20 startup ideas-from a social network for lawyers to an ad platform for gaming-but none of them succeeded. Each failure taught him a new lesson, gradually sharpening his business thinking and strategic approach. The turning point came in 2012, when he encountered a personal challenge. He wanted to cook but found grocery shopping extremely time-consuming and exhausting. That’s when the idea struck-what if groceries could be delivered at home within a few hours? This thought gave birth to Instacart.

Creating Instacart: From Need to Innovation
Mehta personally developed Instacart’s app and backend system. His model was simple-connect customers with personal shoppers who would purchase groceries from local stores and deliver them directly. Unlike traditional delivery companies, Instacart did not rely on owning warehouses, which made it cost-efficient and highly scalable. In the beginning, Mehta himself did the shopping and deliveries to understand the customer experience better.

When he applied to Y Combinator, the deadline had already passed. But he didn’t give up. Instead, he delivered a six-pack of beer using Instacart to one of the Y Combinator partners. This unique and creative approach instantly got him selected into YC. From there, Instacart quickly attracted investors and expanded its services across the United States. By 2020, Instacart had become one of the most valuable private tech companies in the U.S., especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when demand for online grocery delivery skyrocketed.

Leadership, Legacy, and the Road Ahead
Under Apoorva Mehta’s leadership, Instacart disrupted an industry that had largely remained offline for years. His strategy and innovation turned Instacart into a household name. In 2021, Mehta stepped down as CEO but remained on the board to provide strategic guidance. His story is not just about building a billion-dollar company-it’s about struggle and unwavering determination. Even after 20 failed attempts, he never gave up. Instead, he kept learning and moving forward. Mehta’s journey teaches us that sometimes, our biggest frustrations can lead to the most powerful innovations.

A True Inspiration for Emerging Entrepreneurs
Apoorva Mehta’s story is a powerful source of inspiration for all young individuals who want to make a mark. His path was not easy-it was full of uncertainty, rejection, and failure-but he never looked back.

In today’s digital age, his journey offers some priceless lessons:
4Identify real-life problems and solve them with simplicity.
4Treat failure as an experience, not as the end.
4Don’t wait for the perfect time-start acting on your ideas now.

When young entrepreneurs think about taking the next big step, the story of Apoorva Mehta and Instacart stands out as a shining example-showing that with passion and determination, nothing is impossible.

Written & Edited

Rajshree Upadhyaya