Business Remedies | Rajshree Upadhyaya | May 27,2025 | Success can undoubtedly be achieved when one moves forward with a clear goal, something that Vidit Aatrey and his friend Sanjeev Barnwal have demonstrated. Both grew up in the small town of Meerut and left their engineering jobs in 2015 to step into the world of technology by launching a hyperlocal fashion delivery startup called Fashnear. Their goal was to replicate the in-store trial experience by delivering clothes from local retailers directly to people’s homes. To market the app, they even stood on the streets of Bengaluru holding signboards. However, the model proved to be too complex to operate.
When the venture shut down, it offered a key insight. During user interactions, they observed that women in small towns were already informally selling products through WhatsApp.
Building on this realization, they launched Meesho in 2016, short for “My Shop”, a platform that allowed anyone to start an online business without inventory or capital. Unlike traditional e-commerce, which catered to tech-savvy urban buyers, Meesho entered the Indian market enabling resellers, many of whom were women, to source products from suppliers and sell them via WhatsApp, Facebook, or Instagram. Meesho took care of logistics, payments, and returns, effectively turning ordinary people into entrepreneurs.
First Indian startup to join the Y Combinator accelerator
Powered by social trust and community-based selling, Meesho grew rapidly. In 2016, it became the first Indian startup to be selected for the prestigious Y Combinator accelerator. By 2019, it had caught the attention of global giants, most notably when Facebook made its first investment in an Indian startup by funding Meesho, marking a historic moment that validated both the idea and its inclusive mission. Over the years, Meesho gained backing from major investors like Sequoia, SoftBank, and Tiger Global.
What set Meesho apart was its relentless focus on accessibility. The app was designed for low-end smartphones and supported multiple Indian languages. It eliminated entry barriers by removing seller commissions and requiring no upfront investments. While most e-commerce platforms competed for affluent urban customers, Meesho enabled digital entrepreneurship in rural and tier-2/3 towns. From Harapanahalli in Karnataka to Naidupeta in Andhra Pradesh, women who never imagined running a business were now earning, learning, and gaining confidence.
Serving over 190 million users annually
The journey was not without challenges, building trust among first-time internet users, dealing with low average order values, and ensuring smooth delivery logistics in remote areas were some key hurdles. To strengthen its backend, Meesho launched its own logistics marketplace called Valmo in 2024. By 2025, Valmo was handling most of Meesho’s deliveries across over 15,000 pin codes.
Today, Meesho serves over 190 million users annually and has empowered more than 13 million resellers, more than half of whom are women. Its app is among the most downloaded globally, and the company maintains a positive cash flow, a rarity for high-growth tech startups. Vidit and Sanjeev, now widely recognized as champions of inclusive innovation, have received numerous accolades, including mentions in the Forbes and Fortune Under 40 lists.
A vision rooted in grassroots empowerment
While Meesho is preparing for its IPO, its core vision remains rooted in grassroots empowerment. It is not just building a marketplace, it is instilling confidence in first-time entrepreneurs, promoting digital literacy in small towns, and enabling financial independence where it was once rare. In a diverse and complex country like India, Meesho has proven that the most powerful innovations are often the simplest, those that meet people where they are and help them move forward.
Written & Edited By:
Rajshree Upadhyaya
