Meesho
Meesho is a social commerce platform that helps people launch their own businesses by linking them with suppliers and customers. It was founded by Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal. Meesho was established in 2015 and has since emerged as one of India’s most rapidly expanding businesses, with a valuation of over $2 billion.
After graduating from IIT Delhi in 2012, Vidit Aatrey worked as a software developer for the mobile advertising network InMobi. He observed while he was there that a large number of Indians used Facebook and WhatsApp to buy and sell goods. He recognized an opportunity to develop a platform that would make it simpler for these individuals to launch their own enterprises, and as a result, Meesho was conceptualized.
On the other hand, Sanjeev Barnwal has experience working for Google and Ola and has a background in computer science. He was the ideal co-founder for Vidit to work with as they built Meesho because he had experience creating adaptable technological platforms.
Meesho was created as a platform for resellers who wished to market their goods to friends and family members using social media sites like Facebook and WhatsApp. The business had only six employees when it first launched, but it soon acquired momentum, and by 2016, it had raised $3.4 million in capital.
Meesho was different from its rivals in part because of its focus on empowering women. In a nation where many women are discouraged from working outside the home, the platform’s ability to allow women to launch their own enterprises from home was particularly fascinating. These ladies received training, support, and a network of suppliers and consumers, all from Meesho.
Meesho had more than 1 million resellers by the end of 2018 and had secured $65 million in investment. The platform also offers services like insurance and loans in addition to reselling goods. Additionally, Meesho expanded its supplier network to incorporate more well-known companies like Samsung and Dell.
Meesho raised an additional $125 million in funding in 2019, which helped in the company’s subsequent growth. New markets, such as Indonesia and the Philippines, have been added to the platform’s reach. Meesho also introduced a brand-new function called Meesho Supply that allowed small enterprises to buy goods directly from producers.
Meesho currently has over 13 million resellers and a valuation of over $2 billion, making it one of the fastest-growing firms in India. The business has developed and innovated continuously, becoming a dominant force in the social commerce market. The idea of Meesho from Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal has really come to fruition, and the platform has enabled millions of people to launch their own enterprises and attain financial independence.