Who is Kaivalya Vohra? A college dropout becomes India's youngest billionaire with net worth of Rs 3,600 crore

Kaivalya Vohra, the co-founder of the quick commerce app Zepto becomes the youngest Indian billionaire, as per the 2024 IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List. At just 21 years old, Vohra has achieved an impressive net worth of Rs 3,600 crore, making him the youngest person ever to be included in this prestigious list. His business partner and friend, 22-year-old Aadit Palicha with a net worth of Rs 4,300 crore, is right behind him as the second youngest on the list.

Kaivalya Vohra's Standing in the IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List 2024

The 2024 IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List marks a significant achievement for both Kaivalya Vohra and India¡¯s billionaire landscape, as the number of billionaires in the country has crossed 300 for the first time. Vohra¡¯s remarkable success at such a young age showcases his entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking.

Kaivalya Vohra's early life

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Kaivalya Vohra was born on March 15, 2003, in Bengaluru, Karnataka, where he also completed his schooling. He is fluent in three languages: Hindi, English, and French. Before starting Zepto, Kaivalya had enrolled in a computer science engineering program at Stanford University. However, he decided to pursue his dream of launching a company and dropped out to start Zepto with his friend Aadit Palicha.

Kaivalya and Aadit were living in Dubai when they got into Stanford, but after attending the online orientation, they chose to return to Mumbai to launch their business.

The Path to Success: Kaivalya Vohra's Story

Kaivalya Vohra and Aadit Palicha were both students at Stanford University when they decided to leave their computer science course to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. This bold move led to the creation of Zepto in 2021. The duo wanted to address the growing need for quick and contactless delivery of essential goods during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Zepto was their answer to that demand.

Zepto: Transforming Quick Commerce in India

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Zepto operates in India's highly competitive grocery delivery market, where it faces tough competition from big names like Amazon India, Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit, and Tata Group¡¯s BigBasket. Despite this, Zepto has managed to stand out by focusing on ultra-fast delivery services, setting a new standard in the industry.

The name Zepto is inspired by "zeptosecond," the smallest unit of time, reflecting the company¡¯s promise of delivering groceries in just 10 minutes. Although this promise was later revised to "delivery in minutes," Zepto¡¯s commitment to speed has helped it gain a loyal customer base.

Early Ventures and Rapid Expansion

Before Zepto, Kaivalya Vohra and Aadit Palicha launched KiranaKart in 2020, a platform that partnered with local grocery stores for online deliveries. However, they soon pivoted to quick commerce, leading to the creation of Zepto. The startup quickly gained momentum and expanded its operations to 10 major cities across India.

With over 1,600 employees, operates roughly 350 dark stores across India¡¯s top 10 cities, and delivers more than 7,000 products, including fresh fruits, vegetables, daily cooking essentials, dairy, and health-and-hygiene products, to Indian households at record speed. Zepto has also introduced a caf¨¦ service, allowing customers to order coffee, chai, and other caf¨¦ items along with their groceries.

Zepto Valuation

In June 2024, Zepto raised $650 million at a valuation of $3.6 billion valuation, according to a Moneycontrol report.

Kaivalya Vohra¡¯s journey is a powerful example of innovation and determination. From leaving Stanford University to building one of India¡¯s fastest-growing startups, his story is truly inspiring. As the youngest Indian billionaire, Vohra is setting new standards for young entrepreneurs, proving that age is no limit to success.