The Avendus Wealth – Hurun India released its Under 35 list featuring top entrepreneurs overseeing enterprises valued at $443 billion (Rs 39 lakh crore), reflecting nearly a tenth of India’s GDP.
The list featured prominent names including Hardik Kothiya (31), Co-founder of Rayzon Solar in Surat, who was the youngest on the list. Among women, Minu Margaret (31), Founder of BlissClub, is the youngest woman on the list, championing innovation and inclusivity in women’s activewear.
Who’s on the list?
The list mentions 155 entrepreneurs, featuring prominent names like Oyo founder Ritesh Agarwal, Reliance Retail’s Isha Ambani, Meesho’s Vidit Aatrey, Razorpay’s Harshil Mathur among others.
While the U35 entrepreneurs collectively employ more than 7,67,000 professionals, out of this nearly 2,47,782 employees work with Isha Ambani-led Reliance Retail -- making it the U35 cohort’s largest employer.
Nearly 76% of the entrepreneurs featuring on the list are first generation founders.
Anas Rahman Junaid, Founder & Chief Researcher, Hurun India, said, “These young entrepreneurs are moving beyond traditional digital sectors such as financial services and media, and are instead driving growth in real-economy areas such as agriculture, logistics, clean energy, and manufacturing.”
“This pivot signals a fundamental shift in the country's growth story, from digital disruption to foundational industrial and social change. Nearly half of these new firms are now valued at over $500 million, and a select group of ventures including PRISM (OYO), Meesho, ShareChat and OfBusiness have collectively raised over $7 billion, demonstrating strong investor confidence and a clear signal that capital is being directed toward the country's next wave of innovation,” he added.
Apurva Sahijwani, MD & CEO, Avendus Wealth Management said: "The ones building for the long game usually have a very steady mix of ambition and patience. They have moved from the early excitement of disruption to the discipline of building something that lasts. What you see with this U35 cohort is a focus on structure, governance, and culture. They have moved from fast-growing startups to building enduring enterprises."
Which cities have the most founders?
Bengaluru had topped the list with 54 entrants, featuring notable names such as Shashank Kumar, Harshil Mathur and Vidit Aatrey, cementing its status as India’s startup capital.
Mumbai ranks second with 29 entrepreneurs, and is home to innovators such as Pallon Mistry, Akash Ambani and Isha Ambani.
New Delhi ranks third with 22 notable entrepreneurs’ names, such as Adwaita Nayar, Rahul Gupta and Raghav Chandra. Gurugram, Hyderabad and Noida follow with 9, 6 and 5 entrants respectively, while Kolkata and San Francisco records.
Chennai, Pune and Ahmedabad each contribute 3 entrants, including Kaviya Kalanithi Maran, Yashvardhan Patil and Parita Parekh.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
