How Two IIT Grads Turned a Simple Idea into India’s Biggest Reselling Platform!

Meesho, established in 2015, is the largest reselling platform in India. Founded by two innovative graduates from IIT Delhi, the company has grown to employ between 1,000 and 5,000 people.

From Fashnear to Meesho

In 2015, Meesho was launched by the dynamic duo of IIT Delhi, Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal. Initially named Fashnear, the app primarily helped users sell fashion goods locally, functioning similarly to Swiggy and Zomato. During the early days, Vidit and Sanjeev personally took pictures of the products and added them to the app’s catalog. Vidit even took on the role of a delivery man to gain firsthand customer feedback. However, the app did not meet their initial expectations.

Unwilling to give up, they identified the shortcomings and worked tirelessly to resolve them, leading to the emergence of Meesho. Their main goal was to empower small-scale local merchants, particularly women selling products in their communities. Vidit and Sanjeev aimed to enable 100 million small businesses in India, including individual entrepreneurs, to succeed online. As of 2024, they are on track to achieve this vision, with over 1.1 million sellers and 140 million customers.

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How Meesho Works?

Meesho is currently India’s largest reselling app, operating on a straightforward mechanism. It connects manufacturers to resellers, who then sell the products to customers. Notably, this process is entirely online, eliminating direct contact between manufacturers, resellers, and customers.

Merchants primarily attract customers by promoting products through social media platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. This model allows customers to purchase items at significantly lower prices, as products are sourced directly from manufacturers.

From IITian to Successful Entrepreneur

After graduating from IIT Delhi, Vidit sought a job that aligned with his interests. In 2012, he joined ICC as an assistant manager, later becoming an associate manager at InMobi for a year. In 2015, he resigned to pursue the idea of Meesho alongside Sanjeev. Although they faced many challenges initially, their perseverance eventually paid off. Today, Vidit is among the most successful and wealthiest young CEOs in India.

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Early Life of Vidit

Vidit was born into a middle-class family where farming was the primary source of income. His father worked in the water department in northwest Delhi and inspired Vidit to aspire to civil services, leading him to IIT Delhi as the first step toward that dream. However, during his time at IIT, he realized that his true passion lay elsewhere. The four years spent at IIT transformed his perspective, and he ultimately confided in his father that he was not suited for government jobs. This revelation set him on a path to explore new opportunities.

Achievements So Far

As CEO of Meesho, Vidit enjoys a substantial net worth that continues to grow through consistent hard work. He has achieved numerous accolades, contributing to the enhancement of Meesho’s performance. Some of his notable achievements include:

Winner of the Social Venture Challenge at Harvard World MUN, Singapore (2011)
Featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 for India and Asia (2018)
Listed in Entrepreneur’s 35 Under 35 (2019)
Awarded the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies award by Fast Company
Recognized as the Young Turk Startup of the Year by CNBC (2020)
Included in Fortune’s 40 Under 40 (2021)
Featured in Economic Times’ 40 Under 40 (2021)