Hurun’s India Under 35 List includes many budding entrepreneurs and startup founders

As India consolidates its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, a new wave of young entrepreneurs is driving the country’s growth. These young entrepreneurs are not only transforming Indian industry, but also driving innovation, creating jobs and shaping the future of the economy.

Hurun India’s recently released 2024 under-35 list includes sons and daughters of traditionally wealthy corporates; at the same time, it brings together budding entrepreneurs and start-ups such as Alakh Pandey, founder of edtech startup Physics Wallah, Nishanth KS of Pocket FM, Vidit Aatrey of Meesho, Tarun Mehta of Ather Energy and Ghazal Alagh of Mamaearth.

The 2024 Hurun India Under35s list shows that each entrepreneur under the age of 35 has built companies worth approximately $10 million. In contrast, the more experienced under-35 cohort has ventures valued around $50 million, with some achieving valuations as high as 100 times that amount.

Notable names on the list include Isha Ambani, Non-Executive Director of Reliance Retail, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Akash Ambani, Director of Encore Healthcare, Anjali Merchant is the next generation of Indian corporates.

At the top of the list is 31-year-old Ankush Sachdeva, co-founder of ShareChat. New Delhi-based Sachdeva represents the new wave of digital entrepreneurs in India by creating a platform specifically targeted at regional language speakers.

With a user base of millions, ShareChat has carved its niche in the competitive Indian social media space.

Next to him is Neetish Sarda, 31, founder of Smartworks, who has secured his place on the list as the founder of a fast-growing real estate and coworking company. Also on the list is 32-year-old Alakh Pandey, founder of the hugely popular Physics Wallah learning platform, which is a leading figure in online learning in India.

Pandey is a first-generation entrepreneur who built Physics Wallah from scratch. He transformed the startup into one of the most recognizable and successful brands in the edtech space. The success of Wallah Physics is attributed to affordable courses and high-quality education.

Another important name on the list is Ghazal Alagh, 35, co-founder of Mamaearth, a skincare brand considered the fastest growing natural and toxin-free brand.

In the e-commerce space, the leading names are Rishi Raj Rathore of Arzooo and Raghav Bagai of Sociowash.

While Rathore redefined the retail sector by helping small stores compete with e-commerce giants, Bagai turned Sociowash into a digital marketing agency for brands looking to build a strong social media presence and brand identity.

Also on the list are Roman Saini and Hemesh Singh from Delhi, both 33, from edtech Unacademy. Started with the goal of providing quality education to all, Unacademy has grown to become one of the largest education platforms in India.

Entrepreneurs from 41 Indian cities, first-generation founders, make up a staggering 82 percent of Hurun’s roster. Bengaluru and Mumbai top the overall list with 29 and 26 entrepreneurs belonging to these two cities respectively.