The Humble Beginnings: Fashnear Who? 🤔
Back in 2015, two IIT Delhi grads, Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal, were brainstorming ways to revolutionize commerce in India. Their first idea? Fashnear, a Swiggy for fashion. But let’s be real, no one’s ordering jeans like they order biryani. 🍛👖
After a few months of trial and error (and probably some existential crises), they pivoted. The duo noticed small shopkeepers were already using WhatsApp to sell products. Lightbulb moment! 💡 They decided to create a platform that would make this process seamless. Enter Meesho, short for Meri Shop. Haww, I didn’t know that! The Bengaluru-based startup was born.
The WhatsApp Hustle: How It All Started?
Vidit and Sanjeev spent hours in mom-and-pop stores, observing how shopkeepers added customers to WhatsApp groups and shared product photos.
Customers would reply, “I want this,” and voilà, a sale was made without anyone stepping into the store. Genius, right? 🤯
Meesho’s first version was built to replicate this behaviour online. It allowed small businesses to sell products via WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram.
The goal?
To make every shopkeeper a digital entrepreneur.
The Glow-Up: From ₹0 to ₹7,615 Crore
Fast forward to FY24, and Meesho is now a social commerce behemoth:
- Revenue: ₹7,615 crore (a 33% jump from FY23).
- Users: 187 million unique annual transacting users.
- Orders: 1.3 billion in just nine months of FY24.
And let’s not forget their $1 billion IPO planned for Diwali 2025, targeting a jaw-dropping $10 billion valuation. Talk about a glow-up!
The Secret Sauce: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs
Meesho isn’t just about numbers; it’s about impact. The platform has empowered more than 3 million women entrepreneurs across 4,000+ cities and towns. From selling sarees in Surat to jewelery in Jaipur, these women are running businesses from their smartphones.
Meesho’s flexible pricing model lets resellers negotiate with customers, just like in an offline boutique. This unique approach has made it a hit among small-town entrepreneurs.
The Funding Frenzy: Show Me the Money
Since its inception, Meesho has raised a whopping $1.36 billion across multiple funding rounds. Big names like SoftBank, Sequoia India, and Meta (yes, Facebook!) have backed the company. Their most recent funding round in 2025 valued Meesho at $3.9 billion.
In 2024, Meesho launched Valmo, its in-house logistics platform. Within a year, Valmo was handling 50% of Meesho’s orders, slashing shipping costs and boosting efficiency. It’s like the Uber of e-commerce logistics, but desi.
The Competition: Taking on the Big Boys
Meesho is up against giants like Flipkart and Amazon. But unlike its rivals, Meesho doesn’t charge commissions from sellers. Instead, it makes money through advertising and logistics services. This no-commission model has made it a favorite among small businesses.
Let’s keep it real, Meesho isn’t profitable yet. While they’ve narrowed their losses to ₹53 crore in FY24 (down 97% from FY23), there’s still work to be done.
But hey, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was a ₹7,615 crore empire.
The Future: What’s Next for Meesho?
With their IPO around the corner, Meesho is gearing up for its next big chapter.
Plans include:
- Expanding their product catalogue (because who doesn’t love options?).
- Strengthening their logistics network.
- Doubling down on Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
Meesho’s journey from a failed fashion app to a social commerce giant is nothing short of inspirational. So next time you’re scrolling through WhatsApp, remember, you could be the next Meesho entrepreneur. 😉
Shop: Meesho 🛍️
