Flipkart
Company History
Flipkart History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 2007 in Bengaluru, India
When was Flipkart founded?
Flipkart was founded in 2007 in Bengaluru, India by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, making it 19 years old.
- Founded
- 2007
- Founding place
- Bengaluru, India
- Founders
- Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal
- Headquarters today
- Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
- Milestones documented
- 12 (2007–2026)
- Current CEO
- Kalyan Krishnamurthy
- Acquisitions
- 4
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2007 | Flipkart Founded in Bengaluru |
| 2009 | Accel India Seed Investment |
| 2010 | Cash on Delivery Introduced |
| 2014 | Big Billion Days and Myntra |
| 2016 | PhonePe Acquired |
| 2017 | New CEO and $3.9 Billion Raised |
| 2018 | Walmart Buys 77% for $16 Billion |
| 2021 | Cleartrip Acquired, $3.6 Billion Raised |
| 2022 | PhonePe Separated |
| 2024 | Walmart-Led Round and Flipkart Minutes |
| 2025 | FY2025 Revenue and Loss |
| 2026 | Holding Company Moves to India |
- Where was Flipkart founded?
- Flipkart was founded in Bengaluru, India in 2007. wikidata.org
- Who founded Flipkart?
- Flipkart was founded by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal.
- When did Flipkart start?
- Flipkart was founded in 2007.
- How old is Flipkart?
- Flipkart is 19 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
In 2007, Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal (who are not related) were both working at Amazon in Bengaluru after studying at IIT Delhi. They left to start Flipkart as an online bookstore, reportedly with about $4,640 (₹4 lakh) of their own money. Early on they packed and delivered many orders themselves, which taught them that payment trust and delivery reliability were the real obstacles to Indian e-commerce.
Founders
Sachin Bansal
Sachin Bansal co-founded Flipkart in 2007 alongside Binny Bansal (no relation). Operating initially out of an apartment in Bangalore, they launched the company by selling books online. As CEO, Sachin drove the massive early venture capital rounds that allowed Flipkart to build its own logistics network (eKart) and pioneer 'Cash on Delivery', which was essential for Indian consumers. He exited the company in 2018 following its $16 billion acquisition by Walmart, selling his entire 5.5% stake for roughly $1 billion. Sachin Bansal was born in 1981 in Chandigarh. Education: Indian Institute of Technology Delhi; St. Anne's Convent School.
Binny Bansal
Binny Bansal co-founded Flipkart in 2007. Serving as the Chief Operating Officer, he designed the underlying supply chain and logistics infrastructure (eKart) that allowed Flipkart to reliably deliver goods across India's notoriously difficult terrain. He briefly served as Group CEO before abruptly resigning in late 2018 following an internal investigation into personal misconduct. He fully exited the company in 2023, selling his remaining shares to Walmart. Binny Bansal was born in 1982 in Chandigarh. Education: Indian Institute of Technology Delhi; St. Anne's Convent School. Bansal was chief operating officer until January 2016, when he became chief executive, and he was made group chief executive in January 2017. He resigned in November 2018 after an allegation of personal misconduct. He is an anchor investor in the venture firm 021 Capital.
Key Milestones
Flipkart Founded in Bengaluru
Flipkart founded in Bengaluru by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal as an online bookstore.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAccel India Seed Investment
Accel India invests $1 million in seed capital, accelerating tech infrastructure and marke
Source: en.wikipedia.orgCash on Delivery Introduced
Flipkart pioneers Cash on Delivery (COD), sparking large consumer trust and transaction
Source: en.wikipedia.orgBig Billion Days and Myntra
Launches inaugural Big Billion Days festival and acquires premier fashion marketplace Mynt
Source: en.wikipedia.orgPhonePe Acquired
Acquires UPI payments startup PhonePe, integrating mobile payments across its commerce eco
Source: en.wikipedia.orgNew CEO and $3.9 Billion Raised
Kalyan Krishnamurthy becomes CEO; Flipkart raises $1.4 billion from Tencent, eBay and Microsoft, then $2.5 billion from SoftBank Vision Fund.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgWalmart Buys 77% for $16 Billion
Walmart acquires a 77% controlling stake for $16 billion, its largest acquisition ever.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgCleartrip Acquired, $3.6 Billion Raised
Acquires travel platform Cleartrip; raises $3.6 billion at a $37.6 billion valuation.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgPhonePe Separated
Completes the separation of PhonePe into an independent company, with both remaining under Walmart majority ownership.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgWalmart-Led Round and Flipkart Minutes
Raises about $1 billion in a Walmart-led round including Google at a roughly $36 billion valuation; launches Flipkart Minutes quick commerce in August.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFY2025 Revenue and Loss
Flipkart India reports FY2025 revenue of ~$9.6 billion (₹82,787 crore) (+17.3%) and a ~$602 million (₹5,189 crore) loss; marketplace arm Flipkart Internet cuts its loss 37%.
Source: m.economictimes.indiatimes.comHolding Company Moves to India
Completes reverse flip of its holding company from Singapore to India in March; a July employee buyback values Flipkart at about $38.2 billion as it prepares for an Indian IPO.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.comMajor Acquisitions
Myntra
2014Flipkart acquired Myntra to dominate India's rapidly growing online fashion and apparel retail segment.
Cleartrip
2021Acquired online travel aggregator Cleartrip to diversify into online travel booking and flight ticketing services.
Jabong
2016Acquired through Myntra to consolidate market share in online fashion and neutralize its closest competitor.
eBay India
2017Flipkart took over eBay.in as part of a 2017 deal in which eBay invested $500 million in Flipkart.
Keep researching Flipkart
Flipkart Company History FAQ
When was Flipkart founded and where was its first office located?
Flipkart was founded in October 2007 by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal in a modest two-bedroom apartment in Koramangala, Bengaluru, operating as an online bookstore delivering books across India.
When did Flipkart launch 'Cash on Delivery' and expand into multi-category retail?
In 2010, Flipkart introduced major Cash on Delivery (COD) payments and expanded into music, movies, and mobile phones, followed by computers, home appliances, and fashion in 2012.
When did Flipkart acquire online fashion leader Myntra?
Flipkart acquired leading fashion e-commerce portal Myntra in May 2014 for $300 million, securing dominant leadership in online fashion, footwear, and lifestyle accessories across India.
When was the inaugural Big Billion Day sale launched by Flipkart?
Flipkart launched its first historic 'Big Billion Day' sale on October 6, 2014 (10/6, symbolizing its apartment address 610). Despite server crashes due to overwhelming traffic, the event generated $100 million in GMV in 10 hours and established a national festive shopping tradition.
When did Walmart acquire majority control of Flipkart for $16 billion?
On August 18, 2018, American retail leader Walmart Inc. finalized its historic $16 billion acquisition of a 77% controlling stake in Flipkart, marking the largest e-commerce M&A transaction in global corporate history.
When did Flipkart separate PhonePe into an independent entity?
In December 2022, Flipkart and PhonePe finalized their full corporate separation, establishing PhonePe as an independently capitalized Indian corporation while Walmart remained the majority shareholder of both firms.
When did Flipkart launch its ultra-fast quick commerce service 'Flipkart Minutes'?
In 2024, Flipkart launched 'Flipkart Minutes', deploying local dark-store fulfillment across major Indian metropolitan cities to deliver groceries, mobile electronics, and daily essentials in 10 to 15 minutes.
How has Flipkart shaped modern digital commerce and consumer culture in India?
Over nearly two decades, Flipkart transformed India from a cash-based offline retail economy into one of the world's most dynamic digital commerce leaders, empowering millions of small businesses, employing hundreds of thousands of logistics workers, and connecting over 500 million consumers.
How did Flipkart start?
Flipkart was founded in 2007 by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal (not related). Both had previously worked at Amazon in Seattle. They returned to India, pooled $6,000 of their own money, and launched Flipkart as a simple online bookstore, personally delivering the first few books on their scooters across Bengaluru.
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