Zepto (Zepto Limited)
Company History
Zepto History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 2021 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
When was Zepto founded?
Zepto was founded in 2021 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, making it 5 years old.
- Founded
- 2021
- Founding place
- Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Founders
- Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra
- Headquarters today
- Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
- Milestones documented
- 7 (2021–2026)
- Current CEO
- Aadit Palicha
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Zepto launches |
| 2021 | Zepto Founded |
| 2023 | Reaches unicorn valuation |
| 2024 | $665M and $340M rounds |
| 2025 | $7B valuation and confidential IPO filing |
| 2026 | Updated IPO prospectus filed |
| 2026 | Listing delayed |
- Where was Zepto founded?
- Zepto was founded in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India in 2021. en.wikipedia.org
- Who founded Zepto?
- Zepto was founded by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra.
- When did Zepto start?
- Zepto was founded in 2021.
- How old is Zepto?
- Zepto is 5 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra were school friends from Mumbai who enrolled at Stanford University and then left to start a company. In 2020 they started KiranaKart, which delivered groceries from local kirana shops, before shifting in 2021 to company-run dark stores built for fast picking and short delivery distances. That model launched as Zepto in 2021. The company's legal name, KiranaKart Technologies, reflected this origin until it became Zepto Limited ahead of its IPO.
Founders
Aadit Palicha
Aadit Palicha co-founded KiranaKart in 2020 and Zepto in 2021 with Kaivalya Vohra, and has led the company as CEO since its launch. He led its fundraising, including rounds at $3.6 billion, $5 billion and $7 billion valuations, and its preparations for an IPO. He did not offer shares in the proposed OFS in the 2026 draft prospectus. Aadit Palicha was born in 2002.
Kaivalya Vohra
Kaivalya Vohra co-founded KiranaKart and then Zepto with Aadit Palicha and has led its technology work. He is one of the company's promoters named in the 2026 IPO filings and, like Palicha, did not offer shares in the proposed OFS. Kaivalya Vohra was born in 2003.
Key Milestones
Zepto launches
The founders moved from the KiranaKart kirana-partnership model to company-run dark stores and launched Zepto in Mumbai.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgZepto Founded
Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra founded Zepto in 2021 to deliver groceries in about ten minutes.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgReaches unicorn valuation
Raised $200 million at a $1.4 billion valuation in a round led by StepStone Group.
Source: en.wikipedia.org$665M and $340M rounds
Raised $665 million at a $3.6 billion valuation in June and $340 million at a $5 billion valuation in August.
Source: techcrunch.com$7B valuation and confidential IPO filing
Raised $450 million at a $7 billion valuation in October and filed IPO papers confidentially with SEBI in December.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.comUpdated IPO prospectus filed
Filed its UDRHP on 8 June 2026 for a ~$929 million (₹8,010 crore) fresh issue plus an OFS, reporting FY26 revenue of ~$2.62 billion (₹22,624 crore).
Source: thehindu.comListing delayed
Postponed the planned July listing over valuation and moved to raise pre-IPO funding first.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.comKeep researching Zepto
Zepto Company History FAQ
When, where, and how was Zepto originally founded?
Zepto was founded in 2021 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, by childhood friends and 19-year-old Stanford University dropouts Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra.
What was Kiranakart and how did it lead to Zepto?
In 2020, the founders launched Kiranakart to deliver groceries from local mom-and-pop stores during COVID lockdowns; realizing traditional stores lacked inventory speed, they pivoted to dedicated dark stores as Zepto.
When did Zepto achieve unicorn status?
In August 2023, Zepto became India's first unicorn of the year after raising $200 million in Series E funding at a $1.4 billion valuation led by StepStone Group and Goodwater Capital.
How quickly did Zepto's corporate valuation surge to $5 billion?
Between late 2023 and mid-2024, Zepto raised consecutive mega-funding rounds totaling over $1 billion from investors including DST Global, General Catalyst, and Nexus, reaching a $5 billion valuation.
What is Zepto Cafe and when was it introduced?
Zepto launched Zepto Cafe in 2022 to deliver freshly brewed coffees, hot snacks, and ready-to-eat meals within 10 minutes, drastically boosting average order frequency and retail margins.
Why did Zepto relocate its corporate headquarters to Bengaluru?
In 2024, Zepto announced the relocation of its primary corporate headquarters from Mumbai to Bengaluru to consolidate technical engineering, product talent, and supply chain leadership.
How did Zepto expand beyond groceries into general merchandise?
In 2024, Zepto expanded dark store SKUs to include consumer electronics, apparel, cosmetics, and festival goods, allowing consumers to receive smartphones and headphones in 10 minutes.
How did Zepto maintain rapid delivery times during urban gridlock?
Zepto positioned hundreds of micro-warehouses (dark stores) within 1.5 to 2 kilometers of high-density residential neighborhoods, ensuring riders rarely travel farther than a few minutes.
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