Etsy vs Flipkart: Founders, CEOs and History
Etsy was founded in 2005 by Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, Haim Schoppik and is led by Kruti Patel Goyal. Flipkart was founded in 2007 by Sachin Bansal, Binny Bansal and is led by Kalyan Krishnamurthy.
Company facts
Founders
Etsy
Robert Kalin
Etsy possesses a well-known, specific founding story, rooted not in global ambition, but in the niche, frustrated 'maker' community of Brooklyn, New York.
Chris Maguire
Chris Maguire earned a BA in Art, Computer Science & Animation from NYU. He was the primary developer who built Etsy's backend systems, database architecture, and original marketplace functionality.
Haim Schoppik
Haim Schoppik was a web developer who met Robert Kalin through GetCrafty.com. He left NYU before graduating to build Etsy full-time.
Jared Tarbell
Jared Tarbell co-founded Etsy in 2005. As a highly skilled programmer, he wrote the early core architecture of the site alongside Rob Kalin and Chris Maguire.
Flipkart
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.
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.
CEOs and their tenures
Etsy
- Robert Kalin2005–2011
Founder and Former CEO
Kalin's steady dedication to the concept of 'handmade' created a profound, almost cult-like loyalty among early adopters, establishing a powerful brand identity that remains Etsy's most valuable asset.
Source - Chad Dickerson2011–2017
Former Chief Executive Officer
Dickerson's tenure established the vital corporate infrastructure and technical stability needed to support Etsy's rapid global expansion.
Source - Josh Silverman2017–2025
Former CEO and Executive Chair
Silverman is universally credited with executing one of the most successful corporate turnarounds in recent e-commerce history.
Source - Kruti Patel Goyal2026–present
Chief Executive Officer
Goyal's elevation to CEO represents a profound commitment to organic, sustainable growth driven by deep internal platform knowledge rather than drastic external pivots.
Source
Flipkart
- Sachin Bansal2007–2016
Co-founder & former CEO
An IIT Delhi computer science graduate and former Amazon software engineer, Bansal laid the foundational infrastructure for India's modern internet economy.
Source - Binny Bansal2016–2017
Co-founder & former Group CEO
Binny Bansal was instrumental in engineering Ekart's national logistics network before transitioning to Group CEO during Flipkart's historic transaction with Walmart.
Source - Kalyan Krishnamurthy2017–present
CEO
A former Tiger Global managing director with an MBA from UIUC, Krishnamurthy's execution prowess solidified Flipkart's position as India's leading digital retail ecosystem.
Source - Ravi Iyer2019–present
Chief Financial Officer, Flipkart
As Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance, he manages the incredibly complex capital requirements for Flipkart's ongoing, brutal price war against Amazon India.
Source
Timeline: Etsy and Flipkart side by side
2005Etsy
Etsy Launches from Brooklyn Apartment
Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, and Haim Schoppik built and launched Etsy in June 2005 from a Brooklyn apartment. The first item sold on the fourth day. By mid-2006, the platform had 10,000 sellers and 40,000 buyers with zero advertising spend.
2007Etsy
Series A Funding from Union Square Ventures
Etsy raised approximately $615,000 in a funding round led by Union Square Ventures, with Fred Wilson joining the board. The valuation reached approximately $10.7 million by November 2006.
2007Flipkart
Flipkart founded in Bengaluru by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal as an online bookstore.
2008Etsy
Accel Partners Investment and Founder Departures
In January 2008, Etsy raised $27 million from Accel Partners and Jim Breyer at a valuation just under $100 million. In August 2008, both technical co-founders Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik departed, and then-CEO Robert Kalin stepped down for the first time.
2009Etsy
Kalin Returns as CEO; Chad Dickerson Joins as CTO
Robert Kalin returned as CEO in December 2009 after Maria Thomas's brief tenure. Chad Dickerson, recruited from Yahoo, joined as CTO in September 2008 to professionalize the company's technical infrastructure.
2009Flipkart
Accel India invests $1 million in seed capital, accelerating tech infrastructure and marketing.
2010Flipkart
Flipkart pioneers Cash on Delivery (COD), sparking large consumer trust and transaction growth.
2012Etsy
B Corp Certification
Etsy became a certified B Corporation in 2012, recognizing its commitment to social and environmental responsibility alongside profits.
2014Flipkart
Launches inaugural Big Billion Days festival and acquires premier fashion marketplace Myntra for $300M.
2015Etsy
IPO on NASDAQ at $16 Per Share
Etsy went public on April 16, 2015, pricing shares at $16 each and raising $267 million. The stock surged 88% on the first day of trading to $30.01, giving the company a market capitalization of $3.4 billion.
2016Etsy
Acquisition of Blackbird Technologies for $32.5 Million
Etsy acquired Blackbird Technologies, an AI startup, for $32.5 million to enhance its search and recommendation capabilities. This technology now powers Etsy's machine learning engine for personalized product discovery across 100 million+ listings.
2016Flipkart
Acquires UPI payments startup PhonePe, integrating mobile payments across its commerce ecosystem.
2017Etsy
Josh Silverman Becomes CEO; Revenue Turnaround Begins
In May 2017, board member Josh Silverman replaced Chad Dickerson as CEO after a first-quarter loss and a 8% workforce reduction.
2017Flipkart
Kalyan Krishnamurthy becomes CEO; Flipkart raises $1.4 billion from Tencent, eBay and Microsoft, then $2.5 billion from SoftBank Vision Fund.
2018Flipkart
Walmart acquires a 77% controlling stake for $16 billion, its largest acquisition ever.
2019Etsy
Acquisition of Reverb for $275 Million
In July 2019, Etsy acquired Reverb, a marketplace for new, used, and vintage musical instruments, for $275 million in cash. Reverb was founded in 2013 by David Kalt and had surpassed $1 billion in total sales by 2017.
2020Etsy
COVID-19 Pandemic Drives Explosive Growth
Etsy experienced growth during the COVID-19 pandemic as consumers turned to handmade goods, personalized items, and face masks. Gross merchandise sales more than doubled year-over-year to $10.3 billion. Face mask sales alone reached $346 million in Q2 2020.
2021Etsy
Acquisitions of Depop and Elo7 for $1.84 Billion Combined
In June 2021, Etsy acquired Depop, an U.K.-based fashion resale app targeting Gen Z, for $1.625 billion. In July 2021, it acquired Elo7, the 'Etsy of Brazil,' for $217 million. Both acquisitions were made at peak tech valuations and later proved problematic.
2021Flipkart
Acquires travel platform Cleartrip; raises $3.6 billion at a $37.6 billion valuation.
2022Etsy
$1 Billion Asset Impairment Charge
Etsy recorded $1.0 billion in asset impairment charges, including $897.9 million for Depop and $147.1 million for Elo7, reflecting the decline in valuations and performance of its 2021 acquisitions.
2022Flipkart
Completes the separation of PhonePe into an independent company, with both remaining under Walmart majority ownership.
2023Etsy
Sale of Elo7 and 11% Workforce Reduction
In July 2023, Etsy sold Elo7 to Brazilian marketplace Enjoei for an undisclosed amount, likely at a loss.
2024Etsy
Revenue Growth Slows to 2.2%; Seller Setup Fee Introduced
Etsy reported revenue of $2.81 billion in 2024, up just 2.2% from 2023, the slowest growth rate since the IPO.
2024Flipkart
Raises about $1 billion in a Walmart-led round including Google at a roughly $36 billion valuation; launches Flipkart Minutes quick commerce in August.
2025Etsy
Sale of Reverb; Depop Sale Agreement; CEO Transition
On June 2, 2025, Etsy completed the sale of Reverb to Creator Partners and Servco Pacific. On February 18, 2026, the company announced an agreement to sell Depop to eBay for $1.2 billion in cash.
2025Flipkart
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%.
2026Flipkart
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.
Acquisitions
Etsy
- Depop Limited2021$1.6B
- Elo7 Serviços de Informática S.A.2021$217M
- Reverb Holdings, Inc.2019$275M
- Blackbird Technologies2016$32.5M
Flipkart
- Cleartrip2021$40M
- eBay India2017Undisclosed
- Jabong2016$70M
- Myntra2014$300M
Questions about Etsy vs Flipkart
Who is the CEO of Etsy, Inc. and Flipkart?
Etsy, Inc. is led by Kruti Patel Goyal and Flipkart is led by Kalyan Krishnamurthy. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Etsy, Inc. founded vs Flipkart?
Etsy, Inc. was founded in 2005 — 2 years before Flipkart, which was founded in 2007. Etsy, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Flipkart.
How many employees does Etsy, Inc. have compared to Flipkart?
Etsy, Inc. employs approximately 2,400 people, while Flipkart employs approximately 45,000. Flipkart has the larger workforce at 45,000 employees, compared to Etsy, Inc.'s 2,400. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Etsy, Inc. and Flipkart headquartered?
Etsy, Inc. is headquartered in United States and Flipkart is headquartered in India. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Etsy, Inc. and Flipkart?
Etsy, Inc. was founded by Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, Haim Schoppik, Jared Tarbell. Flipkart was founded by Sachin Bansal, Binny Bansal.
Which company has a longer operating history — Etsy, Inc. or Flipkart?
Etsy, Inc. has been operating for approximately 21 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Flipkart has been in operation for around 19 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Etsy vs Flipkart overview