Etsy vs Meesho: Founders, CEOs and History
Etsy was founded in 2005 by Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, Haim Schoppik and is led by Kruti Patel Goyal. Meesho was founded in 2015 by Vidit Aatrey, Sanjeev Barnwal and is led by Vidit Aatrey.
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.
Meesho
Vidit Aatrey
Vidit Aatrey co-founded Meesho with Sanjeev Barnwal in 2015 and has been CEO since. He steered the pivots from Fashnear to social reselling and then to a zero-commission marketplace, and took Meesho public in December 2025. Vidit Aatrey was born in 1991.
Sanjeev Barnwal
Sanjeev Barnwal co-founded Meesho in 2015 alongside Vidit Aatrey. Recognizing that massive e-commerce giants like Amazon completely ignored rural India, he built the highly optimized, low-bandwidth mobile app that allowed millions of housewives to easily resel…
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
Meesho
- Vidit Aatrey2015–present
Co-founder & CEO
Built Meesho into one of India's largest e-commerce platforms by orders, with 264 million annual transacting users in FY2026.
Source - Sanjeev Barnwal2015–present
Co-Founder & CTO
As Co-Founder and CTO, he ensures the app remains incredibly lightweight and deeply integrated with social media, specifically catering to tier-2 and tier-3 Indian cities with poor internet connectivity.
Source - Dhiresh Bansal2022–present
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, he steered the company away from massive, venture-funded cash burn, proving to highly skeptical investors that selling ultra-cheap items to rural India could actually generate free cash flow.
Source
Timeline: Etsy and Meesho 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.
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.
2012Etsy
B Corp Certification
Etsy became a certified B Corporation in 2012, recognizing its commitment to social and environmental responsibility alongside profits.
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.
2015Meesho
Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal start Fashnear Technologies in Bengaluru.
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.
2016Meesho
Pivot to Meesho, a social reselling app; joins Y Combinator Summer 2016 batch.
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.
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.
2019Meesho
Facebook invests in Meesho, its first investment in an Indian startup.
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.
2021Meesho
SoftBank-led $300M round in April; $570M round led by Fidelity and B Capital in September at a $4.9B valuation; zero seller commission introduced.
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.
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.
2024Meesho
Launches the Valmo logistics marketplace and completes reverse flip of its holding company to India.
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.
2025Meesho
Lists on NSE and BSE on December 10 after a ~$629 million (₹5,421 crore) IPO priced at ₹111 per share.
2026Meesho
FY2026 revenue rises 34.5% to ~$1.46 billion (₹12,626 crore); Q1 FY27 revenue up 48% to ~$431 million (₹3,713 crore) with net loss of ~$15.4 million (₹132.8 crore).
Acquisitions
Etsy
- Depop Limited2021$1.6B
- Elo7 Serviços de Informática S.A.2021$217M
- Reverb Holdings, Inc.2019$275M
- Blackbird Technologies2016$32.5M
Questions about Etsy vs Meesho
Who is the CEO of Etsy, Inc. and Meesho?
Etsy, Inc. is led by Kruti Patel Goyal and Meesho is led by Vidit Aatrey. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Etsy, Inc. founded vs Meesho?
Etsy, Inc. was founded in 2005 — 10 years before Meesho, which was founded in 2015. Etsy, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Meesho.
How many employees does Etsy, Inc. have compared to Meesho?
Etsy, Inc. employs approximately 2,400 people, while Meesho employs approximately 2,078. Etsy, Inc. has the larger workforce at 2,400 employees, compared to Meesho's 2,078. 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 Meesho headquartered?
Etsy, Inc. is headquartered in United States and Meesho 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 Meesho?
Etsy, Inc. was founded by Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, Haim Schoppik, Jared Tarbell. Meesho was founded by Vidit Aatrey, Sanjeev Barnwal.
Which company has a longer operating history — Etsy, Inc. or Meesho?
Etsy, Inc. has been operating for approximately 21 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Meesho has been in operation for around 11 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 Meesho overview