“India’s Rapid Unicorns: A Look at the Fastest Startups to Achieve Unicorn Status”

India’s startup ecosystem has been flourishing, propelling the country to the third position globally. Among the multitude of startups, only a handful manage to attain the coveted Unicorn status. Here’s a glimpse into some of India’s fastest startups to achieve this remarkable feat.

Glance: 

Glance, the brainchild of InMobi, became India’s pioneer unicorn. This Bengaluru-based screen zero platform offers personalized content on users’ lock screens in various languages. Glance achieved unicorn status in 2020, raising $145 million from Google and Mithril Capital, and was valued at $390 million, accomplishing this milestone within a year.

5ireChain: 

5ireChain is a layer-1 EVM compatible smart contract platform focused on building a blockchain ecosystem based on the Sustainable Development Goals. In July 2022, 5ire raised $100 million in Series A funding from SRAM & MRAM Group, valuing the company at $1.5 billion, achieving unicorn status within a year.

Krutrim AI: 

Founded by Bhavish Aggarwal, the co-founder of Ola, Krutrim is India’s first AI unicorn. Krutrim understands 22 Indian languages and generates content in approximately 10, aiming to eliminate linguistic barriers. Krutrim achieved unicorn status in 2024, securing $50 million in funding within just 9 months.

GlobalBees: 

Founded in 2021, GlobalBees identifies and scales products across various sectors, following a Thrasio-style model. It became a unicorn within 7 months of inception, raising $111.5 million in a series B financing round.

Mensa Brands: 

Founded by Ananth Narayanan, the former CEO of Myntra, Mensa Brands operates as a “house of brands” and achieved unicorn status within six months of launching, with a valuation exceeding $1 billion.