While most teenagers were worrying about college exams, two 19-year-olds were busy disrupting a billion-dollar industry. We often ask: ‘Can a teenager really build an empire?’ or ‘Is starting a business so young worth the risk?’ The answer isn’t just a ‘yes’—it’s a $7 billion success story called Zepto.
You must have encountered these types of questions at least once in your lifetime. And curious minds know the answer is an obvious Yes! Every giant tree begins as a small seed, and every billion-dollar company starts with a simple query, a problem, and a spark of an idea.
So, Hello everyone! Welcome to TheYoungBiz.com. This is where we document the ‘Young Business Chronicles’—the raw stories, the failures, and the massive wins of entrepreneurs who refused to wait for a degree to start changing the world. If you’re in your 20s and have a hunger for growth, you’re in the right place.
The Spark of an Idea
Today, I’m sharing the story of two young Indian guys who saw an opportunity during the Covid-19 pandemic and built a billion-dollar company after solving a very practical problem. I’m talking about the founders of Zepto: Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra.
We are all using 10-minute grocery apps frequently nowadays—Blinkit, Instamart, and Big Basket have all joined the race. But Zepto played a major role in popularising 10-minute grocery delivery in India.These two youngsters saw a need in the market and founded Zepto. But this wasn’t as quick or easy as it seems; it wasn’t just luck, but their hard work and dedication.
Who are the Founders?
- Aadit Palicha (CEO): Born on January 15, 2001. He completed his IB diploma with a focus on Math and Computer Science. He built his first startup, GoPool, at just 17 years old. He was also the co-founder and CEO of KiranaKart from 2020 to 2021.
- Kaivalya Vohra (CTO): Born on March 15, 2003. He and Aadit were in the same university—Stanford University—pursuing their undergraduate degree in Computer Science.
In 2020, they both opened KiranaKart. It was an instant grocery delivery app. Previously, online shopping apps were taking 1–2 days to deliver items, but KiranaKart did the same thing in just 45 minutes. This was revolutionary, and customers loved the instant delivery process.
But Aadit and Kaivalya weren’t going to stop there. They thought about reducing the delivery time even further. From that vision, Zepto was born. They rebranded KiranaKart and created Zepto.
What Exactly is Zepto?
Zepto is a quick-commerce startup from India that promises super-fast delivery of groceries and essentials, often within 10 minutes of ordering. It began as KiranaKart and later rebranded as Zepto as it scaled its operations into a technology-led delivery network.
The company’s headquarters is in Bengaluru, India. It was founded in 2021 by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra. Zepto operates through “Dark Stores,” which are basically small warehouses. Their services are available in major metropolitan cities and Tier-2 areas across India. They offer rapid delivery of groceries, household essentials, beauty products, electronics, and more through their app.
Enormous Growth
Zepto has shown enormous growth since 2021. It reached Unicorn status (a valuation of over $1 billion) in 2023. In 2024 and 2025, it secured large funding rounds, pushing its valuation to around $7 billion.
A Final Thought
Isn’t it a fascinating story? This success didn’t come just from thinking, but from taking action. Let me tell you one more thing: both founders are college dropouts. They left Stanford University to chase their dreams. This is the quality of a real billionaire—they show trust in themselves.
The Zepto story proves that age is just a number when you have a vision. This is only the beginning for TheYoungBiz. I’m on a mission to document the world’s most successful young minds while building my own path to the top.
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See you in the next chronicle!
Thank You!
