Over 80% of below 40 entrepreneurs self-made

MUMBAI: Nearly four out of five of India’s leading young entrepreneurs are self-made, underscoring a shift in the country’s business landscape from inheritance to merit, according to the Avendus Wealth – Hurun India Uth Series 2025. The report shows that about 80% of business leaders under 40 featured in the ranking are first-generation founders.
The study tracks entrepreneurs aged up to 40 whose companies meet minimum valuation thresholds ranging from $25 million to $200 million, based on age cohort and whether the founder is first- or next-generation. Of the 436 entrepreneurs shortlisted, 349 are self-made, pointing to a growing ecosystem driven by new ideas and technology rather than legacy ownership.
Among first-generation founders, Ritesh Agarwal, founder of OYO, leads the list. At 31, Agarwal has built one of the most capitalised startups in the country, raising $3.7 billion. He is followed by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, both 22, whose quick-commerce firm Zepto has raised $1.95 billion.
Other prominent first-generation entrepreneurs include Nikhil Kamath of Zerodha, now among India’s most-followed entrepreneurs on LinkedIn; Alakh Pandey of Physics Wallah, who disrupted the ed-tech space; and Ghazal Alagh, the most-followed woman entrepreneur on the list.
Next-generation leaders account for about 20% of the ranking and continue to shape large family-run businesses. Key names include Isha Ambani of Reliance Retail, which employs more than 2.47 lakh people; Abhyuday Jindal, who is driving sustainability initiatives at Jindal Stainless; and Vidhi Shanghvi, who recently led Sun Pharmaceutical’s $355 million acquisition of US-based Checkpoint Therapeutics.
The report categorises entrepreneurs across three age groups—under 30, under 35 and under 40. Together, the companies led by these 436 entrepreneurs are valued at more than $950 billion, higher than Switzerland’s GDP. Bengaluru tops the list with 109 entrants, followed by Mumbai with 87 and New Delhi with 45. Software products and services dominate with 77 entrepreneurs, ahead of financial services and healthcare, highlighting the tilt toward digital and technology-led businesses.