Discover India’s top 10 most influential male entrepreneurs to watch in 2025. These visionary leaders are transforming industries and setting new benchmarks in innovation, technology, and impact.
India’s entrepreneurial landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, with a new generation of visionary leaders redefining what it means to build, scale, and sustain a business. The country has become a hotbed for innovation, with sectors like fintech, edtech, healthtech, and sustainability booming at an unprecedented pace. Amid this surge, a few standout male entrepreneurs are not only disrupting traditional business models but are also building global narratives that position India as a force to reckon with.
As we enter 2025, it’s time to spotlight the trailblazing men who are steering this change. These individuals aren’t just business leaders—they’re pioneers, strategists, and impact-makers. From creating unicorns to launching AI-based ventures, they’re influencing consumer behavior, investing in future-ready technology, and shaping public discourse around entrepreneurship in India.
Here are India’s top 10 most influential male entrepreneurs to watch in 2025, each of whom is expected to play a significant role in India’s economic and innovation journey this year.
1. Nikhil Kamath – Co-founder, Zerodha & True Beacon
Nikhil Kamath, the co-founder of India’s largest stock brokerage firm Zerodha, is a self-taught trader and investor who revolutionized India’s investment landscape. A high school dropout turned billionaire, Kamath redefined retail investing by offering zero brokerage fees and a seamless user experience.
In addition to Zerodha, he co-founded True Beacon, an asset management company targeting ultra-high-net-worth individuals. In 2025, Kamath’s focus on democratizing finance continues with initiatives around financial literacy, alternative investing, and possibly entering the AI-powered wealth management space.
His rise as a minimalist billionaire with a strong focus on ethics, mental health, and sustainability makes him one of the most well-rounded business leaders in the country.
2. Bhavish Aggarwal – Founder, Ola & Krutrim
Bhavish Aggarwal is not just revolutionizing the way Indians commute—he’s attempting to rewire India’s entire mobility and AI ecosystem. As the founder of Ola, he brought app-based ride-hailing to the masses. In recent years, his focus has shifted to Ola Electric, aiming to lead India’s transition to electric mobility.
But what truly sets Aggarwal apart in 2025 is his ambitious AI startup, Krutrim, India’s homegrown AI initiative. By building India-centric large language models (LLMs) and promoting AI sovereignty, Bhavish is creating tech that speaks to India’s diverse languages and challenges.
He’s not just a business leader—he’s an innovator at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and national pride.
3. Vijay Shekhar Sharma – Founder, Paytm
Vijay Shekhar Sharma is a veteran in India’s fintech revolution. As the founder of Paytm, he brought mobile wallets and digital payments to millions of Indians—even before the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) became mainstream.
Despite regulatory hurdles and market challenges in recent years, Sharma continues to innovate. In 2025, he’s focusing on enhancing Paytm’s ecosystem—spanning payments, lending, insurance, and wealth tech.
His resilience, adaptability, and vision for financial inclusion have cemented his place as one of India’s most influential entrepreneurs, even in turbulent times.
4. Ritesh Agarwal – Founder & CEO, OYO Rooms
Ritesh Agarwal’s journey from a small-town boy to the youngest self-made billionaire in India is legendary. At just 19, he founded OYO Rooms, a tech-driven hospitality startup that transformed budget accommodation in India and abroad.
After weathering tough times during the COVID-19 pandemic, Agarwal has restructured OYO with a focus on profitability and asset-light growth. In 2025, OYO is bouncing back with renewed investor interest, stronger tech integration, and expansion into untapped international markets.
Agarwal’s tenacity and deep understanding of scalable business models make him a key entrepreneur to watch.
5. Byju Raveendran – Founder, BYJU’S
Byju Raveendran turned after-school tutoring into a global edtech empire. As the founder of BYJU’S, he pioneered digital learning in India, combining engaging content with adaptive technology.
While BYJU’S has faced scrutiny in recent years due to financial and governance challenges, 2025 marks a turning point. With a focus on restructuring and sustainable global expansion, Raveendran is working to bring the company back to its innovative roots.
If BYJU’S can rebound, Raveendran could stage one of the most remarkable turnarounds in Indian startup history.
6. Kunal Shah – Founder, CRED
Kunal Shah is known for his contrarian thinking and community-driven business building. A serial entrepreneur, he founded CRED, a members-only credit card rewards platform, which turned into a fintech juggernaut by gamifying responsible credit behavior.
In 2025, Shah is expanding CRED’s ecosystem beyond payments—into lending, e-commerce, and wealth management. His sharp product instincts and focus on building trust-based digital products make him a leader who sees the next big shift before others.
Shah’s unique ability to blend data, design, and behavior science places him at the cutting edge of fintech innovation.
7. Naveen Tewari – Founder & CEO, InMobi Group
Naveen Tewari is one of India’s original tech pioneers. As the founder of InMobi, he built India’s first unicorn and made waves globally in the mobile advertising space.
In 2025, Tewari is doubling down on Glance, InMobi’s lock-screen content platform, and AI-driven personalization technologies. With a focus on monetizing attention and engagement, his ventures are defining the future of consumer tech in India and beyond.
Tewari’s global perspective, combined with a deep commitment to homegrown innovation, keeps him firmly in the spotlight.
8. Harsh Jain – Co-founder & CEO, Dream11
Harsh Jain is the co-founder of Dream11, India’s leading fantasy sports platform and the first sports-tech unicorn in the country. Under his leadership, Dream11 has turned fantasy sports into a cultural phenomenon.
In 2025, Jain is expanding Dream Sports’ portfolio to include sports content, analytics, and possibly Web3 integrations. His work sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and tech—making him a significant player in shaping India’s digital leisure economy.
Jain’s deep understanding of community building and fan engagement sets him apart as a next-gen tech entrepreneur.
9. Gaurav Munjal – Co-founder & CEO, Unacademy
Gaurav Munjal co-founded Unacademy, which started as a YouTube channel and grew into one of India’s largest online learning platforms. Focused on competitive exams, Unacademy became a lifeline for students in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
Although the edtech sector has faced headwinds, Munjal’s vision remains robust in 2025, with the company leaning into live learning, hybrid models, and creator-led education.
His passion for education reform, transparency, and product-led growth ensures he continues to be a thought leader in the digital education space.
10. Deepinder Goyal – Founder & CEO, Zomato
Deepinder Goyal’s Zomato has become a household name in India’s food delivery and restaurant discovery space. From surviving the foodtech wars to acquiring Blinkit for quick commerce, Goyal has constantly evolved with changing market dynamics.
In 2025, Goyal is focused on building Zomato into a super app for food and commerce, blending delivery, logistics, and hyperlocal commerce. He’s also investing in drone delivery pilots and green initiatives to make the business more sustainable.
Goyal’s leadership, risk appetite, and product vision make him a powerful force in India’s consumer internet economy.
The Road Ahead
As India solidifies its position as a global startup and innovation hub, these 10 male entrepreneurs exemplify the spirit of resilience, risk-taking, and reinvention. Whether it’s transforming education, reshaping finance, or pioneering electric mobility, their work touches millions of lives every day.
In 2025, these leaders aren’t just building businesses—they’re creating ecosystems. They embody the future of Indian entrepreneurship: tech-savvy, globally ambitious, socially conscious, and relentlessly innovative.
As investors, consumers, and policymakers look to the future, these entrepreneurs are undoubtedly the ones to watch—not just for their individual success, but for the way they are shaping the next chapter of India’s growth story.
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