Early IPOs in India: Founders Rethink Private Capital
Early-stage founders in India increasingly believe they can go public sooner, and some are weighing whether to skip private fundraising altogether, Meesho CEO Vidit Aatrey said at the ET Startup Awards 2026 in Bengaluru. Speaking on a panel with Groww CEO Lalit Keshre and ETtech editor Samidha Sharma, Aatrey contrasted India’s market with that of the United States.
The move toward early IPOs
Aatrey said, “In the US, small IPOs are rare, while in India both small and large listings are taking place.” He said founders were asking, “can I short-circuit and go public instead of raising private capital?”.
What Meesho does
Meesho offers a wide product selection supported by a large seller base and a zero-commission, zero-penalties model. Its integrated Superstore targets consumers in tier 2 and 3 markets.
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Drawing on Meesho’s own experience, which went public in December last year, Aatrey said transparency was the main principle for a public offering. He said Meesho listed while it was still building out its supply chain, communicated well with investors and priced the stock according to all the relevant information in hand.
The IPO process
Aatrey said an IPO is not a one-day event. The process typically runs for at least six months and can stretch to nine, during which investors continue to buy and sell the stock.
The disclosure test
Groww CEO Lalit Keshre said that raising “false expectations” was a big no for companies looking to go public.
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