Zomato: From Struggles to Stock Market – A True Indian Startup Story
In 2008, a young man named Deepinder Goyal noticed his colleagues struggling to find restaurant menus online. An idea sparked in his mind – what if people could see all restaurant menus in one place? With no fancy office or big funds, Deepinder and his friend Pankaj Chaddah started a simple website called Foodiebay, which later became Zomato.
They worked day and night, going from one restaurant to another, collecting menus, taking pictures, uploading details – all by themselves. It wasn’t easy. There was no money for marketing, no big team. Just two dreamers, their laptops, and India’s hunger for food.
Slowly, people started using Zomato to explore places to eat. Then came food delivery – a game-changer. But competition was tough. Big companies with deep pockets entered the market. Zomato lost money, made mistakes, and even had to lay off people. Still, they didn’t give up.
They kept learning, improving, and believing in their dream. In 2021, something magical happened – Zomato became the first Indian food-tech company to get listed on the Indian stock exchange. It was a proud moment. From a small idea in Gurgaon to ringing the bell at the Bombay Stock Exchange – the journey was full of emotion, grit, and hustle.
Zomato’s story reminds us: no dream is too small, and no struggle is too big. All it takes is belief, hard work, and a little desi jugaad.
