ETSA 2026: Indian founders eyeing early IPOs instead of private capital: Meesho CEO Vidit Aatrey

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 at a panel alongside Groww CEO Lalit Keshre and ETtech editor Samidha Sharma, Aatrey contrasted India’s market with that of the United States. “In the US, small IPOs are rare, while in India both small and large listings are taking place.” That, he suggested, is changing how founders think about funding. “Founders are now thinking: can I short-circuit and go public instead of raising private capital?”.