Entrepreneur India 35 Under 35 2025: The Door Dashing Billionaires "Throughout this journey, the core belief of addressing critical consumer pain points has held strong. However, we've had to adapt by refining operations and improving efficiency, especially in response to external challenges," Aadit Palicha, CEO & Co-Founder, Zepto

In the summer of 2020, Kaivalya Vohra and Aadit Palicha, both 18, took a drop year from Stanford and returned to Mumbai. Observing the struggle of their elderly neighbors to access essentials during the pandemic, they began delivering groceries and medicines by bicycle. What started as a local initiative grew into what would become Zepto. As demand surged, they transitioned to an app and scaled rapidly. By July 2021, they opened their first warehouse and expanded across major cities.

In 2022-2023, focused on efficiency during the startup funding winter, they ultimately became India's first Unicorn of 2023. Sharing his journey Aadit Palicha, CEO & Co-Founder, Zepto says, "Throughout this journey, the core belief of addressing critical consumer pain points has held strong. However, we've had to adapt by refining operations and improving efficiency, especially in response to external challenges."

From now on, Zepto is expanding into high-growth categories like personal care, electronics, and fresh meals, while reaching deeper into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities with hyperlocal strategies. Innovations in demand forecasting, sustainable EV fleets, and advancements in agricultural supply chains are and will continue to redefine efficiency and impact. Zepto Cafe, already a flagship category, exemplifies the potential of fresh, on-demand products.

According to Palicha, Zepto Café reminds him of Zepto's early days three years ago: clear product market fit, multiplier growth, and an unbelievably talented team behind the execution. Busy professionals can order coffee to fuel their workday without leaving their desks, college students can rely on late-night caffeine fixes for study sessions, and families can enjoy chai and snacks for spontaneous gatherings—all delivered in minutes. I believe this is the next big innovation in Indian Q-Commerce and Consumer Internet.

Talking about his vision Palicha states, "From the start, our vision has been to play a small but impactful role in nation-building— creating lakhs of jobs and building a better service for Indians with technology that is unique to our country. That focus continues to drive us today."

While rapid delivery is no longer a unique selling point, the true differentiator in this market is execution. Quick commerce is an operationally intense business; success hinges on who can execute consistently and at scale. If multiple players execute well, they can thrive side by side. But if only one does, that's where the real success will be. It's not just about having a great model—it's about who delivers on it flawlessly, day after day. Are we playing the quick, quick, be a quick game, or will it die down to quick, quack, quick remains to be seen in the coming time?