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Snapdeal
Snapdeal is an Indian e-commerce marketplace co-founded by Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal.
Snapdeal
Snapdeal was co-founded by Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal in 2007 as a deals-and-coupons site before transforming into a full-fledged e-commerce marketplace in 2011. The platform raised over $1.8B from investors including SoftBank, Alibaba, and Foxconn, peaking at a $6.5B valuation in 2015 (per The Economic Times, 2015). The firm initially pursued rapid growth across electronics, fashion, and home goods, competing directly with Flipkart and Amazon India. After its 2016-2017 growth slowdown Bahl and Bansal pivoted to focus on tier-2 and tier-3 city customers through the Snapdeal Lite app, compressing inventory to low-margin, high-volume goods like shoes, smartphones, and kitchenware. The company has not disclosed recent fundraising or valuation. It runs a marketplace model with third-party sellers and logistics partners, avoiding owned inventory. Snapdeal's headcount has fluctuated from ~9,000 employees in 2015 to roughly 500 employees in 2024 (per public statements by Bahl, 2020-2024). The company does not disclose an AUM or deployment figure, as it is not an investment firm but an operating business. Bahl and Bansal also co-founded the venture capital firm Titan Capital in 2011, which makes early-stage investments — but Snapdeal itself is not an investment vehicle. The key structural differentiator is that Snapdeal survived the Indian e-commerce shakeout by sobering down growth ambitions and focusing on unit economics rather than subsidized top-line growth. The company has not taken external institutional capital since 2017, funding itself from operations and a secondary share sale in 2021.
General information
Firm type
other
Year founded
2007
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Asia
Country
India
City
Gurgaon
Corporate office
Gurgaon, India
Principals
Kunal Bahl
Co-founder
Rohit Bansal
Co-founder
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Snapdeal and when?
Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal co-founded Snapdeal in 2007 as a deals-and-coupons website. They shifted to e-commerce in 2011 and grew rapidly through 2015 before the funding environment shifted.
Is Snapdeal still an operating e-commerce company or has it shut down?
Snapdeal remains an active e-commerce marketplace as of 2024, serving price-sensitive consumers in smaller Indian cities. It operates the Snapdeal Lite app and is headquartered in Gurgaon, India.
How did Snapdeal survive the 2016-2018 Indian startup funding winter?
Snapdeal cut costs aggressively in 2017 — it closed non-core businesses, reduced headcount from ~9,000 to about 500 employees, and shifted focus to a value-focused marketplace model selling low-cost goods to tier-2 and tier-3 city customers.
Does Snapdeal have an investment arm or family office?
Snapdeal itself is an operating e-commerce firm, not an investment firm. However, co-founders Bahl and Bansal run Titan Capital, a venture capital firm that makes early-stage investments in Indian startups.
Who are Snapdeal's notable investors?
Snapdeal raised significant capital from SoftBank Vision Fund, Alibaba Group, Foxconn, and others. The last major institutional round closed in 2017.
What is Snapdeal's current valuation?
Snapdeal does not publicly disclose its current valuation. It peaked at ~$6.5B in 2015 per The Economic Times. It has not raised a primary round since 2017 and is likely valued significantly lower.
Does Snapdeal own inventory or rely on third-party sellers?
Snapdeal operates a pure marketplace model — it does not own inventory. Third-party sellers list products and handle fulfillment through Snapdeal's logistics partners.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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