PRIVATE · Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
The Garage / Company file
Flipkart
An early Amazon-clone book startup that conquered the complex Indian consumer landscape, forcing Walmart into a historic $16 billion acquisition.
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The story / 4 turning points
2007
The ex-Amazon engineer bookstore apartment genesis
Flipkart was founded in a small apartment in Bengaluru by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, two former Amazon software engineers who pooled together just $6,000 in personal savings. Mirroring Amazon's early playbook, they launched purely as an online bookstore, manually delivering orders to customers on their personal scooters. The founders realized that to scale in India, they had to solve deep structural internet distrust, leading them to invent a highly revolutionary Cash-on-Delivery (COD) payment system.
2014
The legendary Myntra acquisition and the Big Billion Days launch
To secure an absolute monopoly over the high-margin fashion segment, Flipkart executed a massive strategic acquisition of fashion e-tailer Myntra for an estimated $330 million. Months later, the company launched its flagship "Big Billion Days" annual festive sales event, which generated unprecedented server traffic and recorded massive transactional milestones. This aggressive scale cemented Flipkart as the definitive indigenous digital retail champion, directly blocking Amazon India's expansion.
2018
The historic $16 billion Walmart corporate buyout jackpot
In a transaction that stunned the international retail ecosystem, American brick-and-mortar retail titan Walmart acquired a dominant 77% controlling stake in Flipkart for a staggering $16 billion. The mega-deal marked the world's largest acquisition of an internet marketplace company at the time, providing Walmart with instant access to India's surging middle class. The acquisition triggered massive equity payouts, leading to the gradual operational exit of both founding brothers amid board restructuring.
2026
The $12 billion revenue scale and IPO preparation track
By mid-2026, Flipkart Private Limited scaled its annual consolidated corporate revenues past an estimated $12 billion, retaining its fierce market leadership over Amazon India. Under the long-term operational guidance of CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy, the enterprise expanded its hyper-local delivery network, Flipkart Quick, and integrated robust unified payment features via its standalone PhonePe heritage. The board finalized corporate restructuring plans ahead of a highly anticipated dual US-India public listing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded Flipkart?
Flipkart was founded by Sachin Bansal, Binny Bansal.
When was Flipkart founded?
Flipkart was founded in 2007.
Where was Flipkart founded?
Flipkart was headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Why was Flipkart created?
Flipkart was founded in a small apartment in Bengaluru by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, two former Amazon software engineers who pooled together just $6,000 in personal savings. Mirroring Amazon's early playbook, they launched purely as an online bookstore, manually delivering orders to customers on their personal scooters. The founders realized that to scale in India, they had to solve deep structural internet distrust, leading them to invent a highly revolutionary Cash-on-Delivery (COD) payment system.
What does Flipkart do?
An early Amazon-clone book startup that conquered the complex Indian consumer landscape, forcing Walmart into a historic $16 billion acquisition. Flipkart pioneered Cash-on-Delivery to crack the Indian market, scaling into a $12B+ retail juggernaut backed by Walmart's historic acquisition. Read the story.
How did Flipkart grow?
By mid-2026, Flipkart Private Limited scaled its annual consolidated corporate revenues past an estimated $12 billion, retaining its fierce market leadership over Amazon India. Under the long-term operational guidance of CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy, the enterprise expanded its hyper-local delivery network, Flipkart Quick, and integrated robust unified payment features via its standalone PhonePe heritage. The board finalized corporate restructuring plans ahead of a highly anticipated dual US-India public listing.
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