An upcoming Indian e-commerce player, Meesho, is gearing up for a significant IPO valued at around $606 million. The IPO will feature token sell-downs from early investors while big names like SoftBank and Prosus will not be selling any shares, indicating strong investor confidence in India’s thriving online retail sector.
Meesho, a ten-year-old startup, is planning to price its shares at ₹105–111 each, aiming to raise ₹42.50 billion in fresh capital and a small remainder through secondary sales. This move will give Meesho a post-issue valuation of roughly ₹501 billion. The startup, which was last valued at about $5 billion in 2021, is on track to become the first major horizontal e-commerce platform in India to go public.
Early shareholders of Meesho, such as Elevation Capital, Peak XV Partners, and Y Combinator, are set to sell a portion of their stakes in the IPO. However, larger backers like SoftBank, Prosus, and Fidelity have decided not to sell any shares. The co-founders, Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Kumar, are increasing their combined offer in the IPO, compensating for reduced participation from other shareholders.
Founded in 2015, Meesho started as a social commerce platform targeting first-time online shoppers through WhatsApp before evolving into a full-fledged marketplace. The startup has gained traction with a low-cost model tailored to India’s price-sensitive consumers and small merchants, posing a challenge to larger competitors like Amazon and Flipkart.
Meesho reported a significant increase in revenue from operations for the six months ended September 30, reaching ₹55.78 billion, up from ₹43.11 billion a year earlier. Despite this growth, the company’s losses widened, with a restated loss before tax of ₹4.33 billion for the September 2025 half-year.
With a focus on value-driven offerings, Meesho positions itself as a platform catering to mass market consumers with an emphasis on affordability. The company sees the IPO as an opportunity to attract top talent, strengthen confidence in its ecosystem, and enhance governance standards.
The IPO is set to open for public subscription on December 3, with the anchor book scheduled for December 2. Qualified institutional buyers will have access to 75% of the offer, while retail investors and non-institutional investors will have 10% and 15% reserved, respectively.
SoftBank has not provided any comments regarding the upcoming IPO.
