11-March-2025 Bengaluru: As the artificial intelligence (AI) wave sweeps across industries, several senior executives from India’s top startups are leaving their high-profile roles to launch their own AI-driven companies. Key figures from Flipkart, Krutrim, MPL, BharatPe, Myntra, and Udaan are at the forefront of this transformation, building AI platforms, agents, and infrastructure products to tap into the growing demand.
This exodus from established unicorns marks a pivotal shift in the Indian tech ecosystem, as experienced leaders pivot towards the AI revolution. Among them, Sandeep Kohli and Sudhir Reddy, former executives at Flipkart, have co-founded Divyam.ai, an AI platform focused on optimizing cloud workloads and reducing infrastructure costs in generative AI applications.
Riding the AI Wave
Sandeep Kohli, co-founder of Divyam.ai, emphasized the significance of this moment, stating, “It would be criminal to see the wave of the century and not join in. More senior executives should jump in and get their hands dirty.”
Similarly, Sumeet Ghosh and Jain Johny, also from Flipkart, have launched Asama.ai, while Vipul Shah from Krutrim has started Avinya Build AI. Other notable executives entering the AI startup space include Vivek Sadamate and Krishna Mohan Vedula (MPL), Ankur Jain (BharatPe), Mukesh Bansal (Myntra), and Mohit Kumar (Udaan), each founding ventures focused on AI-driven solutions.
New AI Startups by Former Unicorn Execs
| From | Executives | New AI Venture |
|---|---|---|
| Flipkart | Sandeep Kohli, Sudhir Reddy | Divyam.ai |
| Flipkart | Sumeet Ghosh, Jain Johny | Asama.ai |
| Krutrim | Vipul Shah | Avinya Build AI |
| MPL | Vivek Sadamate, Krishna Mohan Vedula | Stealth AI startup |
| BharatPe | Ankur Jain | Jivi AI |
| Myntra | Mukesh Bansal | Nurix AI |
| Udaan | Mohit Kumar | Vishwa.ai |
Future of AI in India
With over 500 million gamers and a rapidly digitizing economy, AI is poised to redefine businesses, making operations smarter and more efficient. Industry veterans believe that this trend will continue, with more seasoned executives stepping away from established firms to explore opportunities in AI innovation.
As India’s startup ecosystem shifts gears toward AI-driven enterprises, these former executives are set to play a crucial role in shaping the next wave of technological advancements.
