Among the countless heartwarming stories of friendships, there are some extraordinary narratives of best friends turned business partners who have demonstrated that the bond of ‘Ye Dosti’ goes beyond personal connections. These entrepreneurial duos have showcased how genuine camaraderie can be a catalyst for remarkable success in the world of business. Through unwavering trust, mutual understanding, and shared visions, these friends have embarked on ventures that have not only flourished but have also redefined the paradigms of success in the corporate realm.
Let us delve into the awe-inspiring journeys of these dynamic duos and witness the magic that friendship can bring to the world of entrepreneurship.
1. After working for a company named Final Quadrant which was doing travel technology for 8-9 months, Aloke, in mid-2006, sent in his resignation and said, “Kuch karte hain, bohot ho gaya”. To Aloke, it looked like an exciting time to do something in travel in India. At that time, Aloke’s friend Rajnish left his fancy job in the south of France, to join Aloke and work on the idea of building ixigo in late 2006.” Launched in 2007 by Aloke Bajpai and Rajnish Kumar, ixigo is a technology company focused on empowering Indian travelers to plan, book and manage their trips across rail, air, buses and hotels. The 1997-01 batchmates of IIT Kanpur, Aloke Bajpai and Rajnish Kumar worked together at Madrid-based travel company Amadeus earlier. Moving back to India later, the duo had their eyes on building an innovative product with a meta-search model, owing to the ideology that it was more consumer-friendly. The intention was to build something more efficient than what is already out there in the market.
In January 2015, University Living was founded by best friends Saurabh Arora and Mayank Maheshwari, who encountered a common challenge during their pursuit of higher education abroad – the lack of suitable accommodation. They went abroad for their student exchange program and struggled to find proper accommodation, leading them to stay in costly hotels and spend a fortune. Witnessing others face the same obstacle, they decided to bridge the market gap and create a platform that would offer hassle-free booking services and transparent pricing for student accommodation. It’s been more than two decades since Saurabh & Mayank have been together, adding method to madness for each other. Their compatible bond has led University Living to deliver 10X growth in the last five years, even during the pandemic. University Living has grown from a team of two to 250+ dedicated individuals, on a mission to ensure a seamless post-admission experience for students, making education abroad a delightful and memorable journey for students worldwide. This duo proves that true companionship can lead to resounding success in the entrepreneurial realm.
In 2015, college friends Pratham Barot and Anant Bengani came together, united by their passion for Finance and Accounting, to establish Zell Education. As they embarked on their individual journeys in the finance and accounts domain, they noticed a significant gap in the availability of comprehensive and top-notch finance and accounting courses in India. Their shared passion for the subject fueled an idea that not only changed their lives but also revolutionized the educational landscape. With their vision and dedication, they started the bootstrapped company with just two students, and over the years, it has grown exponentially, now serving over 1lakh students worldwide. Their true passion lies in assisting students and aspiring professionals to navigate the complexities of career and progression. Pratham and Anant’s friendship, coupled with their unwavering dedication, continues to create an educational upskilling footprint in the world of finance, leaving a lasting impact on countless careers.
Founded in 2007 by two buddies Beas Dev Ralhan and Raveendranath Kamath, both of them desired to employ technology to make a social impact in India. After a lot of market research based on the Indian Education sector they both launched Next Education is a fast-growing, end-to-end SaaS-based company revolutionizing the education system in India. Through innovative EdTech solutions, the company is transforming the lives of 12,000,000+ students, over 18,000 schools, 66,000+ classrooms & 240,000+ teachers. Committed to bringing a change to the academic sector, the company’s main objective is to democratize access to education and become the leading EdTech SaaS provider.
Manan Joshi and Vaishal Dalal’s friendship started in 2004 when they became classmates in the 11th standard. Despite coming from different family backgrounds and having contrasting personalities, they developed a strong bond and became best friends. After completing their education, they decided to embark on a business venture together and founded Excellent Publicity. They faced doubts and warnings about starting a business with friends, but their trust in each other prevailed. When faced with challenges and setbacks, they stood by each other and worked harder to overcome the obstacles. As the company grew, their thought processes aligned, and their mutual trust and lack of ego clashes strengthened their partnership. Their two-decade-long friendship has allowed them to build a successful business together, maintaining coordination and shared taste, making their lives intertwined both professionally and personally.
