Mukesh Bansal

Mukesh Bansal
Mukesh Bansal in 2023.
EducationBachelor of Technology
Alma materIIT Kanpur
OccupationEntrepreneur
Known forMyntra

Flipkart

https://www.Cult.fit

Mukesh Bansal (born September 1975) is an Indian entrepreneur, investor, author and podcast host, known for his contributions to e-commerce, health tech, and deep tech in India. He is the co-founder of Myntra, one of India's leading fashion e-commerce platforms, and Cult.fit, a health and fitness unicorn, alongside ventures including Meraki Labs, Nurix AI, and Fermi AI.

He has played a significant role in shaping India's tech and entrepreneurial landscape and was named among Fortune India's 40 Under 40 entrepreneurs. Bansal has served as a member of the Board of Governors at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore since December 2022.

Early life and education

Bansal was born in Haridwar, India.[1] He completed his early education in Haridwar before pursuing a degree in Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Kanpur.[1][2] His early interest in technology and entrepreneurship guided his career path in the tech industry.

Career

Early career

After graduating from IIT Kanpur, Bansal began his career as a system analyst with Deloitte in Chicago.[1] He later worked with several startups in Silicon Valley, including NexTag, Centrata, and NewScale.[3] These roles provided him with substantial experience and insights, which he later applied to his ventures in India.

Myntra

In 2007, Bansal co-founded Myntra with Ashutosh Lawania[4] and Vineet Saxena.[5] Initially, Myntra specialised in personalised gift items but shifted focus to fashion and lifestyle products.[6] Under Bansal's leadership, Myntra became a leading fashion e-commerce platform in India.[6][4] In 2014, Myntra was acquired by Flipkart in a transaction valued at approximately $330 million.[7] Following the acquisition, Bansal took on the role of Head of Commerce and Advertising Business at Flipkart.[8]

Cure.Fit

Cure.Fit was founded in 2016 by Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori[3] with the goal of offering a comprehensive approach to health and fitness. The company provides services across multiple areas including fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being.[3]

Cure.Fit has developed several distinct services:

  • Cult.fit: A chain of fitness centres offering various workout programs.
  • Eat.fit: A service focused on delivering healthy meals.[9]
  • Mind.fit: Provides yoga and meditation sessions.
  • Care.fit: Offers primary healthcare services.

The company has attracted significant investment and has expanded its operations across India. Its business model integrates different aspects of health and wellness.[10]

Meraki Labs

Meraki Labs, founded by Mukesh Bansal in 2020, is described as India's first startup studio. Operating as a venture studio, it works closely with founders to identify market needs and build companies from the ground up, providing initial funding ranging from $250K to $5M alongside access to experienced entrepreneurs, leadership coaches, and a structured curriculum covering product development, branding, and fundraising. The studio has supported startups including Skyroot, Groww, Nextleap, and has received backing from Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia India) and Accel.

Nurix AI

Nurix AI was founded in 2024 by Mukesh Bansal, its an enterprise AI company. The startup was incubated within Meraki Labs before operating independently. It focuses on AI agents for enterprise productivity, customer service, and workflow automation.

The company raised $27.5 million in seed and Series A funding co-led by General Catalyst and Accel, with participation from Meraki Labs. In 2026, Prosus also invested, taking Nurix AI’s total reported funding to over $40 million. In June 2025, Nurix AI launched NuPlay, a voice AI platform for enterprise use cases that integrates with systems such as CRM, ERP, and customer support tools.

Fermi AI

In January 2026, Mukesh Bansal partnered with former Google executive and ex-Flipkart CTO Peeyush Ranjan to launch Fermi AI, an AI-first edtech company focused on high-school STEM education in India and the United States

Podcast

Bansal hosts the podcast "SparX," which explores "Big Ideas" across various fields, including economics, politics, science, and entrepreneurship.[11] The podcast features individual episodes where Bansal shares insights from his career and guest episodes with influential figures such as Ajeet Singh,[12] Sudha Murty[13] and Rahul Dravid.[14]

Olympics Gold Quest

Mukesh is also on the board of Olympics Gold Quest, a non-profit foundation that promotes efforts to support Indian athletes in winning Olympic Gold medals.[15][16]

Books

  • Hacking Health: The Only Book You’ll Ever Need To Live a Healthier Life (2023)[17]
  • No Limits: The Art and Science of High Performance (2020)[18]
  • The Start-Up Code (2024)[19]

Achievements and Recognition

Bansal has been recognized for his contributions to the industry:

  • Fortune India 40 Under 40: Featured in Fortune India’s list of 40 Under 40.[20]
  • Business Today’s Coolest Start-ups: Myntra was named one of Business Today’s Coolest Start-ups under his leadership.
  • IIT Kanpur Distinguished Alumnus Award (2021): Honoured with this award by IIT Kanpur.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Mukesh Bansal: The Eternal Entrepreneur". Forbes India. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  2. ^ Mukesh Bansal, An approachable taskmaster. "Mukesh Bansal: An approachable taskmaster". BUSINESS LINE- THE HINDU.
  3. ^ a b c "The Business of Fashion". The Business of Fashion. 2016-02-11. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  4. ^ a b "The secret behind Mukesh Bansal's success". Rediff. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  5. ^ "The Story Of Myntra Founders : Mukesh Bansal". 2022-09-24. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  6. ^ a b "Mukesh Bansal: The equity of fitness". www.fortuneindia.com. 2018-02-01. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  7. ^ "Why Flipkart's Mukesh Bansal decided to call it quits". Business Today. 2016-02-11. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  8. ^ "Here is why Mukesh Bansal quitting Flipkart is not really the news". Firstpost. 2016-02-12. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  9. ^ "cure.fit launches new ready-to-eat product". Restaurant India. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  10. ^ Ashrafi, Md Salman (2024-02-26). "Exclusive: Tata Digital-backed Cult.fit tops up Series F with $10 Mn funding". Entrackr. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  11. ^ "Sparx by Mukesh Bansal". Sparx by Mukesh Bansal. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  12. ^ "Meet Ajeet Singh, Muzaffarnagar-born IIT Kanpur alumnus who built two companies worth $10 billion in Silicon Valley". Business Today. 2023-11-27. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  13. ^ "'There's something wrong with my brain..' Sudha Murty makes stunning revelation". DNA India. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  14. ^ "Lend me your ears: How startuppers became podcasters". The Times of India. 2023-10-08. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  15. ^ "Mukesh Bansal - Angel Investor Profile & Invested Startups Info | YNOS". YNOS Venture Engine. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  16. ^ OGQ, Team (2018). "Team OGQ". olympicgoldquest.in.
  17. ^ "Hacking Health". Penguin Random House India. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  18. ^ "No Limits". Penguin Random House India. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  19. ^ "No Limits". Penguin Random House India. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  20. ^ "Mukesh Bansal - India's Young & Brightest Entrepreneurs in 40 Under 40 2014 - Fortune India". www.fortuneindia.com. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  21. ^ "Mukesh Bansal". www.iitk.ac.in. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
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