Zepto's fall: From soaring valuations to viral criticism

On a Slippery Slope

- ANEES HUSSAIN

QUICK COMMERCE UNICORN Zepto, once a darling of the startup ecosystem with its blazing growth and soaring valuations, now seems to be in the spotlight for less flattering reasons. The company, which not long ago made headlines for closing multiple rounds of funding and expressing confidence in going public by 2025, is now pushing its IPO timeline to 2026, according to people familiar with the matter.

"That's our ambition... of course, capital markets may change, but for now, we are optimistic that if the business continues to perform as well, we will go public in calendar 2025," Aadit Palicha, CEO and co-founder, had told PTI in an interview late last year. However, sources now say that even if the company files its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) in the coming months, the listing itself is off the cards for this year.