'Building an iconic company in India takes 15-20 yrs': Unacademy CEO

Are you a freshly graduated entrepreneur? 

Edtech startup Unacademy CEO Gaurav Munjal has a key advice for you.

In the last 10 years, more and more young graduates are opting to start their own companies rather than join someone else’s.

To this, Munjal said that one shouldn’t do a startup for the wrong reasons and to be patient about company growth. 

He mentioned that building a business in India is a long game and it takes 15-20 years to build an "iconic company".

Munjal wrote on X that building a business in India was a "long game" and admitted that it took 15-20 years to build an "iconic company".

Founders may not realise this on Day One, but building a business in India is a long game. It takes 15-20 years to build an iconic company," Munjal wrote on X.

Munjal further said that those who start with the intention of making "quick money" give up along the way. "Those who start up to make quick money give up along the way. Don’t do it for the wrong reasons," he wrote.

Social Media Reaction:

Many X users connected with Munjal's words and added their viewpoints.

One Angel investor wrote: “At a recent event, @mukeshbansal06 mentioned that he did an analysis of public companies in India. On average, the first decade was all about learning the market and setting a base. Majority of the value creation and capture happened in the second decade.”

Munjal replied to his comment with “Interesting”.

Another user wrote: Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are iconic companies. In the Indian startup ecosystem, the true test of a founder’s mettle is their ability to weather the storm and stay the course. Long-term vision leads to enduring success.”

One sceptical user wrote: “Hmmm… !

Some experts say “speed” is what matters in startups! You’re saying it will take two decades to build iconic company. That’s hell of a time 

Who is teaching wrong lessons to world?

Is it those Silicon Valley’s experts or YOU?  Genuinely curious!”

"Absolutely true, in fact I feel we are first generations building dynamic startups at this pace and scale, before this it wasn't considered in the way which we are doing it now," another user wrote.

"Absolutely! Building a lasting business in India requires patience and commitment," a third user wrote.