Quick Facts Azhar Iqubal is an Indian Entrepreneur. He is the co-founder and Chairman of Inshorts. The Inshorts app was launched in 2014. Iqbal is also one of the Sharks in Shark Tank India since season 3. |
In today’s era, Gen Z and even Millenials find it boring to sit with others at home and watch monotonous news. Nobody has this much time nowadays, and therefore, to escape from this, we all have come across a very popular news application that summarizes the news in 60 words. Yes, we’re talking about Inshorts. Having said this, have you ever wondered who is the person behind the application’s establishment? Well, that is exactly what today’s topic is – we’re going to talk about Azhar Iqubal, the co-founder and Chairman of Inshorts. Therefore, scroll through the blog till the end to find some valuable insights about him and his professional journey.
Who is Azhar Iqubal?
Azhar Iqubal was born on 7 October 1992 in a Muslim family in Kishanganj, Bihar, and was brought up in Delhi. After dropping out of college, and seeing the success of the Facebook page “News In Shorts”, he and his college friends Deepit Purkayastha and Anunay Pandey founded Inshorts in 2013, which summarizes the news in 60 words.
How Inshorts Came into Existence?
Once he completed college, Azhar along with his college mates, Deepit Purkayastha and Anunay Pandey, began diving into the startup world. In 2013, their first grand idea was a Facebook page named “News in Shorts” where news would be summarized in just 60 words. This caught the eye of many users, subsequently pushing them into making a full-fledged app doing the very same thing. Inshorts was thus born in 2013.
As the CEO, under Azhar’s watch, the company has excelled immensely, convincing users and money from all around the country. During his leadership, the user count has shot to nearly 3 million, and close to around 100 smart advertising concepts have seen the graduation of over 250 brands that have been chosen to collaborate with Inshorts. Its partnership with such prominent groups as Vodafone, OnePlus, Mercedes, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Myntra, and more has rendered it capable of undertaking business activities within five years of its establishment.
On the one hand, Azhar Iqubal resigned from his role as CEO of Inshorts in April 2024 after 11 long years at its helm. Consequently, he has since been elevated to the position of chairman, while his good college mate and another co-founder, Deepit Purkayastha, took over the reins as CEO. Azhar Iqubal Inshorts stake is around 30%, while Inshorts was valued at Rs 3,700 crore by 2023.
Azhar Iqubal Shark Tank Journey
Azhar’s business achievements have earned him the admiration of professionals in the industry and media – the reason for being one of the prominent Sharks in Shark Tank India 3. Azhar lent his distinct perspective and expertise to the hopeful entrepreneurs looking to secure funding for their brands. With his tech and startup past, coupled with his first-hand experience in building and scaling a successful venture, he became a valuable asset for the panels. Young entrepreneurs across regions look at Azhar as a dream judge of the Shark Tank, underlining the prevalence of innovation and technology in business.
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Azhar Iqubal Shark Tank Investments
Startup | Investment |
BrownDoor.ai | NA |
Speed Kitchen | ₹ 2 Crores for 6% Equity |
InnerGize | ₹ 1 Crore for 4.2% Equity |
Canvaloop Fibre | ₹ 2 Crores for 4% Equity |
Lea Clothing Co | ₹ 1 Crore for 4% Equity + 2% royalty until ₹ 1.5 Crores are recouped |
Aroleap | ₹ 1 Crore for 5% Equity |
Chefling | ₹ 40 Lakhs for 16% Equity |
Mintree | ₹ 90 Lakhs for 1.5% Equity |
TURMS | ₹ 1.2 Crores for 4% Equity |
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Azhar Iqubal Net Worth
Azhar Iqubal Net Worth is estimated to be around Rs 500 crores, steaming from the success of his news-delivering app Inshorts. Further, some of his investments and ventures have also contributed to boosting his financial status. Reportedly, the Inshorts app generated around Rs 181.4 crore in revenue in FY24 – another factor for his huge net worth.
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Key Highlights of Azhar Iqubal Biography
Particulars | Details |
Name | Azhar Iqubal |
Date of Birth | 7 October 1992 |
Place of Birth | Kishanganj, Bihar, India |
Age | 32 years old (as of 2024) |
Height (approx) | 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) (178 cm) |
Education | BTech (Computer Science) |
School | Not known |
University | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi |
Father’s Name | Not known |
Mother’s Name | Not known |
Siblings | Not known |
Wife’s Name | Unmarried |
Children’s Name | None |
Profession | Entrepreneur |
Co-Founder & Chairman | Inshorts |
Net Worth (approximately) | Rs 500 crore |
Azhar Iqubal Biography
Early Life & Education
Azhar Iqubal was born on 7 October 1992 into a Muslim family in Kishanganj, Bihar. He was brought up in Delhi. However, there is not much information about his parents and siblings, the entrepreneur prefers keeping his life private. Currently, Azhar Iqubal’s age is 32 years.
Talking about Azhar Iqubal Education – he completed schooling at a private school and started preparing for IIT-JEE. After clearing the IIT-JEE in 2009 with a ranking of 600, he was admitted into IIT Delhi to study BTech (Computer Science) but dropped out before completion.
Career
After dropping out, Azhar and his college mates Deepit Purkayastha and Anunay Pandey jumped into the startup world by creating a Facebook page named “News In Shorts” that would deliver the news in just 60 words. Further, after seeing the increasing popularity of the page among users, the trio developed a full-fledged application in 2013, i.e., Inshorts, which is dedicated to the same – summarising news in just 60 words.
Under Iqubal’s leadership, the company grew rapidly, thus attracting users and money. However, after serving as the CEO for 11 years, he stepped down from his position in April 2024 to become the Chairman, and Deepit Purkayastha became the new CEO.
Furthermore, Azhar was also instrumental in developing various projects in addition to Inshorts, Public App being one of them. It gained sizeable popularity as a kind of social media app. It stands as a platform connecting citizens with their neighborhoods through verified updates from media organizations, lawmakers, authorities, and local content producers. While in the location-based social networks, the App remained at the top with an estimated 50 million active members in its first year.
In December 2024, Zing, a 10-minute meal delivery app introduced by Rachit Sahi and Tarun Arora, the former COO of Inshorts, was supported by Azhar. Similarly, Fenado AI was founded by Azhar together with Manish Singh Bisht, former Head of Technology from Inshorts.
Married Life & Relationship
Azhar Iqubal Wife name is unknown because, at 32, he is still unmarried. Iqbal is still focusing on his career and wishes to achieve new heights in his field.
Awards & Recognitions
- Included in Forbes’ list of India’s 30 under 30 in 2016.
- Listed as one of Fortune India’s 40 under 40 in 2016.
- In September 2018, he was included in Businessworld’s 40 Under 40 list.
- Included on Forbes’ Asia 30 under 30 list for Media, Marketing, and Advertising in 2018.
- Named Entrepreneur of the Year (Media) in 2022.
- In 2024, Iqubal was named the 2023 e4m Influencer of the Year in 2024.
From IIT dropout to becoming the chairman of Inshorts, Azhar’s journey is a true reflection of audacity, innovation, and resilience. Moreover, as he continues to make waves in the business world, his journey is inspiring for all budding entrepreneurs. With his skill, determination, and hard work, he continues to achieve new heights.
FAQs About Azhar Iqubal
1. What is the net worth of Azhar Iqubal?
Ans. Azhar Iqubal’s net worth is estimated to be around Rs 500 crores.
2. Who is the CEO of Inshorts?
Ans. Azhar Iqubal is the CEO and co-founder of Inshorts. However, he recently opted out of his position as the CEO, thus becoming the Chairman.
3. What is in Inshorts?
Ans. Inshorts is an India-based news aggregator and content distribution company that publishes a software app, thus sending out news stories in just 60 words.
4. How much is Inshorts worth?
Ans. As of October 2023, the valuation of Inshorts was Rs 3700 crores.
5. How do Inshorts make money?
Ans. Inshorts operates via a dual revenue stream model encompassing in-app advertising and sponsored content.
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