CHENAI: The Avendus Wealth–Hurun India U40 List has once again put the spotlight on a new generation of Indian business leaders who are shaping the country’s entrepreneurial and corporate landscape before turning 40. Compiled as part of the Hurun India Uth Series in partnership with Avendus Wealth, the list recognises young founders, promoters and professional leaders who have built high-impact businesses, driven innovation and created large-scale economic value across sectors.
The latest U40 list reflects the growing depth and maturity of India’s startup and new-age business ecosystem, with strong representation from technology, financial services, consumer internet, healthcare, logistics, renewable energy and manufacturing. A notable feature of the list is the dominance of first-generation entrepreneurs, underlining the shift away from legacy-driven wealth creation towards self-made enterprise. The average age of those featured is in the mid-30s, highlighting how early Indian founders are now scaling businesses of national and global relevance.
Among the most prominent names on the Avendus Wealth–Hurun India U40 List is Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha, who continues to stand out as one of India’s most influential young entrepreneurs. Under his leadership, Zerodha has transformed retail stockbroking in India and emerged as one of the country’s most valuable bootstrapped companies. Another leading figure on the list is Ritesh Agarwal, founder of OYO, who remains one of the youngest and most recognisable global startup founders from India, having built a hospitality platform with a presence across multiple international markets.
The U40 cohort also features several fast-rising founders from the clean energy and sustainability space, reflecting the growing importance of climate-focused businesses. Entrepreneurs such as Sanjay Byalal Jagannath of Exponent Energy and Shreya Mishra of SolarSquare are recognised for building scalable solutions in electric mobility and rooftop solar, sectors seen as critical to India’s long-term growth agenda. Their inclusion highlights how innovation is increasingly being driven beyond traditional technology and consumer internet businesses.
Established business families are also represented through next-generation leaders who are playing active roles in expanding and modernising legacy enterprises. Avarna Jain of Saregama India is among the notable names on the list, recognised for steering one of India’s oldest music and entertainment companies through a successful digital transformation, particularly by leveraging intellectual property in the streaming era.
According to Hurun India, companies led by entrepreneurs on the U40 list collectively account for hundreds of billions of dollars in enterprise value and employ well over a million people, underscoring their growing influence on the broader economy. The list also points to Bengaluru as the leading hub for young entrepreneurial talent, followed by Mumbai and Delhi-NCR, mirroring the concentration of venture capital and startup ecosystems in these cities.
The Avendus Wealth–Hurun India U40 List is positioned not merely as a ranking, but as a snapshot of India’s future business leadership. By recognising founders and leaders at an early stage of wealth and value creation, the list captures the momentum of an economy increasingly powered by young, ambitious and globally competitive entrepreneurs who are redefining how businesses are built and scaled in India.