Ankiti Bose is a prominent figure in the Asian tech scene, best known for her role as co-founder and CEO of the e-commerce fashion giant, Zilingo. Her journey is a compelling story of ambition, innovation, and resilience.

Wiki/Biography

Ankiti Bose was born in 1992 (age 32 as of 2024) in Mumbai, India. She received her education at Podar School in Mumbai, followed by St. Xavier’s College, where she earned a degree in economics and mathematics. Her academic foundation provided a strong base for her future entrepreneurial endeavors.

Physical Appearance

• Height (approx.): 5’5″
• Hair Colour: Black
• Eye Colour: Dark Brown

Family

Ankiti’s father worked as an engineer in a Mumbai-based oil company. Her mother was a university lecturer. She is an only child, which likely shaped her independent and driven personality.

Career

After graduation, Ankiti joined McKinsey & Company in Bangalore as a management consultant (2012-2014). She then transitioned to Sequoia Capital in Bangalore as an investment analyst. A trip to Bangkok’s Chatuchak Market, the world’s largest weekend market, sparked her entrepreneurial vision. Witnessing the lack of online presence for numerous local shops, she conceived the idea for Zilingo.

In 2014, she met Dhruv Kapoor, an IIT graduate and software engineer. Together, they combined their skills and resources, leaving their respective jobs to launch Zilingo in 2015. Within a few years, Zilingo achieved unicorn status, a testament to their innovative approach and effective leadership.

Zilingo’s headquarters are in Singapore, led by Ankiti as CEO, with the technical office based in Bangalore under the CTO, Dhruv Kapoor. This geographically dispersed structure highlights Zilingo’s global reach and ambition.

Controversy

In May 2022, Ankiti was dismissed from Zilingo following an independent forensic audit investigating allegations of financial irregularities. The audit, conducted by Kroll and Deloitte, reviewed complaints filed against her. Ankiti publicly refuted the accusations and challenged the process on grounds of procedural irregularities and alleged conflicts of interest.

Further escalating the situation, in April 2024, Ankiti filed a police report against Dhruv Kapoor and former COO Aadi Vaidya, accusing them of cheating, intimidation, conspiracy, and harassment. These allegations were strongly denied by Kapoor and Vaidya, who countered with accusations of malicious intent.

Net Worth

While Ankiti Bose’s personal net worth isn’t publicly available, Zilingo’s valuation was approximately USD 970 million at its peak.

Facts/Trivia

• Ankiti Bose was one of the first Indian women to co-found a unicorn startup.
• In 2018, she and Dhruv Kapoor were recognized by Forbes as influential young business leaders under 30.
• In 2019, Ankiti was again featured in Forbes, this time as one of the most influential and inspiring young business leaders under 40.

Zilingo Milestones