Summary Points:
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Shradha Sharma is the founder and CEO of YourStory, India’s biggest startup media platform.
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She built a storytelling empire from scratch, giving voice to thousands of small startups.
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Raised in Patna, educated in Delhi and the US, she quit a top media job to start YourStory in 2008.
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Today, her platform has featured over 100,000 startup stories and inspired millions.
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Her journey shows how authenticity and consistency can disrupt even the biggest media giants.
Shradha Sharma grew up in Patna, a city far from India’s startup capitals. But even early on, she showed signs of wanting to tell stories that mattered.
She studied at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, and went on to earn a master’s degree from MICA, Ahmedabad. Her early professional life included roles at Times of India and CNBC TV18, where she honed her storytelling and media instincts.
Still, something was missing.
The Idea That Changed Everything
In 2008, when Indian startups barely made headlines, Shradha had a vision:
What if someone simply listened to the startup underdog?
With her own savings, she launched YourStory—a humble blog to share founder journeys that mainstream media ignored.
No big PR, no high-budget launches. Just stories—raw, honest, and unfiltered.
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Building India’s Startup Diary
YourStory began by publishing stories of little-known startups, struggling founders, and silent changemakers.
While large media houses chased valuations, Shradha chased values.
She stayed true to her format:
- No negative news.
- No clickbait.
- Just honest storytelling.
Over time, this approach attracted both readers and founders who were tired of glamorized coverage.
She was, quite literally, India’s first “startup listener.”
Numbers That Speak for Themselves
- 100,000+ startup stories published since inception.
- 10+ Indian languages supported, helping local startups break language barriers.
- Over 10 million monthly users across digital platforms.
- Backed by investors like Kalaari Capital, Ratan Tata, and UC-RNT Fund.
Her vision wasn’t just national—it was inclusive. From tea sellers building tech to women bootstrapping brands from their kitchens, everyone had a voice on YourStory.
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Challenges on the Way
Shradha’s journey wasn’t smooth.
- Many dismissed her idea as “just another blog.”
- Being a woman in media entrepreneurship came with its own set of biases.
- Monetization was a puzzle in a space dominated by ad-funded models.
Yet she persisted—pivoting to events, branded content, and community partnerships.
Her annual flagship event, TechSparks, is now one of India’s biggest startup conferences. Shradha didn’t just cover unicorns.
She documented failures, restarts, pivots, and quiet resilience.
Her belief: Every story matters, and no dream is too small. In doing so, she made YourStory a safe space for founders—a rarity in India’s often judgmental media ecosystem.
