As OYO gears up for a long-awaited IPO, it’s doing something unexpected, turning to the public to help rename its parent company, Oravel Stays. The move marks a symbolic shift, highlighting how far the company has come from its budget-hotel startup roots to becoming a major global player in travel tech.
Ritesh Agarwal, the company’s young founder, took to Instagram to announce the naming challenge. The winner won’t just walk away with a ₹3 lakh prize — they’ll also get a personal sit-down with Agarwal himself. The brief? The name needs to be short, sharp, global, and free from cultural baggage. And yes, having the “.com” domain available is a must.
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“This isn’t about renaming the hotel chain — it’s about giving a fresh identity to the company behind the scenes, the one building the infrastructure for next-gen travel and modern living,” Agarwal explained. “We’re creating something India-born, but with a vision that stretches far beyond borders.”
The deadline for submissions is coming up fast. Insiders say the new name might also front a high-end app aimed at India’s fast-growing premium hotel segment — and possibly overseas markets too.
The timing isn’t random. OYO is preparing for a major investor pitch in London this month, with five big investment banks set to assess its IPO readiness. The numbers are on their side: the company posted a ₹623 crore profit after tax for FY 2024-25: a 172% jump from the previous year. Adjusted EBITDA came in at ₹1,132 crore, its tenth straight profitable quarter, and a 27% improvement year-on-year.
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The name may be changing, but OYO clearly wants the world to know that the ambition is only getting bigger.
