Quick commerce startup Zepto is gearing up to take a major step toward going public, with plans to file its draft IPO papers later this month. The Mumbai-based firm aims to raise $450–500 million through a public market listing, according to sources cited in a recent report by The Economic Times.
The company is expected to confidentially file its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) within the next few weeks. Zepto, which became one of India’s fastest-growing quick commerce players, is targeting a stock market debut between July and September next year.
This move follows Zepto’s recent $450 million funding round, which valued the company at around $3.6 billion. The fresh capital injection helped strengthen its balance sheet ahead of its IPO ambitions.
However, Zepto is also tightening its belt by implementing cost-optimization measures to manage cash burn. This includes layoffs and reduced customer acquisition spending, as the company focuses on achieving operational efficiency and long-term profitability.
Founded in 2021 by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, Zepto disrupted India’s grocery delivery market with its promise of ultra-fast deliveries. Competing against Swiggy’s Instamart, Zomato’s Blinkit, and BigBasket’s BB Now, Zepto’s upcoming IPO will mark a significant milestone for the country’s quick commerce industry.
If successful, the listing could make Zepto one of the youngest Indian startups to tap the public markets, signaling growing investor confidence in the quick commerce model despite the sector’s ongoing struggle with high costs and thin margins.
