Bankbazaar To InsuranceDekho: Top 10 ESOP-Providing Startups In India

Electric vehicle startup Bounce has the largest pool size when it comes to Employee Stock Option Plans, according to the ASK Private Wealth Hurun India Future Unicorn Index 2024. Bounce has reserved 18% of its stake for employees.

Following closely behind is JusPay, a fintech startup specialising in online payment platforms, boasting a substantial 16% ESOP pool, according to the list.

Others in the list in the top 10 position include Cuemath at 15.5%, Bankbazaar.com at 15.1%, Zupee at 14.5%, Lentra at 14.2%, InsuranceDekho at 13.6%, Uni Cards at 12.9%, Fi at 12.7%, and TheMathCompany at 12.3%. These companies span various sectors such as edtech, e-commerce, gaming, SaaS, and neo banking, reflecting the diverse growth sectors within India's startup ecosystem.

ESOPs are crucial incentives for employees, offering them a share in the company's success and aligning their interests with long-term business goals. The ESOP pool size indicates the percentage of the company's equity allocated for distribution among employees.

Collectively, the startups featured in the index employ over 1.5 lakh individuals, averaging approximately 1,060 employees per company. Notably, the list had 36 future unicorns, with a substantial workforce of over 1,000 employees each.

Ecom Express led in employee count with 18,000 employees, followed by VVDN Technologies with 10,000 employees, underscoring the significant employment impact of these rapidly growing enterprises in India's economic landscape.