Ankiti Bose is among the co-founders of Zilingo, a multinational tech and e-commerce startup based mostly in Singapore. Zilingo skilled fast development, reaching a valuation near $1 billion by 2019. Ankiti pursued her schooling in Mumbai, attending Podar School and Cambridge School, earlier than finding out Economics at St. Xavier’s College. Her early skilled experiences in Asia’s tech business launched her to e-commerce and trend, influencing her journey as an entrepreneur, reported DNA.
How Zilingo Came To Existence?
According to the report, Bose seen a major hole out there for sellers in Southeast Asia, a serious hub for trend manufacturing. This realisation got here throughout a go to to Bangkok’s Chatuchak Weekend Market, the place she noticed the potential for digital growth within the area’s trend markets.
In 2015, Bose left her job and relocated from India to Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore to develop know-how and distribution options. This led to the launch of Zilingo when she was simply twenty-three. The firm started as a trend market that related small retailers from Bangkok and Jakarta to the e-commerce world, enhancing their attain with companies in distribution, cataloguing, and financing. By 2016, the startup had developed a notable vendor administration platform that helped small retailers and types organise their operations by on-line instruments and logistics APIs.
As per the report, Bose initiated a garment-making program for Indonesian girls to empower them. Indonesian girls principally exit the workforce post-marriage and thus this helped them to earn livelihood.Â
Bose’s achievements earned her spots on influential “under” lists and invites to talk on international platforms. Her enterprise was poised to make her the primary Indian girl to co-found a startup near a billion-dollar valuation, with over 800 workers throughout 8 international locations, reported DNA. However, in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zilingo confronted extreme monetary and authorized challenges, reportedly linked to Bose’s management. After her departure, with out appointing a brand new CEO, the corporate skilled important losses, resulting in the closure of workplaces and layoffs, and culminating in a misery sale of belongings in 2023.
Bose disputed the blame, suggesting it was unreasonable to attribute all firm points to her. She claimed she was focused by a sure investor and her enterprise companions, resulting in a media and authorized battle. While Bose continues to battle her instances legally which incorporates defamation instances, her subsequent skilled transfer is being watched intently.