Bhavin Turakhia
Bhavin Turakhia | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 21, 1979 Mumbai, India |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, Business leader |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Known for | Creator of Titan, Flock, Radix, CodeChef, and Zeta; co-founder of Directi |
Bhavin Turakhia (born 21 December 1979) is a business leader and the creator behind Titan, Flock, Radix, CodeChef, and Zeta. In 2016, Bhavin, along with his brother Divyank Turakhia, was listed by Forbes as the 95th wealthiest individual in India, holding billionaire status. He co-established Directi and has made substantial investments in startups focused on enterprise communication and technology. The World Economic Forum named him a Young Global Leader in 2011.
Early life
Born into a middle-class Jain family in Mumbai, Bhavin completed his schooling at Arya Vidya Mandir, Bandra. He pursued science studies at D.G. Ruparel College but did not complete the program. Subsequently, he obtained a bachelor's degree in commerce from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics. As of 2017, he resides in London.
Career
At just 18 years old, with an initial capital of ₹25,000 (approximately US$675), Bhavin co-founded his first technology enterprise, Directi, alongside his brother Divyank Turakhia in 1998.
In 2014, the Turakhia brothers divested four web-based companies—BigRock, LogicBoxes, Reseller Club, and Webhosting.info—to Endurance International Group for a total of $160 million.
Bhavin’s fintech startup Zeta secured an investment valuing it at $300 million from Sodexo in July 2019. This was followed by a $250 million Series C funding round led by the SoftBank Vision Fund 2 in 2021, which elevated Zeta’s valuation to $1.45 billion.
In August 2021, Titan, Bhavin’s professional email platform, raised $30 million from Automattic, resulting in a company valuation of $300 million.
By 2022, Bhavin was at the helm of several enterprises including Titan, Flock, Radix, and Zeta.
Awards and recognition
- Positioned at number 95 on the Forbes ranking of India's 100 Wealthiest Individuals in 2016, with an estimated net worth of US$1.3 billion.
- Honored with the Serial Entrepreneur of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year in Innovation and Technology accolades by Entrepreneur in 2016.
- Recipient of the ETPanache Trendsetter Award presented by The Economic Times in 2016.
- Designated as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum (WEF) during the event held in Geneva in 2011.
- Conferred with the Bharti Entrepreneur of the Year award by the Bharti Foundation together with the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India in 2005.
- Held several terms as Chairperson for the Registrar Constituency within the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).