Biography of Zishaan Hayath: Founder and CEO of Toppr & Chaupaati Bazaar-Angel Investor
Biography of Zishaan Hayath:
Zishaan Hayath is a startup evangelist and a prominent
figure in the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem. He is the Founder and CEO of
Toppr, an app that provides personalized learning for students preparing for
boards, Olympiads, and various engineering and medical competitive exams. Toppr
aims to revolutionize the education sector by leveraging best-in-class
technology to cater to the individual learning needs of students. The platform
is backed by notable investors including SAIF Partners, Helion Ventures, and
Fidelity Investments.
Educational Background
Hailing from Hyderabad, Zishaan moved to Mumbai in 2000 to
study at IIT Bombay, where he earned significant accolades, including the
Institute Citation, two Institute Colors, and the Young Alumni Achiever Award
in 2015. After graduating in 2005, he joined ITC Limited and later worked with
Opera Solutions on strategy and operations projects for Fortune 100 clients
across North America, Europe, and Asia. Notably, Zishaan was the first employee
hired in Opera Solutions' India office.
Professional Experience
Assistant Manager at ITC Limited
Hayath's career began at ITC Limited, where he worked as an
Assistant Manager from June 2005 to March 2006. He contributed to the setup and
stabilization of a INR 160 million greenfield biscuit plant in Chennai with a
30,000 TPA capacity. Additionally, he underwent management training across
three cigarette manufacturing plants and seven food factories.
Associate Consultant at Opera Solutions
From April 2006 to March 2008, Hayath worked as an Associate
Consultant at Opera Solutions. He handled strategy and operations consulting
projects for Fortune 100 clients across London, New Delhi, New York, and
Shanghai. He structured a $1.4 billion print outsourcing deal to turn around a
$2.4 billion publishing house acquired by a private equity firm. Hayath was the
first employee in Opera Solutions' India office, where he played a significant
role in the firm's development and expansion, growing the office from one to
fifty employees.
Early Entrepreneurial Ventures
In April 2008, Zishaan co-founded Chaupaati Bazaar, a phone
commerce marketplace and one of the early players in the Indian e-commerce
space. Chaupaati Bazaar was acquired by India's largest retailer, Future Group,
in 2010, and Zishaan became the Vice-President in the product category of the
new entity. His experience at Chaupaati Bazaar and Future Group honed his
entrepreneurial and managerial skills.
Founding of Toppr
The idea for Toppr.com emerged during his time at Future
Group when Zishaan realized that students in India were spending enormous
amounts of money on coaching classes. Determined to provide a more affordable
and efficient solution, he thoroughly researched the education sector and
launched Toppr in 2013. Since then, Toppr has grown to become a leading
education technology platform in India, helping millions of students achieve
their academic goals.
Biography of Zishaan Hayath: Founder and CEO of Toppr & Chaupaati Bazaar-Angel Investor/Entrepreneur/Success story of Zishaan Hayath/Life story
Growth and Impact of Toppr
With backing from SAIF Partners, Helion Ventures, and Fidelity
Investments, Toppr has grown to become a leading education technology platform
in India. Zishaan's vision for Toppr is to personalize learning for students
studying for boards, Olympiads, and various engineering and medical competitive
exams. The platform has made quality education more accessible and has helped
millions of students achieve their academic goals.
Zishaan's Ventures and Passions
Apart from founding Toppr, Zishaan Hayath is a prolific
angel investor who has mentored several Indian startups, including Olacabs,
Chaayos, and BiteClub. He also leads Powai Lake Ventures, a well-respected
angel investment group. In his free time, Zishaan enjoys exploring different
cultures, lifestyles, businesses, and histories through travel and dining out.
Continued Contributions to Education
Zishaan's journey reflects his dedication to innovation and
his passion for leveraging technology to solve real-world problems. His
contributions to the education sector through Toppr have made a significant
impact, providing students with personalized learning experiences and making
quality education more accessible. Zishaan remains a prominent figure in the
Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem, continually striving to improve the landscape
of education in India.
Impact and Vision
Zishaan's journey reflects his dedication to innovation and
his passion for leveraging technology to solve real-world problems. His
contributions to the education sector through Toppr have made a significant
impact, providing students with personalized learning experiences and making
quality education more accessible.
Investment Journey and Ola Cabs
Hayath’s successful investment journey began at IIT, where
he encountered innovative ideas. It was there he met Bhavish Aggarwal, founder
of Ola Cabs. Drawn by Ola's business model, Hayath invested in the company in
2011. Despite early challenges, he believed in its potential. "When it
started out, the fledgling venture did not pick up soon, but I was convinced
that it had a future," Hayath recalls. This investment remains his best so
far, even though he is reluctant to discuss the returns.
Investment Strategy
Hayath is known for making quick investment decisions.
"Super quick. There is no other way," he states. While Ola remains
closest to his heart as his first investment, he typically does not involve
himself in the immediate performance of his investments. Instead, he trusts his
instincts and maintains communication with his portfolio companies through
WhatsApp. His efforts with Toppr.com have paid off, with the company now valued
at $40 million.
Investment Focus and Market Insights
When considering investments, Hayath looks at the market,
team, and product. While he has a keen interest in real estate and education
sectors, food ordering and delivery apps currently captivate him. He believes
these apps have transformed the food ordering experience and have a promising
future.
Investment Philosophy
Hayath has made around two dozen investments, focusing on
market size, team, and product. He prefers staying invested as long as possible
and aims for at least five times the return on his investments within five
years. Hayath's portfolio includes firms like Shopsense.co, Chaayos,
Squadrun.co, Adpushup.com, and others. He values good founders and intuitive
market understanding over traditional investment metrics, making him a friendly
source of investment for many founders.
Passion and Professional Life
Zishaan Hayath, the founder and CEO of Toppr.com, is
passionate about travel and photography. However, his first love has taken a
backseat as he dedicates five days a week to building Toppr, an online platform
for entrance exam preparation in India. His weekends are spent mentoring
budding entrepreneurs.
Timeline for Zishaan Hayath story
2000: Moved to Mumbai to study at IIT Bombay.
2005: Graduated from IIT Bombay with significant accolades.
June 2005 - March 2006: Worked as Assistant Manager at ITC
Limited.
April 2006 - March 2008: Served as Associate Consultant at
Opera Solutions.
April 2008: Co-founded Chaupaati Bazaar, acquired by Future
Group in 2010.
2013: Launched Toppr, an edtech platform for personalized
learning.
2015: Received the Young Alumni Achiever Award from IIT
Bombay.
2011: Made a notable investment in Ola Cabs.
2011 - Present: Leads Powai Lake Ventures and mentors
various startups.
