World-Ranked Athlete to $25M Founder Building LoveLocal FT. Akanksha Hazari| Founders Unfiltered 09 скачать в хорошем качестве

World-Ranked Athlete to $25M Founder Building LoveLocal FT. Akanksha Hazari| Founders Unfiltered 09

In this episode of Founders Unfiltered, we sit down with Akanksha Hazari, Founder of LoveLocal, to unpack her journey of building one of India’s most impactful local-commerce platforms. A University of Cambridge graduate and Hult Prize winner (2011), Akanksha began her career as a consultant before choosing entrepreneurship to solve a deeply local problem at scale. LoveLocal connects consumers with neighbourhood retailers, helping small businesses compete in a digital-first economy. Under her leadership, LoveLocal has raised over $25M in funding, across multiple rounds including $6M, $18M (pre-Series B), and $23M making it one of the most well-capitalised startups in the local commerce space. In this episode, we discuss: 1. Transitioning from consulting to entrepreneurship 2. Building and scaling a hyperlocal e-commerce platform 3. Fundraising lessons across multiple rounds 4. Backing local retailers with technology 5. What it takes to build a mission-driven company at scale This episode is a must-watch for founders, operators, and anyone interested in consumer tech, hyperlocal commerce, and venture-backed startups in India. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 0:53 Introduction of Akancha Hazari 1:58 Background & Entrepreneurial Journey 5:31 Birth of Love Local Idea 12:32 Freshness vs Dark Store 18:47 COVID Launch & Rapid Scale 24:07 Competing with Quick Commerce Giants 26:45 Revenue & Business Model 35:20 Fundraising & Women in VC 39:40 Toughest Phase During COVID 41:53 Athlete Mindset & Resilience 51:22 Future Plans & Expansion 54:35 Hybrid Delivery Model 59:34 Building Mumbai’s Tech Ecosystem 1:02:16 The Indian Dream 1:04:24 Rapid Fire Round #FoundersUnfiltered #AkankshaHazari #LoveLocal #WomenFounders #StartupIndia #LocalCommerce #HyperlocalStartups #EcommerceIndia #StartupFunding #IndianStartups #ConsumerTech #VentureCapital #HultPrize #CambridgeAlumni #FounderJourney