Azhar Iqubal Net Worth & Success Story Behind the Inshorts CEO

Azhar Iqubal is a 33-year-old Indian businessman and co-founder of the “Inshorts” app. The Inshorts app is a popular platform that delivers news in 60-word summaries. Moreover, he is also the co-founder of the Public app, a location-based social networking platform. 

In 2013, Azhar started his entrepreneurial journey while still a student at IIT Delhi. Azhar and his IIT classmates noticed people were moving away from traditional news reading due to the long articles. This observation led them to create a Facebook page called “News in Shorts,” which eventually evolved into the Inshorts app.

Azhar Iqubal Net Worth

The estimated net worth of Azhar Iqubal is around $500 million. He is the founder and CEO of the “Inshorts” app, a news platform that delivers news in 60-word summaries. Apart from his role at Inshorts, he joined India’s famous Shark Tank in 2023. This show increased his popularity worldwide.

Azhar Iqubal Net Worth in Indian Rupees

Azhar Iqbal’s net worth in Indian rupees is around ₹3,700 crore. The primary sources of his income come from his ownership and leadership roles in the Inshorts and Public apps.

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Inshorts Valuation and Net Worth

Inshorts, a leading Indian news aggregation app, has showcased remarkable growth since its inception. As of 2023, the company’s valuation stands at approximately ₹3,700 crore. This success is largely attributed to its innovative 60-word news summary format and strategic expansions, including multilingual support and community-focused apps like Public.

Inshorts Net Worth in Rupees

The financial standing of Inshorts reflects its vast user base and strong investor support. The app has successfully raised ₹119 crore through various funding rounds, showcasing its solid market position and growth potential. Additionally, its Public app has independently secured ₹300 crore, further bolstering the ecosystem’s overall value.

Azhar Iqubal Age

Azhar Iqubal, the co-founder and CEO of Inshorts, was born on October 7, 1992, making him 33 years old as of 2025. His entrepreneurial journey began at IIT Delhi, where he co-founded the first version of Inshorts.

Azhar Iqubal Wife

Azhar Iqubal is not married. 

Azhar Iqubal Qualification

Azhar was admitted to IIT Delhi to study Computer Science but decided to drop out to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams. His bold decision to prioritize his startup over formal education has proven successful, with Inshorts emerging as a market leader.

Azhar Iqubal’s Success Story

Azhar Iqubal’s entrepreneurial journey started with a Facebook page titled News in Shorts, designed to address the lack of concise news formats. Together with his co-founders, he launched the Inshorts app in 2013, revolutionizing news consumption by providing short, informative updates. Despite initial challenges, including family opposition to his decision to leave IIT, Azhar’s perseverance paid off. Inshorts grew in popularity, expanded across platforms, and attracted significant investments. His inspiring story is a testament to innovation and determination in entrepreneurship.

Azhar Iqubal Income Sources

1. Inshorts

The first and major source of income for Azhar Iqubal is Inshorts, which is India’s first short news media platform, and he is the CEO and founder of this company. There are various income sources through shorts that Azhar earns from, such as advertisements, sponsored content, native advertising, and many more. With its strong presence in the online world and being India’s famous short news platform, Inshorts contributes a handsome amount of income for Azhar.

2. Public speaking and consulting

As a successful entrepreneur, Azhar often gets invited to speak at various industry conferences and seminars to share his journey, thoughts, and management insights. These engagements generate a handsome amount of money and contribute greatly to his net worth.

3. Investment in startups

As a businessman, Azhar is a good investor as well. He recently made an investment in Canvaloop, a high-tech startup. Also, he made an investment in Reslink, URturms, QuickReply, and many more, as seen on Shark Tank India. In ROI (return on investment), Iaubal has equity holdings in these companies. As the company grows and makes profits, Azhar earns returns and can make an exit if he wants.

4. Shark Tank India

In 2023, Azhar Iqubal joined Shark Tank Season 3 along with OYO’s CEO Ritesh Agarwal and Zomato’s CEO Deepinder Goyal. In Season 3, he participated and invested in several startups and also received fees for his participation. His presence on the show also increased his personal brand awareness, which opened more income and new business opportunities.

5. Board memberships

Azhar may earn income from his involvement in various boards and advisory roles for other companies and organizations.

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Azhar Iqubal Investments

Azhar Iqubal invested in various startups, particularly through his role as a judge on “Shark Tank India” in Season 2. Here are some notable investments and their details:

1. Aroleap

• Investment Amount: ₹ 1 crore for 5% equity
• Details: Aroleap is a specializing in augmented reality (AR) technology. They develop innovative AR solutions that enhance user experiences across various industries. He invested this amount along with Anupam Mittal, Peyush Bansal, and Amit Jain.

2. Chefling

• Investment Amount: ₹ 40 lakhs for 16% equity
• Details: Chefling is a platform that empowers home cooks to share their culinary expertise and earn income by offering their services to customers. He invested this amount along with Namita Thapar, Peyush Bansal, and Amit Jain.

3. Mintree

• Investment Amount: ₹ 90 lakhs for 1.5% equity
• Details: Mintree is a personal care brand that focuses on creating eco-friendly and sustainable products. Their mission is to provide consumers with effective and ethical beauty solutions. He invested in this company along with Peyush Bansal.

4. TURMS

• Investment Amount: ₹ 1.2 Crores for 4% Equity
• Details: TURMS is a fashion startup specializing in advanced fabric technology. The company aims to revolutionize the clothing industry by creating innovative and high-performance fabrics.

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Who is Azhar Iqubal? Biography of Azhar Iqubal

Azhar Iqbal was born on January 18, 1992, and is an Indian entrepreneur and co-founder and CEO of Inshorts. Inshorts is a popular news app that provides news in less than 60 words. He started the company along with Deepit Purkayastha and Anunay Arunav. Recently, he appeared on Shark Tank season 2 in 2024.

Azhar comes from a Muslim family in Kishanganj, Bihar, India, and was brought up in New Delhi. He completed his schooling from a private school and then started preparing for the IIT JEE. In 2009, he successfully scored good marks in the IIT JEE and was admitted to IIT Delhi to study further BTech (Computer Science), but dropped out before completion.

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Azhar Iqubal Bio in Table

Awards Won by Azhar Iqubal

Azhar Iqubal is one of the most famous CEOs among the judges on the Shart task. Under his unique leadership, the Inshorts news app quickly ascended the ranks to become one of India’s most popular news apps. Moreover, because of his remarkable success, he has received many prestigious awards. Here are some of his noteworthy awards and achievements:

• Business World Young Entrepreneur Award
• The most inspiring brands
• Leaders of Asia Award
• Fortune India 40 Under 40 (2016)
• Business World 40 Under 40 (2018)
• Forbes India 30 Under 30
• Forbes Asia 30 Under 30

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Lessons to Learn From Azhar Iqubal

1. Identify Gaps in the Market

Azhar, in his talk show, always speaks about identifying gaps in the market where people want quick and concise information. Because he was able to understand this gap, Azhar created the Inshorts app, which provides news summaries in 60 words or less.

2. Start young and be persistent.

Start Young and Be Persistent” emphasizes the importance of starting your journey early and maintaining determination in the face of challenges. He says that if you start at a young age, it provides various advantages because it allows more time for learning, experimentation, and growth.

Persistence is equally crucial as starting young. The road to success is not smooth, and there are many setbacks you will face. However, by remaining determined and continuing to push forward, you build resilience and increase your chances of achieving your goals.

3. Adapt and innovate

Azhar often talks about the need to be adaptable and innovative in this fast-growing world. With new innovations emerging daily, it’s essential to adapt to these changes, such as advancements in AI. He uses his own example to illustrate this point, mentioning that he didn’t stop at Inshorts but went on to create the Public app, a hyperlocal social network, to meet the changing needs of the market. Continual adaptation and innovation are crucial for staying relevant and expanding your impact.

4. Leverage Technology

Azhar says that leveraging technology means solving real-world problems. He points out that Inshorts and Public leverage technology to address real-world issues—whether it’s delivering news efficiently or connecting people in local communities. By utilizing technology effectively, you can create scalable solutions that reach large audiences.

5. Focus on User Experience

To succeed in the online world, you need to build a user-friendly website or application that delivers content quickly and efficiently. A great user experience is essential for retaining users and encouraging word-of-mouth growth.

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Quotes From Azhar Iqubal

1. “Success isn’t a final destination but a continuous journey. It’s about the milestones you reach along the way.”

This quote from Azhar Iqubal says that success isn’t just a final goal or endpoint. It’s a continuous process. Each achievement or milestone along the way is part of that success. Instead of just focusing on the end result, it’s important to appreciate and learn from each step of the journey.

2. “Innovation is the process of developing innovative solutions that address real-world needs and deliver tangible value.”

Iqubal Ofter said that innovation is not just about creating and coming up with new ideas or products. Here, the term innovationmeans addressing real-world problems and providing solutions that make a meaningful difference. It’s about creating value that improves people’s lives or makes things easier.

3. “In the competitive world of startups, quick thinking and flexibility are key.”

In this quote, Azhar mentioned that in the fast-paced environment of startups, the ability to move quickly and adapt to changes is crucial. Markets evolve, and challenges arise unexpectedly, so being able to respond swiftly and effectively is essential for survival and growth in the startup world.

4. “Dream big, start small, but most importantly, start.” 

If you want to become something in your life, you need to have big dreams. Having big dreams is important, but starting small and taking the first step is equally crucial. Many people get stuck in the planning phase, waiting for the perfect moment. This quote emphasizes the importance of taking action, no matter how small, to turn your dreams into reality.

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