Wikipedia

Varun Chawla

Varun Chawla
Chawla in 2013
Born
Varun Chawla

(1981-03-03) March 3, 1981 (age 44)
Hyderabad, India
NationalityIndian
EducationCornell University (B.S. in Applied Economics & Management)
OccupationEntrepreneur
Years active2004–present
Known forCo-founder of 91springboard; Founder of build3
Notable work91springboard, build3
Websitebuild3.org

Varun Chawla (born March 3, 1981) is an Indian entrepreneur and co-founder of 91springboard, a prominent co-working and startup community platform in India.[1] He is also a co-founder of build3, a Goa-based startup studio that collaborates with early-stage ventures focused on social and environmental impact.[2]

Early life and education

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Chawla was born in Hyderabad, India, where his maternal grandparents lived, while his parents were residing in Saudi Arabia at the time. He spent his early childhood in Hyderabad and Saudi Arabia before moving to Delhi at the age of five, where he attended school.[3] Chawla graduated from Cornell University in 2002 with a degree in Applied Economics and Management. He also studied philosophy and architecture during his time at Cornell.[4]

Career

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Investment Banking

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After completing his studies, Chawla worked at Goldman Sachs in New York and Bengaluru.[5]

Entrepreneurial Ventures

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Chawla founded MyGuestHouse, a budget accommodation aggregator, in 2009. The company was acquired by MakeMyTrip in 2011.[6]

91springboard

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In 2012, Chawla co-founded 91springboard with Anand Vemuri and Pranay Gupta.[7] The company expanded to multiple Indian cities and supported a large number of startups and businesses.[8] Chawla stepped down from operational responsibilities at 91springboard in 2020.[9]

build3

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After leaving 91springboard, Chawla co-founded build3, a startup studio based in Goa that works with early-stage, impact-focused startups.[10] The studio provides funding, mentorship, and operational support to ventures in sectors such as health, sustainability, and community living.[11][12]

Awards and recognition

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  • In 2015, 91springboard, co-founded by Chawla, was selected by Barclays as its partner for the Rise fintech innovation platform in Mumbai, marking Barclays' first such partnership in India.[13][14][15]
  • In 2016, 91springboard was recognized as one of six world-class incubators in India under NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission.[16][17]
  • In 2018, 91springboard was chosen by Google as the only Indian partner for the Google for Entrepreneurs (GFE) program.[18][19][20]
  • He has been recognized as an ambassador for the World Startup Report, representing the Indian startup ecosystem on a global platform.[21]

References

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  1. ^ "91springboard: Work, Play, Spring". Forbes India. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  2. ^ Wangchuk, Rinchen Norbu (2022-08-30). "3 Entrepreneurs in Goa are Helping Social Startups with Investments up to Rs 5 Cr". The Better India. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  3. ^ "Varun Chawla - For a Person to Be Successful At Work, It's a Combination of Knowledge, Ability, and Attitude (Co-Founder - build3 and 91Springboard)". Eat My News. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  4. ^ Bhatia, Shubham (2016-12-23). "The man who cracked space-time". Fortune India. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  5. ^ Bhatia, Shubham (2016-12-23). "The man who cracked space-time". Fortune India. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  6. ^ Mishra, Pankaj (2014-02-08). "India's MakeMyTrip Acquires EasyToBook In A Push To Grow Online Hotel Bookings". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  7. ^ Varun (2020-07-23). "{Varun & Anand, Co-founders of 91Springboard} Co-working & Remote-working will be the new normal". Stars & Startups. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  8. ^ "91springboard: Work, Play, Spring". Forbes India. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  9. ^ "91springboard founders Pranay Gupta, Varun Chawla move on from coworking startup". Techcircle. 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  10. ^ Wangchuk, Rinchen Norbu (2022-08-30). "3 Entrepreneurs in Goa are Helping Social Startups with Investments up to Rs 5 Cr". The Better India. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  11. ^ "Centre grants Rs 3cr fund to Goa startup". The Times of India. 2024-07-29. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  12. ^ Lalatendu Mishra, The Hindu (2024-09-10). "build3 looks to raise $5 million to scale up operation, impact". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  13. ^ "Barclays Launches Fintech Innovation Platform "Rise" In Mumbai In Partnership With 91springboard". 2016-06-16. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  14. ^ "India - Barclays". 2021-02-28. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  15. ^ "91springboard Partners With Barclays to Launch a FinTech Focused Co-working Space in Mumbai". 2016-06-06. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  16. ^ "Niti Aayog Selects 6 Startup Ecosystem Builders - Provides $1.4 Mn Each". 2017-02-06. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  17. ^ "NITI Aayog - 91Springboard". Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  18. ^ "Google partners 91springboard to support tech entrepreneurs in India". 2018-08-08. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  19. ^ "Google, 91springboard to upskill female entrepreneurs in India". 2018-08-08. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  20. ^ "Google, 91springboard to Empower Female Entrepreneurs in India". 2018-08-10. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  21. ^ "Varun Chawla - For a Person to Be Successful At Work, It's a Combination of Knowledge, Ability, and Attitude (Co-Founder - build3 and 91Springboard)". Eat My News. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
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