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Millions of people in India lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic as numerous enterprises shut down and forced workers to return home. In India, there are nearly 500 million blue- and gray-collar employees, and providing them with meaningful job opportunities is one of our country's major concerns.
Apna is a leading professional networking and job platform that facilitates seamless connections between professionals and employers, enabling individuals to secure rewarding career opportunities.
Founded in 2019, Apna became a unicorn approximately 21 months after its founding and 15 months after it started full-scale operations. The firm was founded by ex-Apple executive Nirmit Parikh and has been valued at $1.1 billion, becoming a unicorn following a fndraising round led by Tiger Global Management in 2021.
Read the success story of Apna and also learn about its founder, business and revenue model, funding and investors, growth, and more.
Apna - Company Highlights
- Startup Name-Apna
- Legal Name-Apnatime Tech Private Limited
- Headquarters-Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
- Industry-Employment, Human Resources, Recruiting
- Founder-Nirmit Parikh
- Founded-2019
- Website-apna.co
Apna - About
Apna is an Indian digital recruiting company that links companies with millions of blue-collar workers. Job seekers may use the platform to build a profile that includes their talents, education, and experience, search for opportunities, phone the company directly, schedule an interview, and be hired.
Employers may use it to advertise job openings, interact with prospects, arrange interviews, and recruit employees. BYJU'S, Swiggy, Paytm, Flipkart, Delhivery, Zomato, Licious, and others are among the company's notable clientele. The Apna app is also accessible as an Android and iOS app.
The coronavirus pandemic boosted digital recruiting, with a rise in job postings in manufacturing and eCommerce fueled by the country's recovery from multiple illness waves.
The Apna platform has earned the trust of more than 3 crore users and over 4 lakh employers, making it India's sought-after destination for discovering relevant opportunities. With a presence in 74 cities and ongoing expansion, Apna is meeting the surging job demand as India returns to work.
Apna - Industry
Apna App is making a valuable contribution to the recruitment industry in India by assisting in the recruitment process. Apna lists more than 50 million job opportunities, reflecting the platform's impact. The rise of digital recruiting, accelerated by the pandemic, has particularly benefited sectors like manufacturing and eCommerce, fueled by India's recovery from multiple waves of illness.
With just a mouse click, employers can now reach out to applicants worldwide, leveraging innovative tools and solutions provided by Apna and similar platforms. In assessing potential candidates, recruiters increasingly consider their digital personas, including background referral checks. This streamlined process allows recruiters to quickly evaluate candidates' suitability and skills for specific positions. In the cost-optimized landscape of the twenty-first century, businesses stand to gain significant returns on investment by effectively utilizing digital hiring through platforms like Apna.
According to a report by Spectrum Talent Management, the recruitment industry in India shows strong growth potential in 2023. Blue-collar jobs in India are expected to rise by 30% this year, while white-collar jobs may experience stagnancy.
Apna - Founders and Team
Apna was founded by former Apple executive Nirmit Parikh in 2019.
Nirmit Parikh
Apna is the biggest recruiting and vertical professional network for India's working class, and Nirmit Parikh is the Founder and CEO of Apna. Nirmit was previously a member of Apple's iPhone product operations team and Director of New Products / Data Analytics at Intel Corporation. Earlier, he established Cruxbot (which was bought by Kno, Intel Corporation).
Nirmit holds a Master's degree in Business Administration from Stanford University and a Bachelor's degree in Instrumentation and Control Engineering from Nirma Institute of Technology.
- Nirmit Parikh - CEO and Founder
- Shantanu Preeta - Chief Technology Officer
- Manas Singh - Chief Business Officer
- Yuvraj Khemani - Vice President of Finance
Apna - Startup Story
After hearing about the difficulty his relatives and friends in India had recruiting employees, Parikh decided to develop Apna. This perplexed Parikh, who asked how India could have a labor shortage when there are hundreds of millions of people actively searching for employment. The issue, as Parikh saw it, was that there was no scalable networking infrastructure in place to connect employees and employers.
Before launching the company, Parikh spoke with employees and went undercover as an electrician and a floor manager to have a better understanding of the issues they faced.
At its heart, the business 'Apna', whose name is based on a 2019 Bollywood film, is addressing the issue of workers' network gaps, “A child from a wealthy family attends the best school, attends the finest college, and meets powerful people. It is noted that many people born just a few kilometers away face a completely different sort of life and never experience such chances," said Parikh in an interview.
The company's namesake Android app, which is accessible in various languages, already has over 70 communities for specialized professions including carpenters, painters, and field sales representatives, among others.
On the app, users interact with one another to share leads and suggestions on how to better their careers. People may also use the app to improve their skills, practice their interview skills, and increase their chances of landing a job. According to the company, it is developing Masterclass-style skilling courses, result or job-based skilling, and peer-to-peer learning through its vertical communities. It intends to include a career counseling and resume-building function.
Apna - Mission and Vision
Apna works with the strong mission of accelerating India by empowering the rising workforce with better professional opportunities.
Apna - Name and Logo
Apna means "ours" in Hindi. It is a platform that brings job seekers and recruiters together, empowering both sides by connecting them to relevant opportunities and resources in India's job market.
Apna - Business and Revenue Model
Apna generates its revenue through various channels within its business model. One of its main sources of income is providing technical support services to the holding company, which in turn offers platform services to recruiters and job seekers. This mutually beneficial arrangement allows Apna to earn income while supporting the smooth functioning of the platform.
In addition, Apna monetizes its operations by offering recruitment solutions through its web platform and mobile application. By providing valuable services to both job seekers and recruiters, Apna creates a platform where employers can connect with potential candidates and individuals can explore job opportunities tailored to their preferences.
The company also diversifies its revenue streams by earning interest on fixed deposits, current investments, and other non-operating income. These additional sources contribute to the overall financial stability and growth of Apna.
Through its unique approach and commitment to facilitating connections, Apna strives to provide value to both employers and job seekers in the ever-evolving job market.
Apna - Partnerships
Apna collaborated with some of India's most prestigious governmental and private institutions, including the Ministry of Minority Affairs, the National Skill Development Corporation, and UNICEF YuWaah, to help applicants get improved skilling and employment prospects.
Apna's platform onboarded more than 100,000 recruiters in India, including BYJU'S, Flipkart, Zomato, Licious, Burger King, Zepto, Rapido, PharmEasy, and more. With a streamlined job posting process that takes less than five minutes, recruiters can connect with hyperlocal candidates possessing relevant skills within a span of two days.
In April 2023, Swiggy, the popular online food delivery startup, joined forces with Apna in a collaborative effort. The partnership's primary focus is to create 10,000 hyperlocal opportunities exclusively for Swiggy's quick-commerce grocery service, Instamart. This strategic alliance aims to enhance Swiggy's operations and strengthen its delivery workforce in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
Apna - Growth and Revenue
Apna, a digital employment platform for blue-collar employees, was valued at $1.1 billion just two years after it was launched. Another intriguing aspect about Apna is that it is now in the pre-revenue stage, with no revenue.
Apna witnessed a 3.8x increase in its operating revenue, reaching Rs 64 crore in FY22 from Rs 16.93 crore in FY21. Alongside this, the company also earned Rs 1.87 crore through other non-operating income, resulting in a total income of Rs 65.76 crore during FY22.
However, it's important to note that Apna's losses also increased 4x to Rs 112.5 crore in FY22 compared to Rs 28.27 crore in FY21. This can be attributed to the significant rise in total expenses, which increased 3.9x, reaching Rs 178.3 crore in FY22 compared to Rs 45.4 crore in FY21.
Apna - Competitors
Some of Apna's top competitors are:
- Monster
- Hired
- Indeed
- Naukri.com
- Zippia
- ZipRecruiter
Apna - Future Plans
Apna, India's largest professional networking platform, is committed to improving job accessibility and helping users find the right opportunities. Their new initiative, apnaAscend, aims to upskill 1 million job seekers by 2024, providing top-notch training and bridging the skill gap. With dedicated coaching, improvement sessions, and insights from industry experts, apnaAscend empowers job seekers and addresses the skills mismatch.
Additionally, Apna plans to launch more courses in sectors like sales and data support services to widen the scope of upskilling and create job opportunities in emerging technologies. Furthermore, Apna has introduced an international jobs feature, expanding career horizons by assisting Indians in finding work opportunities in the global market. These efforts align with Apna's commitment to enhancing job prospects for its users.
FAQs
What does Apna do?
Apna is a professional networking platform that connects job seekers with relevant opportunities and empowers recruiters to find the right talent.
When was Apna founded?
Apna was founded by former Apple executive Nirmit Parikh in 2019.
What is Apna app?
Apna app is a mobile application that serves as a comprehensive platform for job seekers and recruiters, facilitating job searches, networking, and professional development.
