Upasana Taku

Upasana Taku, the COO and board chair of MobiKwik, stands out as a stalwart in the fintech industry, having co-founded a company now valued at Rs 8000 crore with her husband after he quit his job. Upasana's educational background is robust, with an engineering degree from Punjab Technical University and a master's degree in management science and engineering from Stanford University. This academic foundation laid the groundwork for her remarkable career trajectory, which spans over 17 years in related fields.

Before founding MobiKwik, Upasana honed her skills as a product manager at PayPal, a leading American payments firm, and also gained valuable experience at HSBC. Despite having established a successful career in the US, Upasana chose to return to India in 2008, driven by a desire to address significant issues in her home country—a nation she saw as rich in potential but facing numerous challenges. 

In 2009, the concept of MobiKwik was born out of her husband's dissatisfaction with his job and his inability to leave due to financial responsibilities, and together they formally launched the startup. 

Their venture quickly evolved into one of India's largest players in the mobile wallet and 'Buy Now Pay Later' (BNPL) sectors, emphasizing financial inclusion and targeting underserved markets, particularly in tier 2, 3, and 4 cities. With a focus on users aged 25-38, MobiKwik has made significant strides in reaching rural areas and lower-income sections.

Under Upasana's leadership, MobiKwik achieved profitability in the third quarter of the fiscal year 2022-2023, with a revenue of Rs 560 crore in the most recent fiscal year. The company's 'Buy Now Pay Later' program has been pivotal in expanding its user base, particularly among credit card users.