Rahul Dravid, Karan Johar and other celebrities who have invested in Swiggy’s pre-IPO shares – Times of India

Sports and entertainment celebrities, and enterprises are reportedly showing major interest in food delivery company Swiggy through the unlisted market, ahead of its much-anticipated initial public offering (IPO). According to a report in Economic Times, quoting sorcs, Swiggy’s pre-IPO shares were actively traded in the unlisted market, with nearly 2 lakh shares already acquired by prominent individuals.
These prominent individuals are reported to have acquired approximately 200,000 pre-IPO shares of Swiggy in recent transactions. These notable investors include cricketers Rahul Dravid and Zaheer Khan, tennis star Rohan Bopanna, filmmaker Karan Johar, and actor-entrepreneur Ashish Chowdhry.
Swiggy has previously attracted investments from other Bollywood celebrities and entrepreneurs, including Madhuri Dixit Nene, Amitabh Bachchan, and Ritesh Malik.
“I’m excited to support a company that’s not only making a significant impact on the market but also contributing to the growth of India’s tech ecosystem,” said Zaheer Khan.

What attracts celebrities to tech startups

The involvement of celebrities in Swiggy’s pre-IPO shares reflects a broader trend of high-net-worth individuals seeking to diversify their portfolios with high-growth tech startups. Experts believe that celebrities are drawn to pre-IPO investments due to the potential for significant returns once the company goes public. Zomato’s successful IPO in 2021 demonstrated the potential for substantial gains for early investors.
Swiggy’s planned IPO follows a series of successful fundraising rounds, attracting investments from global venture capital firms like SoftBank Vision Fund, Accel, and Prosus. The company has also raised capital through secondary market transactions, attracting a diverse group of investors, including Motilal Oswal Financial Services chairman Raamdeo Agrawal and automobile materials manufacturer Hindustan Composites.