India’s startup ecosystem has produced many successful entrepreneurs, but few have left a mark as significant as Naveen Tewari. As the founder and CEO of InMobi and the co-founder of Glance, he has built two billion-dollar technology companies and helped establish India as a global innovation hub. What makes his journey even more remarkable is that he did not come from a business family. Raised in an academic household in Kanpur, Tewari grew up surrounded by education, not entrepreneurship.
Born on December 14, 1977, Tewari studied Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Kanpur before earning an MBA from Harvard Business School. He began his career as a Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company, where he gained valuable experience in business strategy and problem-solving.
In 2007, Tewari and three friends launched mKhoj, a mobile search startup. Although the idea struggled to gain traction, the founders recognized the growing potential of mobile advertising and transformed the company into InMobi in 2008. That decision proved to be a turning point. InMobi went on to become India’s first venture-capital-backed unicorn, demonstrating that world-class technology products could be built from India for global markets.
Tewari continued to innovate by co-founding Glance in 2019. The platform revolutionized smartphone experiences by delivering AI-powered, personalized content directly to users’ lock screens, reaching millions of consumers across multiple countries.
On January 25, 2025, he was honored with the Uttar Pradesh Gaurav Samman, the state’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to entrepreneurship and technology.
Beyond his own ventures, Tewari has emerged as an active investor and mentor, backing startups such as Razorpay, Yulu, and Indus OS while supporting India’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.
His career has not been without challenges. InMobi faced regulatory scrutiny over user privacy, but the company addressed the issues and strengthened its compliance practices. Despite setbacks, Tewari’s vision and resilience have remained unwavering.
From an academic upbringing with no family business legacy to creating two globally recognized unicorns, Naveen Tewari’s story is a powerful reminder that determination, innovation, and the willingness to adapt can redefine industries and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Nandita Sharma
