Startup

Year of unicorns: 8 Indian startups crossed $1 billion in valuation in 2018

Updated : December 28, 2018 12:44 PM IST

Swiggy, OYO, Paytm Mall, Udaan, Policy Bazaar, Zomato, Freshworks and Byju's were the eight startups that crossed $1 billion in valuation.

Year of unicorns: 8 Indian startups crossed $1 billion in valuation in 2018

2018 was a year of unicorns. India added eight unicorns to its kitty, the highest in a single calendar year. Swiggy, OYO, Paytm Mall, Udaan, Policy Bazaar, Zomato, Freshworks and Byju's were the eight startups that crossed $1 billion in valuation.

In the most recent example, Swiggy executed definitive agreements for a $1 billion funding round led by Naspers and saw new investors -- Tencent, Hillhouse Capital and Wellington Management Company coming on board.

The unicorns are also aiming at expanding footprints in the global market. OYO is currently in over 350 cities with over 12,000 asset partners spread across six countries including India, China, Malaysia, Nepal, the UK and UAE in the Middle East.

The company raised $800 million in its latest funding round led by SoftBank Investment Advisers (SBIA) along with the participation from existing investors - Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sequoia and Greenoaks Capital. The fundraising, the company said, is aimed to "strengthen its market position in its home markets - India and China - and support its international expansion plans".

Here's a quick look at how these companies fared in 2018:

Have you signed up for Primo, our daily newsletter?

It has all the stories and data on the market, business, economy and tech that you need to know.

To keep watching CNBC-TV18, India's No. 1 English Business News Channel, call your Cable or DTH Operator and subscribe now for just Rs. 4 per month. You can also subscribe to CNBC-TV18 Prime HD for Re 1/- per month.Find out more