At just 23 years old, Ankiti Bose soared to prominence by launching the e-commerce giant Zilingo, which achieved a billion-dollar valuation by 2019 from its Singaporean headquarters.
Her ambitious journey began in the classrooms of Mumbai’s Podar and Cambridge schools and continued at St. Xavier’s College, where she honed her business skills. However, it was her early exposure to Asia’s vibrant tech scene that truly ignited her entrepreneurial spirit.
Inspired by the success of giants like Amazon and Alibaba, Bose identified a lucrative niche in Southeast Asia’s dynamic markets. A casual walk through Bangkok’s Chatuchak Weekend Market revealed the region’s need for sophisticated fashion platforms. In 2015, Bose took a bold step, quitting her job and traveling from India to Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore to develop her innovative tech and distribution strategies.
Zilingo debuted not just as a marketplace but as a vital lifeline for small merchants in Bangkok and Jakarta, helping them enter the digital era with comprehensive support services, including financing and cataloging. As Zilingo grew, it shifted its focus towards transforming the B2B landscape, addressing the inefficiencies in an under-resourced, technologically deficient supply chain.
Bose’s journey was not without challenges. Beyond her tech prowess, she became a staunch advocate for women’s empowerment, initiating training programs for Indonesian women and leadership coaching within her company, aiming to create new opportunities across the industry. Her work garnered significant attention, earning her spots on prestigious “under” lists and speaking engagements on global stages. Bose was on the verge of becoming the first Indian woman to co-found a nearly billion-dollar startup, with operations spanning eight countries.
However, unexpected drama ensued. As the pandemic wreaked havoc globally, Zilingo tumbled from its heights amidst financial and legal controversies, with accusations directed at Bose. Amid a whirlwind of allegations from her co-founder and business partners, she was dramatically ousted. The fallout was severe: offices closed, employees laid off, and the company ultimately faced a distressing asset sale in 2023.
In defiance, Bose vehemently refuted the claims, denouncing them as part of a targeted smear campaign. The courts have since aligned with her, issuing injunctions against those involved, including a venture investor and a media outlet. With a criminal complaint against her former business partners for threatening her, cheating her and for harassment, now recognized by Mumbai Police, the saga intensifies.
