BharatPe's last cofounder in operations handed the company to professional management

BharatPe is a New Delhi fintech that grew from QR-code payments into full-stack consumer and merchant payments and lending.

Shashvat Nakrani cofounded BharatPe in 2018 on the IIT Delhi campus with Bhavik Koladiya and Ashneer Grover, bridging a gap the founders saw around QR-code payments. The other two cofounders left the fintech a few years back; CEO Nalin Negi, who took over in April 2024, runs the company day to day.

Nakrani, holder of a 10.8% stake per Tracxn, announced he would transition to strategic advisor and board director from May 1, continuing to guide fundraising, IPO, M&A and long-term strategy. People in the know said he is set to launch a startup again. The company had achieved EBITDA profitability and was preparing a major funding round.

BharatPe confirmed Nakrani becomes founder and director, staying closely involved in strategic direction while exploring new entrepreneurial ideas. With his exit, the company is now completely run by professional management.

With Nakrani's move, all three BharatPe cofounders are out of day-to-day operations — a full handover to professional management.

He exits on an upswing: EBITDA profitability, FY25 revenue of Rs 1,734 crore, and a planned major funding round.

The transition was framed as expansion of involvement, not abandonment — founder and director, guiding IPO and M&A strategy.

Nakrani's own framing was curiosity: 'building has always meant following curiosity, returning to first principles.'

The last founder stepping back is the real end of the startup phase: BharatPe's cofounder exit came only once the company had EBITDA profitability and professional management to inherit it.

As of April 13, 2026, Nakrani remained a BharatPe director and strategic advisor from May 1, while preparing a new venture. BharatPe continued under CEO Nalin Negi with its major funding round in preparation.