How Saurabh Pandey Raised $40M to Build Eloelo, India’s Largest Live Social Entertainment App

The BarberShop with Shantanu

Some Founders wait for the “Right time.” Others just CREATE IT!

Based in Bangalore, this company has been developing an app since March 2021, and it has already been installed by 105 million users.

We’re super excited to have Saurabh Pandey (Founder and CEO, Eloelo) on the pod this time. From leaving Flipkart just before the pandemic to building Eloelo after, one of India’s largest Live Social Entertainment Platform, his story is a masterclass in courage, conviction, and community building.

Key takeaways from the episode:

•⁠ ⁠What sets Eloelo apart from traditional social media.

•⁠ ⁠How the platform tackles loneliness and spreads the sense of belonging.

•⁠ ⁠Why transparency, data, and failure matter in startups.

What’s been your biggest leap of faith so far—and what did it teach you? Tell us in the comments!

And if you’d like to join our next conversation as a live audience member, sign up here: https://forms.gle/yF6Rzr9NRheKRoV98

Navigate your journey through this conversation:

00:00 Coming Up

01:17 Introduction

01:48 Why the Name Eloelo

08:46 What is a Live Social Entertainment Platform

14:55 How Eloelo Was Born

19:37 How Can Creators Make Money on Eloelo

22:52 Different Types of Content and User Engagement on Eloelo

33:18 Monetization Models on Eloelo

42:40 How Much Do Creators Get Paid On The App

43:17 Monetisation Through Eloelo

46:49 Competitors and Similar Apps in this space

48:01 Compliance Of The Content On The App

50:25 Vision for Eloelo

57:24 The Entrepreneurial Journey and Personal Insights

1:12:35 Learnings from Flipkart

1:25:00 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

1:29:43 Non-Tech Founder in a Tech Industry

1:34:00 Closing Thoughts