The startup craze is all around us and has become one of the hottest things happening in the Indian economy. Nowadays even Bollywood celebrities have become a part of it.
Apart from endorsing the brands, they are being associated with startups as investors and co-founders and backing them to stay ahead of competitors.
Although the number of investments from Bollywood stars is low this trend is showcasing Bollywood stars' entrepreneurial spirit and interest in startups.
Celebrities including Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Hrithik Roshan, and many others, all are bitten by the startup bug. Let's take a look at some of the ventures in which the Bollywood actors are involved.
Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan Invested in Ziddu
Ziddu.com, a Singapore-based startup got funding support from Bollywood superstar and legendary Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek Bachchan in 2015.
They both have invested around $71 million in the first round of funding. The startup runs online cloud storage, micropayment, and e-distribution systems in the tech world.
Salman Khan Invested in Yatra.com & Being Human
Handsome hunk Salman Khan is not just a beloved actor, but he backed 7-year-old travel operator Yatra.com. He holds a 5 percent stake and offers marketing support to enhance its brand value.
Salman also backed another popular brand "Being Human" an online shop that sells a huge variety of T-shirts and watches etc.
Ajay Devgan Invested in Ticketplease.com
Singham superstar, Ajay Devgan has embraced entrepreneurship with the launch of TicketPlease.com in 2011. The website offers movies, sports matches, plays, and concert tickets online. It also has many other add-on features including celebrity blogging, pictures, video sharing, and lots more.
Karishma Kapoor Holds Stake in BabyOye.com
Bollywood actress Karishma Kapoor holds a 26 percent stake in BabyOye.com, a leading online website for mother and baby care.
She invested in the company and became the single shareholder with the largest stake. The startup delivers high-quality products and services directly to customers' doorstep and become parents' first choice for kids shopping.
Madhuri Dixit invested in GoQii
Madhuri Dixit who ruled the Indian's hearts with her smile has made investments in fitness wearable and coaching startup GoQii with her husband.
Apart from this venture, the actress also launched her online dance academy named "Dance with Madhuri". Both these ventures aim to help people stay fit and healthy through dancing and exercising.
Shilpa Shetty Founded GroupHomeBuyers.com
Another Bollywood actress, Shilpa Shetty has evolved into a savvy entrepreneur with her involvement in different ventures. Some ventures she has launched with her husband Raj Kundra and some others she runs all alone.
She launched GroupHomeBuyers.com in 2011 as an online platform for offering a listing of new residential properties and the best home deals from top-notch residential sites.
The venture gained recognition very soon as it was backed by Shilpa Shetty. In 2014, she established Satyug Gold and a few other ventures related to the film industry.
AR Rahman & Shekhar Kapur Founded Qyuki
AR Rehman and Shekhar Kapur launched Qyuki.com together in 2012. It is an online social media platform that keeps Indian youths engaged by showcasing interesting media content. The corporate giant, Cisco has invested in this startup.
Kunal Kapoor Launched Ketto.org
Bollywood actor Kunal Kapoor co-founded Ketto.org in social space with Varun Sheth and Zaheer Adenwala. It is an online crowdfunding platform where people can start donations with just Rs.100.
Ketto has carried companies, individuals, and NGOs together to get them connected with all internet users who don't have access to education, sanitation, healthcare, and many other basic services. It also enables small-level entrepreneurs to raise funding easily.
Anil Kapoor Invested in Indi.Com
Anil Kapoor has invested in Indi.com, a social networking site for video sharing that was launched by US serial entrepreneur Neel Grover in 2012. The platform works similarly to YouTube and keeps its users engaged like other social platforms.
Gul Panag Founded Mobiefit
A model turned actor Gul Panag co-founded the m-fitness startup Mobiefit in May 2015. This startup is promoting health and fitness through mobile apps with Gul Panag's voice.
However, this list does not include all. There are many other names that we have skipped to add here in this article.