From Skincare Startup to Shark Tank India: The Inspiring Journey of Minimalist Co-founder Mohit Yadav

Shark Tank India is all set to make a spectacular comeback for its fifth season, bringing new opportunities for ambitious entrepreneurs across the country. One of the biggest talking points this season is the onboarding of Mohit Yadav, co‑founder of the skincare brand Minimalist, to the panel of investors.

A chartered accountant by training and known for his results-centric approach, he has become a familiar name in India’s startup ecosystem. In his official announcement post, he said, “Less clutter, more focus. That’s the mantra of the newest shark in town, Mohit Yadav, Co-founder of Minimalist. In this article, we take a closer look at his inspiring journey and achievements so far. 

Mohit Yadav - Biography

Mohit Yadav - Academic Records

When it comes to academics, Mohit Yadav’s record speaks for itself. A Gold Medallist Chartered Accountant, he earned an impressive All-India Rank of 26 from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), a demonstration of his sharp intellect, discipline, and analytical excellence.

He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Rajasthan, where his love for numbers and strategy first took root. Over the years, this strong academic grounding has shaped his distinctive leadership style, one that perfectly blends data-driven clarity with a deep sense of customer empathy.

Mohit Yadav - Career Beginnings

Mohit Yadav’s professional journey has come a long way from finance to startups, and eventually, to building one of India’s most admired D2C brands. He began his career at Deloitte as an Assistant Manager, where he gained hands-on experience in audit and financial advisory, learning the intricacies of global business operations. 

Soon after, he joined Credit Suisse as an Assistant Vice President, working across the Asia-Pacific region. During his five-year stint with the investment banking giant, Mohit developed a deep understanding of financial strategy, cross-border markets, and corporate governance; expertise that would later shape his entrepreneurial mindset.

After years in the corporate world, Mohit’s entrepreneurial spark led him to launch MangoStreet in 2010, an e-commerce platform for branded kidswear that began as Scopial.com, a creative t-shirt startup driven by a global community of designers. The venture was later acquired by Hushbabies.com, marking his first major exit.

In 2013, Mohit joined CarDekho, India’s leading auto portal, where he served as Vice President and later took on the role of CEO at Oto.com, a joint venture between CarDekho and Indonesia’s largest media company, Emtek. The experience not only broadened his international exposure but also refined his leadership skills in scaling consumer tech businesses.

By 2018, Mohit co-founded Freewill, a personalized haircare brand that used data and customization to create products tailored to each customer’s unique needs. Backed by Sequoia Capital’s accelerator program, Surge, Freewill became one of India’s earliest success stories in personalized beauty, a stepping stone that eventually led to the creation of Minimalist.

Mohit Yadav - The Story Behind Launching Minimalist

In 2020, Mohit Yadav, along with his brother Rahul Yadav, launched Minimalist, a brand that set out to simplify skincare with science and honesty at its core. He spent over 15 years mastering the worlds of consumer brands, technology, and finance. 

Drawing on Rahul’s background in chemistry, the duo created formulations backed by research, transparency, and proven results, a refreshing change in an industry often driven by marketing gimmicks.

The brand’s growth has been nothing short of remarkable. By FY 2024, Minimalist had doubled its profits to INR 10.83 crore and expanded its revenue base to a massive INR 347 crore, becoming the only skincare startup in India to turn a profit that year. Its success proved that Indian consumers were ready to trust brands built on truth, not trends.

This meteoric rise soon caught the attention of global FMCG giant Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL). In a remarkable milestone for India’s digital-first startup ecosystem, Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has acquired a 90.5% stake in Minimalist, the skincare brand founded in 2020 by brothers Mohit and Rahul Yadav.

 HUL acquired a majority stake in Minimalist for INR 2,955 crore, a move that marked its bold entry into the digital-first beauty market.

The acquisition wasn’t just about buying a product line; it was about acquiring a philosophy. The deal reportedly earned the Yadav brothers around INR 1,600 crore, while early investors like Peak XV Partners also saw significant returns.

Mohit Yadav - Joining As a New Shark

Sharing his excitement about joining Shark Tank India Season 5, Mohit Yadav said,

“From formulating potent ingredients to backing powerful ideas, my philosophy has always been simple: substance over static. I’m thrilled to be part of Shark Tank India 5 and collaborate with entrepreneurs who build with purpose and lead with radical transparency.”

Ever since its debut in 2021, Shark Tank India has become one of the country’s most loved and inspiring business reality shows. Adapted from the globally acclaimed Shark Tank franchise, the show provides budding entrepreneurs a golden stage to pitch their ideas to a panel of investors, the “Sharks”, in pursuit of mentorship and funding.

Over the seasons, the show has done more than just entertain; it has sparked a wave of entrepreneurial ambition across India, spotlighting real-life stories of innovation, perseverance, and risk-taking.

Now, Season 5 promises to take things up a notch with a power-packed lineup of Sharks. Joining the iconic panel that includes Anupam Mittal, Aman Gupta, Namita Thapar, Vineeta Singh, Amit Jain, and Peyush Bansal, Mohit brings a new dimension, the perspective of a D2C founder who built a global skincare brand from scratch.

Together, this dynamic mix of investors brings expertise from technology, healthcare, consumer brands, and finance, ensuring that every pitch gets evaluated through a diverse and deeply insightful lens.

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Mohit Yadav - Net Worth

While Mohit’s exact net worth remains under wraps, it’s clear he’s struck gold, both as an entrepreneur and as an investor. One of his major bets includes an INR 148.6 crore investment in men’s wellness brand Bold Care.

Now, with Mohit joining the Shark Tank India panel, fans are eager to see what new energy he brings, fresh insights, sharper debates, and perhaps a whole new lens on building modern Indian brands.

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FAQs

Who is Mohit Yadav?

Mohit Yadav is the co-founder of the popular skincare brand Minimalist and one of the newest Sharks on Shark Tank India Season 5. A Chartered Accountant by qualification, he’s known for his results-driven mindset and deep expertise in D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) brand building.

What is Mohit Yadav’s educational background?

Mohit Yadav holds a B.Com degree from the University of Rajasthan and is a Gold Medalist Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), where he secured an All-India Rank of 26.

What is Mohit Yadav known for?

Mohit Yadav is best known for co-founding Minimalist, one of India’s fastest-growing and most profitable skincare startups.