The Man Behind the First Unicorn and Future Mobile Innovation: Naveen Tewari
Naveen Tewari is the founder and CEO of InMobi and Glance. Explore his education, career, entrepreneurial journey, investments, achievements, net worth and the story behind India's first unicorn.
Naveen Tewari is an Indian entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of and Glance. He is best known for building InMobi into India's first unicorn and later creating Glance, an AI-driven commerce platform.
Tewari's entrepreneurial journey began with mKhoj, a mobile search venture that did not succeed. He and his co-founders then pivoted toward mobile advertising, leading to the creation of InMobi. The company reached a $1 billion valuation in 2011, making it India's first unicorn.
He later co-founded Glance, which has evolved from a mobile content platform into an AI-focused commerce business. As of 2026, Tewari continues to serve as CEO of both InMobi and Glance.
In this StartupTalky article, we will explore Naveen Tewari's success story, including his early life, history, childhood, personal life, education, achievements, and more.
Naveen Tewari - Biography
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Naveen Tewari |
| Born | December 14, 1977 |
| Hometown | Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh |
| Education | IIT Kanpur, Harvard Business School |
| Profession | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder and CEO of InMobi and Glance |
| Companies | InMobi, Glance |
| Previous company | mKhoj |
| Current role | Founder & CEO, InMobi and Glance |
Naveen Tewari - Early Life
Naveen Tewari - Career
Naveen Tewari - Investments
Naveen Tewari - Controversies
Naveen Tewari - Awards and Recognitions
Naveen Tewari - Quotes
Naveen Tewari - Early Life
Naveen Tewari's life of entrepreneurial success was carved out in an environment he grew up in, one of learning and nurturing curiosity and innovation. He was born into a nurturing home and developed by a pedagogic father whose very essence, like his mother's, was the urge for intellectual exploration and ambition. Their encouragement fostered Naveen’s entrepreneurial spirit, laying a strong foundation for a future leader.
From a young age, Naveen was naturally curious about technology and problem-solving. He was raised to think for himself and follow big ideas, qualities that made his career.
Naveen began pursuing Computer Science Engineering at the illustrious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. IIT Kanpur is famous for its challenging course curriculum and competitive culture, which became the cradle in which Naveen's passion for technology and entrepreneurship began to develop. He excelled in the scholastic fraternity and participated in surreal technical and entrepreneurial ventures, leading to practical innovation and leadership experiences. Those experiences refined his technical capabilities and helped seed his advent into entrepreneurship for the future.
Naveen took an MBA at Harvard Business School to complement his technical background with a strong understanding of business.
Naveen Tewari - Career
Tewari began his professional career at McKinsey & Company, where he worked on strategy projects, including the telecom sector. He later joined Charles River Ventures and worked on developing its India investment strategy. Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
These experiences gave him exposure to large businesses, technology companies and early-stage startups before he became a founder himself.
How Did Naveen Tewari Start InMobi?
In 2007, Naveen Tewari, along with Abhay Singhal, Amit Gupta and Mohit Saxena, started mKhoj, a mobile search business.
The original idea did not work as expected. Instead of giving up, the founders pivoted toward mobile advertising. This eventually became InMobi.
The company grew into a global advertising technology business and reached a $1 billion valuation in 2011, becoming India's first unicorn. InMobi Advertising
InMobi's Journey at a Glance
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2007 | Naveen Tewari founded mKhoj with co-founders |
| 2008 | The business pivoted toward mobile advertising and became InMobi |
| 2011 | InMobi became India's first unicorn |
| 2013 | Tewari received IIT Kanpur's Distinguished Alumnus Award |
| 2014–2015 | Received major entrepreneurship and leadership recognitions |
| 2019 | Glance was founded |
| 2026 | Tewari continues as Founder & CEO of InMobi and Glance |
Naveen Tewari and Glance
Glance is the second major business associated with Tewari. The company began with a focus on delivering content and experiences through smartphone surfaces and has since moved toward AI-powered commerce.
In 2026, Glance describes its vision around an intelligent shopping agent and a new model of commerce. Tewari remains its Founder and CEO. glance.com
Glance has also expanded internationally, with the US becoming an important growth market. Recent reporting says the company generated $97.6 million in FY25 revenue, compared with $73.1 million in the previous fiscal year, while its loss narrowed to $105.9 million from $111.2 million. mint
Glance Financial Performance
| Financial year | Revenue | Loss |
|---|---|---|
| FY24 | $73.1 million | $111.2 million |
| FY25 | $97.6 million | $105.9 million |
Shevaughn Pimenta
Naveen Tewari - Investments
Naveen Tewari, the founder and CEO of InMobi, is an entrepreneur and a reputed angel investor powered by strategic investments in many startups and different business lines. His investment portfolio is stunning, spanning from seed to Series A. Here's a detailed overview of his investments:
| Startup | Sector |
|---|---|
| Razorpay | Fintech |
| NestAway | PropTech |
| Bright Money | Fintech |
| Factors.AI | AI / Marketing technology |
| Klub | Fintech |
| Springboard | EdTech |
| Yulu | Electric mobility |
| Mettl | HR technology |
| Bombay Canteen | Consumer / Hospitality |
Bright Money
Fintech company Bright Money helps people manage and optimize their finances. Its goal is to use data-driven approaches to help people pay off debt and save effectively. Naveen invests in fintech startups that use technology to solve real-world problems.
Factors.AI
Factors.AI is focused on automating business operations using AI and machine learning. They propose to predict the needs and trends in real-time to make business processes more efficient. When Naveen invests in a startup, it indicates that he sees potential for AI-driven companies that can disrupt traditional.
Klub
Investments in specific sectors, such as consumer goods and wellness, can enhance quality of life. Naveen joined Klub to help SMBs access more flexible financing options.
Kaarva
Kaarva is a women’s health and wellness brand dedicated to creating personal and intimate care products. Tewari’s interest in innovative consumer goods and wellness sectors, which seek to enhance the quality of life, is evident from his investment here.
PiggyRide
PiggyRide is a ride-sharing platform connecting parents to secure and reliable rides for their children. Backed by Techstars and Tewari, it stands for family-oriented tech solutions that aim to improve everyday living for all young families.
Dextra
Dextra is a custom software development company that provides businesses with a platform for accessing scalable tech solutions. Naveen invested in this company because he believes businesses need software development to grow efficiently.
Yulu
Yulu is an electric mobility startup that provides eco-friendly and cost-effective transportation solutions in urban areas. Its products include electric bikes and scooters. Tewari’s investment signals his faith in sustainable transport solutions, which are becoming more important in cities today.
Wooplr
Wooplr is a social discovery platform where users share and discover products. It combines social media with e-commerce, creating a unique shopping experience. Naveen’s investment focused on supporting platforms that bridge the social media and commerce gap.
Springboard
Springboard is an online learning platform that offers mentoring-based courses on various subjects. Its main purpose is to help people develop their careers. Tewari supports this platform because he believes in education and skill development.
Indus OS
Indus OS is a mobile operating system that delivers regional language support and helps bridge the language gap for non-English users. Tewari backs this startup because he’s interested in technology that democratizes access to digital tools for the underserved.
Sarika Anand
Naveen Tewari - Controversies
InMobi's Location Tracking Controversy
In 2016, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) fined InMobi for tracking user locations without consent. Google's fine, which amounted to $950,000, was much smaller, at $2.7 billion for a similar issue. However, Naveen Tewari cleared the air and said that the violation was not deliberate but a software glitch. He also stressed that InMobi took the initiative to report the problem to the FTC and has proactively rectified the mistake.
Tewari pointed out that Google’s fine resulted from longstanding issues, while InMobi’s was a one-off, unintentional oversight. InMobi’s speedy disclosure of the glitch and willingness to do so openly stood out as a reflection of the company’s integrity and proactive attitude toward privacy regulations.
Naveen Tewari's Other Roles
Tewari has also contributed to India's startup ecosystem beyond his own companies.
He co-founded iSPIRT, an organisation focused on technology products, policy and India's software ecosystem. He also founded the India School Fund, a US-based nonprofit focused on supporting schools in rural India. glance.com
He has also served on corporate boards, including Paytm in the past. The original article's claim that he is currently a board member of Narayana Health and Anuva should be removed unless independently verified, as current primary sources reviewed for this update do not establish those roles.
Naveen Tewari - Awards and Recognitions
Tewari has received several entrepreneurship and leadership awards.
| Year | Award / Recognition |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Business Insider Mobile Power List – 2nd Most Important Person |
| 2013 | IIT Kanpur Distinguished Alumnus Award |
| 2013 | Business Insider Mobile Power List – 7th Most Important Person |
| 2013 | The Drum Mobile Top 50 |
| 2014 | Forbes India Leadership Award – Outstanding Startup |
| 2014 | Pathbreaker of the Year |
| 2014 | 100 Most Creative People |
| 2015 | Fortune 40 Under 40 |
| 2015 | Future Leaders Award |
| 2024 | Uttar Pradesh Gaurav Samman |
Naveen Tewari - Quotes
What Makes Naveen Tewari's Entrepreneurial Journey Different?
Tewari's story is notable for the way he handled failure and changed direction.
His first major startup idea, mKhoj, did not work. Rather than abandoning the business, the founders pivoted toward mobile advertising and created InMobi.
That company went on to become India's first unicorn. Tewari later built Glance into another major consumer technology business. InMobi's current profile describes him as the first Indian entrepreneur to build two unicorns.
His journey therefore offers three important lessons:
- A failed idea does not mean a failed startup.
- Market shifts can create new opportunities.
- Technology businesses need to evolve with consumer behaviour.
Naveen Tewari's Current Role in 2026
As of 2026, Naveen Tewari continues to serve as Founder and CEO of InMobi and Glance.
InMobi remains focused on advertising technology, while Glance is increasingly focused on AI-powered commerce. This gives Tewari a leadership role across two different areas of consumer technology: digital advertising and AI-led commerce.
Key Takeaways From Naveen Tewari's Journey
| Key lesson | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Pivot when necessary | mKhoj's failure led to the creation of InMobi |
| Build for a global market | InMobi expanded beyond India |
| Keep innovating | Tewari moved from mobile advertising to AI commerce |
| Think beyond one company | He has invested in and mentored startups |
| Use technology to solve problems | His businesses have focused on large consumer and business opportunities |
FAQs
Who is Naveen Tewari?
Naveen Tewari is the founder and CEO of InMobi, a global mobile advertising technology company.
What is Naveen Tewari education?
Naveen Tewari is an IIT Kanpur graduate and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.
What companies did Naveen Tewari found?
Naveen Tewari founded InMobi and is the Founder and CEO of Glance. His entrepreneurial journey also began with mKhoj, which later pivoted into InMobi.
Is Naveen Tewari the CEO of InMobi?
Yes. As of 2026, Naveen Tewari is the Founder and CEO of InMobi. He is also the Founder and CEO of Glance.
What is Naveen Tewari net worth?
Naveen Tewari's exact net worth is not publicly disclosed. Online estimates vary, and a precise figure should not be treated as verified without a reliable financial source.
Why is Naveen Tewari famous?
Naveen Tewari is best known for founding InMobi, which became India's first unicorn in 2011, and for building Glance, an AI-focused consumer commerce company.
What happened in the InMobi controversy?
In 2016, the US FTC took action against InMobi over allegations that its software tracked consumer locations without appropriate consent, including information collected from child-directed apps. InMobi agreed to a settlement involving a $950,000 civil penalty and other privacy requirements.
