From roughly 150 startups in 2016 to over 1.5 lakh in 2025, with over 160 unicorns, India’s startup ecosystem has transformed dramatically over the past decade. That said, according to some of the country’s most successful founders, the next phase of growth will depend on global scale, responsible leadership and the intelligent use of AI.

At the CNBC-TV18 Global Leadership Summit (GLS) 2025, four leading entrepreneurs: LensKart's Peyush Bansal, Swiggy's Phani Kishan, Urban Company's Abhiraj Bhal and Yashish Dahiya of PolicyBazaar discussed how India’s digital champions must evolve to compete globally while deepening domestic reach.

Bansal, whose LensKart now earns 40% of its revenue from overseas markets, issued a blunt warning: “My firm belief is that in the long term, if you think 10

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