Upasana Taku is an Indian entrepreneur and the co-founder of Mobikwik, a digital payments platform. She founded the company along with her husband, Bipin Preet Singh, in 2009.
Early Life and Education: Upasana was born in Amritsar, Punjab, and grew up in a family of doctors. She completed her schooling from the Sacred Heart Convent School in Ludhiana and then went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University. She later pursued a Master’s degree in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University.
Career: After completing her studies, Upasana worked as a management consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton in the United States. She then moved to the UK to work for PayPal, where she gained experience in the digital payments industry. In 2009, she returned to India and founded Mobikwik with her husband, Bipin Preet Singh.
Mobikwik: Mobikwik is a digital payments platform that allows users to make online payments and recharge their mobile phones, pay utility bills, book tickets, and more. The company also offers a digital wallet that can be used to make payments at offline stores. Mobikwik has become a popular platform in India, with over 107 million users and partnerships with more than 3 million merchants across the country.
Under Upasana’s leadership, Mobikwik has expanded its product offerings and introduced several new features such as Mobikwik Blue American Express Card, Mobikwik ZIP, and Mobikwik SuperCash. The company has also raised several rounds of funding from investors such as Sequoia Capital, American Express, and Net1.
Awards and Recognitions: Upasana Taku has received several awards and recognitions for her work as an entrepreneur. In 2015, she was named one of the ‘Top 10 Women Entrepreneurs’ by Fortune India. In 2017, she was featured on the Forbes Asia ’30 Under 30′ list, and in 2018, she was recognized as one of the ‘Top 100 Fintech Leaders’ by LATTICE80.
Philanthropy: Upasana Taku has also been actively involved in philanthropy and social causes. She has supported organizations such as Teach For India, which aims to provide quality education to underprivileged children, and the Indian Red Cross Society, which provides healthcare and relief services to those in need. She has also launched the ‘Mobikwik Foundation’, which supports various social initiatives and environmental causes.
Conclusion: Upasana Taku is a successful entrepreneur and the co-founder of Mobikwik, a leading digital payments platform in India. Her experience in the digital payments industry, along with her vision and leadership, has helped the company become a household name in the country. Her dedication to philanthropy and social causes also reflects her commitment to making a positive impact on society. Upasana Taku is an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs and a role model for women in business.