Alumni Profile: Rajiv Srivatsa (Urban Ladder)

Rajiv Srivatsa co-founded Urban Ladder with Ashish Goel in July 2012 with the aim of making it India’s premier furniture destination. Today, Urban Ladder is becoming a preferred choice for shoppers looking for reliable furniture with great aesthetic sense. It aimed to revolutionize the way people furnish their homes by providing a convenient and hassle-free shopping experience.

After his graduation from IIT Madras in 2000 with a B.Tech in Naval Architecture Engineering and an MBA from IIM Bangalore, Rajiv joined Cognizant Technology Solutions where he worked in the Business Analysis and Consulting teams for over 4 years. He then went on to serve as Senior Product Manager with Yahoo Emerging Markets for over 4 years where he focused on consumer-facing cutting-edge online and mobile products in the Emerging markets including India, Latin America, South East Asia and Middle East.

 As co-founder and chief product and technology officer, Rajiv helped raise over $100 million in venture capital from marquee investors and helped build Urban Ladder into India’s most popular online furniture brand. Urban Ladder differentiated itself by focusing on delivering high-quality, stylish, and affordable furniture directly to consumers' doorsteps. The company also offered design consultancy services to help customers make informed decisions about their home furnishing needs. Over time, Urban Ladder expanded its operations by opening physical stores, known as "Experience Centers." These stores allowed customers to physically experience the furniture and decor items before making a purchase. This omnichannel approach combined the convenience of online shopping with the touch-and-feel experience of offline retail.

In its early years, Urban Ladder received significant funding from venture capital firms, which helped fuel its growth and expansion. The company also forged strategic partnerships with renowned brands and retailers to expand its product offerings and reach a wider customer base. In 2020, the company was acquired by Reliance Retail, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd, one of India's largest conglomerates. The acquisition aimed to leverage Urban Ladder's online expertise and enhance Reliance Retail's presence in the e-commerce sector.