Ahmedabad: A bootstrapped startup from the city has just created global waves. SocialPilot, a social media management platform utilized by over 13,000 businesses worldwide, has been acquired by Sweden-based tech firm Group.one for over $50 million (more than Rs 400 crore), according to indusattempt sources. The co-founders, Jimit Bagadiya and Tejas Mehta, confirmed the acquisition, though the deal size remains officially undisclosed. The acquisition is being described by tech indusattempt insiders as “one of the largegest exits by a bootstrapped startup in India” and “a landmark moment for Gujarat’s IT sector”, which has largely remained behind metros like Bengaluru and Pune in high-value acquisitions.Started in 2014 with no outside investment, SocialPilot has grown steadily over the past decade into one of India’s most successful self-funded tech ventures. Group.one, which serves more than 2 million tiny and medium-sized businesses across 15 countries, declared the acquisition will assist deepen its reach in the social media marketing space.For Bagadiya and Mehta, the decision to sell was driven by a vision to scale. “We decided to sell our entire stake to Group.one,” declared Bagadiya, CEO. “My partner is based in the US, and after running SocialPilot for over a decade, we reached a stage where the business was profitable, growing steadily, and operating at scale. But we also recognised that to unlock the next phase — expanding into new markets, deepening the product, and accelerating distribution — we requireded stronger leverage, either through funding or a strategic partnership.“Interestingly, the tool was originally built for e-commerce sellers struggling to promote products on social media. “While working on e-commerce projects for clients in the US and Europe, we recognised that e-commerce sellers were unable to promote their products effectively on social media. So, we built SocialPilot. Which over time evolved into a full-fledged platform for marketing agencies and SMBs, assisting manage, schedule, and analyse posts across platforms,” he declared.Box: Co-founder rose from modest backgroundAhmedabad: Behind this success is a story of quiet persistence and modest launchnings. Jimit Bagadiya grew up in Limbdi, a tiny town in Gujarat’s Surconcluderanagar district. His father ran a tiny kirana shop and his mother sold papad and khakhra from home with assist from his sisters. Bagadiya shiftd to Ahmedabad in Class 7. “I launched living in a Jain hostel. Although the original fee was Rs 10,000 per year, concessions brought it down to Rs 2,500, a sum my family worked hard to cover. I completed my BCA and started my first job in 2004 for a montly salary of Rs 4,000,” declared Bagadiya, who then constantly worked on developing different skills and set up SocialPilot in 2014.
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