Apna

Apna, operated by Apnatime Tech Private Limited, is an Indian digital recruitment and professional networking platform founded in 2019 and headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It connects job seekers — primarily blue-collar, grey-collar and entry-level white-collar workers — with employers ranging from MSMEs to large enterprises. Job seekers create a profile covering skills, education and experience, search and apply for openings, contact employers directly, schedule interviews and track applications through a mobile-first, multilingual Android and iOS app as well as the web platform. Beyond job listings, the platform started as a career community and offers skill development resources, virtual job fairs, profession-based community groups, interview practice and a free AI interview coach.

On the employer side, Apna operates a separate portal (employer.apna.co) offering job posting, a searchable candidate database with AI-powered and area-based search (5 km radius), 22+ filters, auto-generated resumes, bulk WhatsApp candidate invites via a Chrome extension, ATS integration and CSV export, job post boosts, and an enterprise tier. Its most recently promoted product is an AI Calling Agent that interviews and shortlists applicants around the clock, following up by call, WhatsApp and email; the company claims an 80% response rate versus a 30% manual call connection rate and a 50% reduction in hiring time. A campus product, Apna CampusAI, provides employer microsites, MCQ/coding/case assessments and interviews aimed at college hiring.

The site lists roles across more than 60 categories including field sales, delivery, telecalling/BPO, accounts and finance, retail, logistics, drivers, cooks, technicians, healthcare and skilled trades, and names employers such as Paytm, Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, Flipkart, Reliance Jio and multiple insurance companies as posting openings on the platform.

Founding story

Founder and CEO Nirmit Parikh, a former member of Apple's iPhone product operations team and Director of New Products/Data Analytics at Intel Corporation, previously founded Cruxbot, which was acquired by Kno (Intel Corporation). He holds an MBA from Stanford University and a bachelor's degree in Instrumentation and Control Engineering from Nirma Institute of Technology. Parikh observed that despite large numbers of Indians seeking work, employers struggled to find candidates because there was no scalable networking infrastructure for blue- and grey-collar workers, who typically lacked formal resumes and professional networks. To understand the problem directly he worked undercover in roles such as electrician and floor manager and spoke with job seekers in the field. He launched Apna in 2019 as a mobile-first, language-agnostic, community-based platform, letting users build a digital professional profile quickly and apply with a single tap.

Business model

Two-sided marketplace: the platform is free for job seekers (unlimited applications, profile creation, direct recruiter contact, interview preparation), while employers pay for hiring products. Employer offerings include job posts, premium/boosted posts, AI Calling Agent screening, database access with paid candidate contact (profile viewing is free), campus hiring and enterprise packages. One secondary source also describes revenue from technical support services provided to its holding company, recruitment through its web portal and app, and interest income from fixed deposits and investments.

Employer-paid recruitment services — job postings and premium boosts, AI-driven calling and screening, paid access to contact candidates in the database, campus hiring products and enterprise contracts. Inc42 reports revenue of ₹144.1 crore or more for FY25, an increase of about 3.05% over the previous fiscal year.

Traction

Company website claims 50 lakh+ (5 million+) listed career opportunities, a community of 5 crore (50 million) job seekers, 5 crore+ app downloads, a 4.7 app rating across 7 lakh reviews, and trust from 1,000+ enterprises and 7 lakh+ MSMEs. The employer portal cites 1 crore+ qualified candidates, 1 lakh+ employers and 892+ cities available, and reach of 20 million+ college students across 22,000+ colleges for its campus product. Third-party sources cite presence in 74+ cities (StartupTalky) and 825+ cities with 700,000+ employers and 160 applications per minute, over 30% of users being women (OrangeOwl); more than 20 million job interviews per month as of 2022; Inc42 reports 2.98 million monthly web traffic (up 5.01% over 30 days) and 1,696 employees.

Latest developments

The employer platform is promoting an AI Calling Agent that autonomously interviews and shortlists candidates 24/7, offered with a launch discount, alongside apnaAI-powered database search and the Apna CampusAI college hiring product. The company published an India Gen Z Talent Playbook 2025 drawing on input from 140+ people and talent leaders. Inc42 reports FY25 revenue of ₹144.1 crore, up about 3.05% year over year, with no new funding round disclosed since September 2021.