Fundraising Fox

Ritesh Agarwal

Founder

Founder at PRISM · Founder & CEO at OYO

Gurugram, India

FoundedOYOPRISM

About

Ritesh Agarwal founded OYO in 2013 at nineteen, after a Thiel Fellowship, and built it into one of the world's largest hospitality chains by room count, backed by SoftBank at a $10B valuation. He took the company through an aggressive global expansion, a severe pandemic contraction and a restructuring, and listed OYO's parent in India. He remains among the youngest self-made founders of a company at that scale.

Founder at PRISM

Intro paths

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In turn, Ritesh can intro founders to PRISM's investors below.

PRISM's investors · 1

SoftBank Vision FundLondon

Founder & CEO at OYO

Intro paths

→

In turn, Ritesh can intro founders to OYO's investors below.

OYO's investors · 3

2am VCBengaluruDSG Consumer PartnersMumbai · $500K – $5M checksPrismStudio City · since 2025

Experience

  1. PRISMFounder and Group CEOcurrent2013 — present
  2. OYOFounder & Group CEOcurrent2013 — presentNew Delhi Area, India
  3. The Thiel FoundationFellowcurrent2013 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area

Education

  1. St. Johns Senior Secondery SchoolHigh School Senior, English, Physics, Chemistry and Maths2010 — 2012

Skills & more

Start-ups99Digital Marketing99Hospitality Industry68International Business99Hiring47Market Research99Business Strategy99Recruiting39Turn Around Management27Talent Booking30Marketing99CRM43
+12 moreOnline MarketingProject PlanningEntrepreneurshipSocial MediaNew Business DevelopmentStrategic PartnershipsMarketing StrategyBusiness DevelopmentLeadershipStrategyManagementTeam Management

Languages Hindi · Marwari

From Ritesh's professional profile.

Frequently asked questions

Where does Ritesh Agarwal work?
Ritesh Agarwal is Founder at PRISM and Founder & CEO at OYO.
What companies did Ritesh Agarwal found?
Ritesh Agarwal founded OYO, PRISM.

Paths to reach Ritesh

People who overlapped with Ritesh at the same organization — a shared school or employer with one of them is a warm way in.

Together at OYORitesh: Founder & CEO

Gautam Mago2014–2017General Partner at A91 PartnersIndian Institute of Management, Calcutta · University of MumbaiAtul Satpathy2018–2021Senior Associate, Credit at Trifecta Capital AdvisorsACCA · Christ University, Bangalore · Indian School of BusinessAnshu Pandey2019–2020Investment Team at Athera Venture PartnersIndian Institute of Management Ahmedabad · Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur · Norwegian School of Economics (NHH)Saswat Sundar2015–2017Investor at Fundamental VCShri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC)Ila Sharma2015–2018Global People Architect at super{set}INDIAN INSTITUTE OF PSYCHODRAMA PRIVATE LIMITEDKavikrut2014–2025Chief Executive Officer, T-Hub at T-HubBirla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani

Together at The Thiel FoundationRitesh: Fellow

Kevin Wang2013–2015CEO, FOSSA Inc. at OSS CapitalIllinois Mathematics and Science Academy · University of California, BerkeleyAndrew Brackin2013–2015Partner at Gradient VenturesIan Lee2021Principal at Signum CapitalThe International School Nido de Aguilas · University of Pennsylvania · University of WaterlooDanielle Strachman2013–2015Investor at NZVCJohn Luttig2015Partner at Founders FundLake Forest AcademyLindy Fishburne2013–2016Managing Partner at Breakout VenturesDuke University · Pace Academy · Texas McCombs School of Business

Founder mafias

OYO mafia6

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Saswat SundarCore Team, Flagship/TownhouseFounded StashFinKshitij DixitSoftware EngineerFounded Zeo Route PlannerPriyam SaraswatInternational ExpansionFounded VooshMehul JindalOperations & StrategyFounded BharatXHemant PhalakLead - OYO walletFounded Entvin

Shared employers

Also worked at OYO18

Gautam MagoGeneral Partner at A91 PartnersAtul SatpathySenior Associate, Credit at Trifecta Capital AdvisorsAnshu PandeyInvestment Team at Athera Venture PartnersSaswat SundarInvestor at Fundamental VCMandeep Singh RehalDirector, Business Development at Ontario Centre of InnovationIla SharmaGlobal People Architect at super{set}

+ 12 more

Also worked at The Thiel Foundation35

Sebastian CaliriInvestment Team at 8VCKevin WangCEO, FOSSA Inc. at OSS CapitalAndrew BrackinPartner at Gradient VenturesIan LeePrincipal at Signum CapitalDanielle StrachmanInvestor at NZVCJohn LuttigPartner at Founders Fund

+ 29 more