Time for a third unicorn, says Ashneer Grover on his 40th birthday

Celebrating his 40th birthday, Ashneer Grover, hinted that that he is ready to build another unicorn. 

Grover was previously associated with unicorns such as Bharat Pe and Blinkit (erstwhile Grofers). 

Sharing a post on Twitter, the former BharatPe managing director wrote, “Today I turn 40. Some will say I’ve lived a full life and experienced more things than most. Created value for generations. For me, it’s still unfinished business. Time to disrupt another sector. It’s time for the third unicorn." 

This comes after Grover, who was the panelist at the seventh edition of TiECon-2022 had told The Tribune on 30 April that he wished to start his own venture using his own money and make it profitable. 

“I don’t want to go to the investors again," he had said. 

Grover had also said that the accusations against him come from “personal hatred and low thinking".  

BharatPe, which allows shop owners to make digital payments through QR codes, stripped Grover of all titles and positions after a third-party audit alleged grave governance lapses under him.  

Grover, who had to go on leave in January following allegations of using abusive language against Kotak Mahindra Bank staff and of fraudulent practices, had accused Suhail Sameer (current chief executive, BharatPe) of siding with the investors to remove him from office. 

Following the allegations of financial irregularities under Grover, BharatPe engaged a law firm and risk advisory consultants to conduct a more detailed investigation. 

BharatPe first sacked Grover’s wife Madhuri Jain which was followed by Grover resigning and the company stripping him of the co-founder and other titles over alleged "extensive misappropriation of company funds" by "creating fake vendors" to siphon money and using "company expense accounts" to "enrich themselves and fund their lavish lifestyles. 

Breaking his silence over allegations of pushing out embattled Grover, Sameer had said that he did what was right for the company and investors, and to protect his reputation. 

On 7 April, Grover commented at the company for first quarterly de-growth along with maximum cash burn. 

So, I just heard BharatPe closed its first quarter of ‘degrowth’ and ‘maximum cash burn’ under able (sic) leadership of Rajnish Kumar and Suhail Sameer," Grover had tweeted. 

"Chaabi chheenna and hatti chalana do alag alag skills hai! Ab Nani yaad aayegi - markets are the ultimate test and truth," he had said.