In numbers: How increasing exits signal a maturing startup ecosystem

Increasing exits and a simultaneous decrease in time taken to go public signal a maturing Indian startup ecosystem

Oct 01, 2025, 18:46 IST1 min
 With initial public offerings (IPOs) from firms like Urban Company and Swiggy being highly oversubscribed, the number of startup exits has steadily risen over the past few years. From a low of just 9 in 2018, the number of IPOs has risen, reaching 41 in 2023 and 46 in 2024. The first nine months of 2025 have already seen 24 IPOs.
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With initial public offerings (IPOs) from firms like Urban Company and Swiggy being highly oversubscribed, the number of startup exits has steadily risen over the past few years. From a low...
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The number of acquisitions, however, have been on a downward trend after reaching a high of 248 in 2021
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There is a dramatic decrease in the time it takes for a company to go public, from 23 years in 2019 to about 13 years in 2025
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Consumer-focussed companies have had the most public listings since 2016. Enterprise applications, fintech, and retail also feature prominently among the top sectors.
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The returns data for companies that went public in 2024 presents a mixed picture. While Digit Insurance showed strong price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 145.03, some well-known names like Swi...
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Average acquisition time for startups has more than doubled since 2016
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Along with a lengthening of acquisition time, median acquisition prices have also risen. Average prices have climbed to $18.5 million in 2025 so far.
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Some of 2024’s largest acquisitions underscore the market’s high valuations
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