Flipkart’s $16 billion Walmart deal left co-founder Sachin Bansal with one regret: ‘Unfinished business'

Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal has opened up about his dissatisfaction with his 2018 exit from the e-commerce giant, calling it “unfinished business.” Speaking at Startup Mahakumbh, Bansal revealed that his departure—following Walmart’s $16 billion acquisition of Flipkart—was unplanned and emotionally challenging.  

Reflecting on his exit, Bansal—who sold his entire stake in the company he co-founded with Binny Bansal in 2007—admitted that it left him with a lingering sense of incompletion.  

Bansal cited strategic disagreements with Flipkart’s board after Walmart’s takeover as a key reason for his departure. According to him, the company’s focus shifted from long-term innovation to short-term, sales-driven growth. “After the acquisition, I felt the long-term vision was being sidelined. Flipkart (under Walmart) stopped investing in the future and started chasing events,” he said.  

However, Bansal’s entrepreneurial ambitions did not end with Flipkart. He channeled his energy into building Navi, a digital-first financial services platform aimed at simplifying access to credit, insurance, and investments for India’s growing middle class.  

Launched in 2018, Navi has steadily expanded its offerings—ranging from instant personal loans and health insurance to mutual fund investments—targeting underserved segments through technology-driven solutions.

Bansal sees Navi as the continuation of his ambition to build a large-scale, impactful platform. His goal of reaching a billion people did not fade with Flipkart and now drives his efforts at Navi.  

While Binny Bansal also exited Flipkart in 2023, Sachin’s emotional connection to the brand remains strong. Yet, his focus is firmly on the future: building Navi into a formidable force in India’s fintech landscape.

Last year, Navi Finserv announced plans to raise up to ₹600 crore through the public issuance of non-convertible debentures (NCDs) to fund business growth. The NCDs were offered with tenors of 18, 27, and 36 months, providing yields between 10.47% and 11.19% per annum.  

Additionally, for the fiscal year ending March 2024, Navi Finserv reported a 48.6% increase in scale, leading to a 49% rise in operating profits, reaching ₹155 crore. However, the company also faced significant loan write-offs, totaling ₹406 crore during the same period.