👓 The Shark Who Bet on Vision: Peyush Bansal’s ₹824 Crore Payday
Lenskart, India’s most recognizable eyewear brand and one of the country’s top unicorns, is heading to the public markets — and its founder Peyush Bansal is about to make history again.
The Lenskart IPO will open on October 31, and as part of the Offer for Sale (OFS), Bansal will sell 2.05 crore shares, netting an estimated ₹824 crore payout.
Even after this massive exit, he will continue to hold 8.78% of the company’s stake — reaffirming his long-term confidence in the brand he built from scratch.
📈 From Microsoft Employee to Multi-Crore Founder
Before Lenskart, Bansal was just another bright Indian engineer working at Microsoft in Canada.
But in 2010, he made a bold choice: quit his high-paying job, come back to India, and build something that solved a real problem.
At that time, eyewear retail in India was completely unorganized — expensive frames, outdated styles, and zero convenience.
That’s when Peyush Bansal launched Lenskart, with a simple idea:
“Why can’t buying glasses be as easy and exciting as buying a smartphone?”
🚫 The Rejections Before the Revolution
In the early days, most investors rejected his idea.
“Who buys glasses online?” they laughed.But Bansal believed in the power of digital retail — and customer trust.
He worked relentlessly to build supply chains, train optometrists, and open experience stores across India.From a small startup with 5 employees, Lenskart has grown into a global eyewear powerhouse with over 2,000 stores across India, UAE, Singapore, and beyond.
💰 The Big Numbers — Lenskart’s IPO & Peyush’s Payout
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| IPO Opening Date | October 31, 2025 |
| Founder’s Shares Sold | 2.05 crore |
| Founder’s Earnings (OFS) | ₹824 crore |
| Stake Retained | 8.78% |
| Return on Investment (ROI) | 2,061% |
| Valuation | ~$5 billion (approx ₹41,000 crore)** |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Gurugram, India |
| Investors | SoftBank, Temasek, Premji Invest, KKR, TPG |
🌍 Lenskart’s Vision: Beyond India
Over the years, Lenskart has expanded globally — entering Singapore, UAE, and Middle East markets, acquiring brands like Owndays, and investing in futuristic eyewear technologies.
It’s not just India’s biggest eyewear brand — it’s now among the top five eyewear companies globally, competing with legacy players like Ray-Ban and Warby Parker.
💬 What Peyush Bansal Stands For
The man who once risked everything for an idea now stands as one of India’s most respected founder-CEOs.
Known for his humility and sharp business instincts, Peyush continues to inspire millions through Shark Tank India, where he invests in new founders with the same faith he once had in himself.
“Entrepreneurship is not about money. It’s about making vision a reality — literally, in my case,” he often jokes.
💡 KaroStartup Takeaway: The Real ROI Is Resilience
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Peyush Bansal didn’t just build an eyewear brand.
He built India’s confidence in homegrown D2C innovation. -
He proved that India’s next billion-dollar startups won’t just come from code — but from solving real Bharat problems.
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And his 2,061% return isn’t just financial — it’s emotional. It’s proof that conviction compounds faster than capital.