Key Highlights
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5,649 employees impacted across 20+ startups in just nine months
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Ola Electric tops the list with 1,000 layoffs
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Layoffs cut across EVs, e-commerce, gaming, fintech, SaaS, and content
Ola Electric Cuts 1,000 Roles
Leading the list is Ola Electric, which laid off 1,000 employees as part of a large restructuring. The EV leader, once seen as a symbol of India’s mobility shift, is now streamlining operations under intense competition and cost pressures.
Big Tech and SaaS Players Tighten Belts
Prominent startups across tech and SaaS also saw major cuts. Gupshup let go of 600 staff, while Head Digital Works and Ecom Express each cut 500 employees.
Even high-growth categories such as gaming (Games24x7, 400; Rebel Foods, 400) were not spared, pointing to profitability over scale becoming the new mantra.
Content, AgriTech, and Fintech Hit Hard
The layoff wave has hit multiple sectors:
- Verse Innovation (350)
- MPL and Otipy (300 each)
- PokerBaazi and Cars24 (200 each)
- BeepKart & Krutrim AI (150 each)
- Clear (fintech) (145)
- Ancommerce, Astra, and Zopper (100+ each)
The cuts reveal funding slowdowns and efficiency drives even at startups with strong brand presence.
Smaller Startups and Hidden Numbers
Smaller companies too have been affected—Pocket FM (75), Zoplar (45), Genwise (15), and CodeParrot AI (3). Several others including Ohm Mobility, BLIP, and O’Be have not disclosed figures, indicating the overall count could be higher than reported.
What It Means for India’s Startup Ecosystem
In total, 5,649 employees lost jobs in nine months, underscoring the shift from growth at all costs to sustainable, leaner business models. For employees, the message is clear: even high-growth sectors like EVs, gaming, and AI are not insulated from market realities.
With layoffs spreading across industries, 2025 is shaping up as a stress test for India’s startup ecosystem. The next phase will demand sharper focus on efficiency, cash flows, and long-term stability
