Varun Chawla


Varun Chawla is an Indian entrepreneur and co-founder of 91springboard, a prominent co-working and startup community platform in India. He is also a co-founder of build3, a Goa-based startup studio that collaborates with early-stage ventures focused on social and environmental impact.

Early life and education

Chawla was born in Hyderabad, India, where his maternal grandparents lived, while his parents were residing in Saudi Arabia at the time. He spent his early childhood in Hyderabad and Saudi Arabia before moving to Delhi at the age of five, where he attended school. Chawla graduated from Cornell University in 2002 with a degree in Applied Economics and Management. He also studied philosophy and architecture during his time at Cornell.

Career

Investment Banking

After completing his studies, Chawla worked at Goldman Sachs in New York and Bengaluru.

Entrepreneurial Ventures

Chawla founded MyGuestHouse, a budget accommodation aggregator, in 2009. The company was acquired by MakeMyTrip in 2011.

91springboard

In 2012, Chawla co-founded 91springboard with Anand Vemuri and Pranay Gupta. The company expanded to multiple Indian cities and supported a large number of startups and businesses. Chawla stepped down from operational responsibilities at 91springboard in 2020.

build3

After leaving 91springboard, Chawla co-founded build3, a startup studio based in Goa that works with early-stage, impact-focused startups. The studio provides funding, mentorship, and operational support to ventures in sectors such as health, sustainability, and community living.

Awards and recognition

  • In 2015, 91springboard, co-founded by Chawla, was selected by Barclays as its partner for the Rise fintech innovation platform in Mumbai, marking Barclays' first such partnership in India.
  • In 2016, 91springboard was recognized as one of six world-class incubators in India under NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission.
  • In 2018, 91springboard was chosen by Google as the only Indian partner for the Google for Entrepreneurs program.
  • He has been recognized as an ambassador for the World Startup Report, representing the Indian startup ecosystem on a global platform.