Ecommerce

ONDC Onboards Unicorns and Startups, Boosting Digital Commerce Accessibility


The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), established to democratize e-commerce and expand digital market access to smaller players, announced the onboarding of 125 ecosystem stakeholders on Thursday. This includes a mix of startups and some of India’s most renowned unicorns.

Among the prominent unicorns that have signed Letters of Intent (LoI) to partner with ONDC are Zerodha, EaseMyTrip, Pristyn Care, Cars24, Physics Wallah, PolicyBazaar, OfBusiness, Winzo, Livspace, and GlobalBees. This move is set to provide startups with enhanced market access and aims to deliver a broader range of choices and value to consumers.

“This collaboration is meant to ensure that startups can access the network and, in turn, the market. The idea is to offer a wider choice and better value to consumers,” stated Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary of the Department of Industry and Internal Trade, during the ONDC Startup Mahotsav held on Thursday. The hybrid event saw the participation of 5,000 startups.

Unicorn representatives expressed optimism about the partnership with ONDC, aiming to extend their reach into smaller towns that remain underserved by traditional e-commerce platforms. This collaboration is anticipated to open doors for local businesses in these areas, providing them with greater opportunities through partnerships with startups and unicorns.

Addressing concerns about the potential overshadowing of smaller players by larger startups, Singh remarked, “We hope that it will increasingly gain traction for all types of players. The intent is noble, and we will work on resolving any issues related to market concentration as they arise.”

Launched in 2021, ONDC has seen significant growth, onboarding over 500,000 sellers, with more than 70% being small or medium-sized. In April 2024 alone, ONDC facilitated approximately 7.22 million transactions.

The onboarding of startups marks a confluence of two major government initiatives — ONDC and the Startup India Initiative. Launched in 2016, the Startup India initiative aims to support entrepreneurs and build a robust startup ecosystem in the country. From around 300 startups in 2016, India now boasts over 130,000 DPIIT-recognized startups across more than 55 sectors, creating over 130,000 direct jobs.

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