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OYO Parent Oravel Stays Invites Public to Help Rename Company Ahead of IPO, Offers ₹3 Lakh Prize

• ByStartupStory     |    June 9, 2025

Gurugram-based global travel tech company Oravel Stays, the parent of OYO, is undergoing a major rebranding exercise ahead of its anticipated initial public offering (IPO). Founder and CEO Ritesh Agarwal has invited the public to suggest a new name for the company’s corporate entity, with the winning entry set to receive ₹3 lakh and a chance to meet him personally.

Announcing the initiative on Instagram, Agarwal clarified that the renaming pertains to the parent company, not the OYO hotel brand itself. “We’re renaming the corporate brand behind it all. Not the hotel chain, not a consumer product — but the parent company powering a global ecosystem of urban innovation and modern living,” he said.

What the New Name Should Reflect
The ideal name, according to Agarwal, should:

Be bold, one-word, and globally relevant

Avoid associations with any specific culture or language

Feel tech-forward, human, memorable, and scalable beyond hospitality

Ideally, have the .com domain available

The campaign is aimed at creatives, entrepreneurs, and branding experts, and entries will close soon.

Interestingly, sources cited by PTI indicated that the winning name could potentially be used for a new OYO app in development. This app would cater to the company’s premium and mid-market hotel offerings, a segment witnessing rapid growth both in India and globally.

IPO and Profitability Milestones
The renaming initiative aligns with OYO’s broader strategy to reposition itself in the lead-up to its planned IPO in the last quarter of FY25. As per PTI, five investment banks are expected to present OYO’s roadmap to key investor SoftBank at its London office this June.

The rebranding also comes on the heels of OYO’s announcement of turning the most profitable Indian startup. In a company-wide email sent in May, Agarwal shared that OYO had reported a profit after tax (PAT) of ₹623 crore for FY 2024–25, marking a 172% increase from ₹229 crore the previous year. The company also posted an adjusted EBITDA of ₹1,132 crore, its tenth consecutive quarter of EBITDA profitability.

Looking Ahead

With a new identity in the works and a public listing on the horizon, OYO appears to be reimagining itself not just as a hospitality disruptor, but as a broader platform for urban innovation. As Agarwal put it, “We believe it’s time the world had a new kind of global brand — born in India, but built for the world.”

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