Discussion on Employee Ownership Models in Indian Startups

Akshay Chaturvedi advocated for employee ownership models within the Indian startup ecosystem. Industry reports noted that while Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOPs) are now common across India’s new-age companies, ownership is not broadly shared among the workforce. A benchmark study of Series A startups found that 44% reported fewer than 1% of their employees were eligible for ESOPs.

ESOPs have transitioned from a perk for senior hires to a standard part of startup recruitment and talent retention in India. However, the reports indicate that despite the widespread adoption of ESOP schemes, actual ownership remains concentrated among founders, investors, and senior leadership.