SoftBank-backed Meesho has taken a significant step toward its public market debut by confidentially filing draft IPO papers with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). The move positions the Bengaluru-based startup to become one of India’s biggest internet IPOs in 2025, outpacing even its more established rival, Flipkart.
As per sources familiar with the development, Meesho plans to raise up to ₹4,250 crore in primary capital through the IPO. This figure does not include proceeds from the offer-for-sale (OFS) component, which will allow existing investors to sell a portion of their stake.
Combined with the OFS, Meesho's total IPO size is estimated to be around ₹8,500 crore. This would make it one of the largest public issues from a homegrown e-commerce company in recent years.
Meesho is reportedly planning to list on Indian stock exchanges between September and October 2025, subject to market conditions and regulatory approvals. The timing is strategic, aligning with the festive season when consumer-focused stocks typically gain traction among retail and institutional investors.
To manage the IPO process, Meesho has roped in a consortium of top global and Indian investment banks as advisors, including:
JP Morgan
Morgan Stanley
Citi
Kotak Mahindra Capital
Axis Capital
These advisors will oversee the book-building process, institutional investor roadshows, and regulatory compliance throughout the listing journey.
Meesho is using SEBI’s confidential filing route, a mechanism introduced in November 2022, that allows companies to privately submit draft documents without immediately disclosing them to the public. Under this route, the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) is reviewed by SEBI confidentially.
This process differs from the traditional IPO filing where the DRHP is made public as soon as it is submitted to the regulator.
Confidential filings offer several advantages for startups and high-growth companies like Meesho:
Greater flexibility to fine-tune offer size, structure, and timing based on investor feedback
More time for internal preparation, including financial audits and compliance
Reduced public scrutiny during early stages of the listing process
In a regular filing, SEBI’s approval is valid for 12 months post-final observations. However, for confidential filings, the approval window extends to 18 months, giving companies more room to align the IPO launch with favorable market conditions.
If Meesho successfully debuts in 2025, it will beat long-time rival Flipkart to the public markets. Flipkart, launched in 2007, is also preparing for an IPO, but its parent company Walmart is still finalizing a timeline.
Meesho’s IPO, therefore, would mark a milestone moment for Indian startups, as it becomes the first major horizontal e-commerce player to list publicly before Flipkart.
Founded in 2015, Meesho started as a platform for social commerce, enabling individuals and small businesses to resell products via WhatsApp and Facebook. Over time, it evolved into a zero-commission, direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform, targeting price-sensitive Indian consumers.
Meesho has raised funding from several marquee investors including:
SoftBank
Prosus Ventures
Facebook (now Meta)
Y Combinator
Its focus on Tier 2, Tier 3 cities and small sellers has helped it scale rapidly and build a large, loyal user base.
Conclusion
With a ₹8,500 crore IPO in the pipeline, Meesho is poised to make headlines as one of India’s top internet IPOs in 2025. Its decision to file confidentially with SEBI gives it more control over timing and disclosure, while also highlighting the evolving IPO ecosystem in India for startups.
Investors and market watchers will be closely tracking its progress over the next few months as Meesho moves closer to going public.