Introduction
At the ET Startup Awards 2025, one name stood tall above the rest: Urban Company. The on-demand services giant was crowned Startup of the Year, reaffirming its role as India’s leading consumer internet leader in the home services market.
The award celebrates not just a decade of growth but also Urban Company’s resilience in navigating a fiercely competitive consumer tech landscape and setting new benchmarks for trust, quality, and scale.
The Journey: From UrbanClap to Urban Company
Founded in 2014 as UrbanClap, the startup was launched with a simple but ambitious vision: organize the unorganized services sector. At the time, Indians often struggled to find reliable professionals for household needs—from plumbers and electricians to beauty services.
UrbanClap rebranded as Urban Company in 2020, signaling its global ambitions. Over the past decade, it has:
- Expanded to 50+ cities in India and multiple international markets.
- Onboarded tens of thousands of service professionals.
- Built trust through strict vetting, background checks, and training.
- Introduced subscription models and app-based scheduling for convenience.
This combination of consumer trust and professional empowerment helped Urban Company become a household name.
Recognition at ET Startup Awards 2025
On September 1, 2025, the jury named Urban Company Startup of the Year, citing its ability to sustain growth over more than 10 years—an achievement rare in India’s volatile consumer internet space. The panel lauded Urban Company’s role as a consumer internet leader for bridging consumer convenience with professional empowerment.
Consumer Impact
Urban Company’s success has reshaped how millions of urban Indians interact with home services:
- Convenience: Booking a beautician, plumber, or cleaner now takes a few taps.
- Trust & Safety: Verified professionals and transparent pricing removed uncertainty.
- Quality Assurance: Continuous training ensures professionals meet consistent service standards.
For consumers, Urban Company has become synonymous with reliability—just as Swiggy is with food delivery or Ola with mobility.
Professional Empowerment
Beyond consumers, Urban Company has also revolutionized gig work in India. Service providers—many of whom previously operated in informal sectors—now gain:
- Stable income opportunities
- Skill training and certification
- Social security benefits (insurance, loans, financial inclusion)
This professional upliftment has been a cornerstone of its consumer internet leader model.
Industry and Expert Reactions
Market expert Shweta Kapoor remarked:
“Urban Company’s journey shows how to build a consumer internet giant rooted in trust. Its Startup of the Year win is well-deserved and a lesson for other marketplaces.”
Economist Dr. Rajiv Agarwal highlighted its macroeconomic role:
“By formalizing gig work, Urban Company not only benefits consumers but also contributes to urban employment and women’s workforce participation.”
Future Outlook
Looking ahead, Urban Company has ambitious plans:
- Service Expansion: Moving beyond home care into wellness, elder care, and corporate services.
- Global Growth: Tapping into Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern, and African markets.
- IPO Plans: Analysts speculate a potential stock market debut within 2–3 years.
- Tech Integration: Leveraging AI for scheduling, demand prediction, and quality assurance.
These moves could consolidate its position as a consumer internet leader, not just in India but globally.
Why the Award Matters
The recognition of Startup of the Year validates more than Urban Company’s business model. It highlights:
- The power of trust-based marketplaces.
- The importance of balancing consumer convenience with worker empowerment.
- The rare achievement of staying relevant and growing for over a decade in consumer tech.
Conclusion
Urban Company’s crowning as Startup of the Year 2025 cements its reputation as India’s premier consumer internet leader. From solving everyday household pain points to uplifting thousands of service professionals, it has built a model that blends profitability, social impact, and consumer delight.
In doing so, Urban Company hasn’t just won an award—it has written a playbook for the future of consumer internet businesses in India and beyond.
