Investing is no longer a solitary activity. It's social, it's competitive, and for StockGro, it's highly lucrative.
The Bengaluru-based social investment platform has successfully closed its Series B round, raising ₹150 Crore ($18M). The round saw participation from prominent investors, including market veteran Mukul Agrawal (Param Capital), signaling strong institutional confidence in the "Social Finance" thesis.
The Thesis: Learn, Play, Earn
Founded in 2020 by Ajay Lakhotia (formerly of Canaan Partners), StockGro cracked a code that many fintechs struggled with: engagement. While traditional brokers fight for transactions, StockGro fights for attention.
The platform allows users to build virtual portfolios, compete in trading leagues, and interact with experts—effectively gamifying stock market education. With over 30 million users, it has become the de-facto "gym" for India's new wave of retail investors before they step into the real arena.
"We are not just a trading platform; we are a community. This capital will help us democratize investment education and take our social-first model to the next level."
— Ajay Lakhotia, Founder & CEO
Strategic Deployment
Product Expansion
Launching new asset classes beyond equities, including F&O leagues and commodity trading simulations.
User Acquisition
Aggressive push into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, where financial literacy demand is highest but access is low.
FounderStory Takeaway
StockGro's success highlights a shift in Indian fintech: the move from access (Zero-brokerage apps) to insight (Social communities). In a volatile market, users don't just want a button to buy stocks; they want to know what to buy and why. By solving for the "why" through community and gamification, StockGro has built a moat that is hard to replicate.