The Start-Up Code

Seasoned entrepreneur and investor Mukesh Bansal delivers a masterclass on the art of building successful start-ups

Building a company from scratch is a risky business, with a very high chance of failure. But it is also one of the most rewarding life experiences, with an incredibly high learning curve. Mukesh Bansal draws on over two decades of first-hand experience to reveal the hard-won lessons that turn ambitious ideas into thriving enterprises. Through riveting stories and real-world case studies, he demystifies the entrepreneurial journey, guiding readers from the initial spark of inspiration to scaling a high-growth business.

In this book, discover your ‘why', the importance of achieving product-market fit and how to foster a resilient company culture. Learn to navigate the complexities of funding, execution and growth strategies while gaining candid insights into why many start-ups fail. In the treacherous landscape of building a business, one has to survive the inevitable challenges, and Bansal confronts this harsh reality, while offering readers a method to the madness.

The Start-Up Code is more than just a guide―it’s your road map to transforming bold ideas into enduring success. Whether you’re a fledgling entrepreneur or a corporate leader aiming to ignite innovation within your organization, Bansal’s practical frameworks and proven strategies will empower you to dramatically improve your odds of success.

MUKESH BANSAL is a computer science engineer from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. After working in multiple early-stage start-ups in Silicon Valley, he returned to India to become a part of the first generation of tech entrepreneurs in the country. Bansal founded India’s largest fashion retailer, Myntra, and headed the ecommerce division for Flipkart after a highly successful acquisition. He is the co-founder and chairman of CureFit Healthcare Pvt. Ltd, where he is involved in building a next-generation health platform that makes holistic health easy and accessible.

Bansal is also an active investor in the Indian start-up ecosystem via his venture studio, Meraki Labs. His investments include Groww and Skyroot. His latest venture is Nurix, a generative artificial intelligence (AI) company focused on deploying enterprise grade AI agents. Bansal also hosts Sparx, a podcast in which he explores the latest research, strategies and insights for maximizing human potential. This is his third book.