Flipkart hires startup Dunzo to spearhead the push

Flipkart has hired Kabeer Biswas, India co-founder of Dunzo, as Walmart’s e-commerce group expands its fast-growing business in the world’s most populous country.

Biswas will lead Flipkart’s fast-paced business, called Flipkart Minutesa source familiar with the matter told TechCrunch. The move follows Flipkart’s deal with Biswas possible access to the startup that started last yearTechCrunch first reported it.

The talks fell through due to ownership issues with Dunzo, which counts Reliance Retail as one of its biggest sponsors. Reliance has given up everything but Dunzo has written in sections since then.

The fast-paced business model – delivering products to customers within 10 to 15 minutes – has not worked in many countries around the world, but it is thriving in India, where retailers and online companies, from the food delivery giant Swiggy to. Online jewelry platform Nykaa, and improving their natural resources for faster delivery.

Zomato-owned BlinkIt, Swiggy-owned Instamart and Nexus-backed Zepto currently lead the fast-paced e-commerce market in India, but that hasn’t stopped other big players from entering the fray. Flipkart launched Minutes last year. Amazon began testing its products quickly in the country last month.

Flipkart is expanding its business rapidly, using it as a way to reach consumers in urban India, where Amazon has remained a strong presence. The Bengaluru-based company has already set up more than 100 darkrooms, warehouses and residential units, and is selling high-end electronic products including laptops and mobile phones, investment firm Jefferies said in a report this month.

Dunzo – founded in 2014 – was one of the first startups to explore instant marketing. Backed by the likes of Google, Blume Ventures and Lightbox, it had ambitions to boost the e-commerce sector in the country and bring it to consumers within half an hour. But the startup, which raised $500 million in funding, has not fared well as competition has intensified.

Biswas has also explored other projects in recent months with previous team members, pitching various proposals to VCs, including Peak XV, according to people familiar with the discussions.