In a move that reinforces its commitment to employee wealth creation and long-term value sharing, Darwinbox, one of India’s fastest-growing HR tech unicorns, has successfully completed an ₹86-crore ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) buyback. The buyback involved 350 current and former employees, offering them a chance to liquidate part of their stock options and benefit directly from the company’s growth.
Empowering Employees Through Wealth Creation
Darwinbox, which provides a cloud-based human capital management (HCM) platform, has become a go-to HR tech solution for over 850+ enterprises across Asia. The startup’s end-to-end HR suite is used by companies such as Tata, Adani, JSW, Mahindra, and Kotak to manage recruitment, payroll, employee engagement, and performance management.
This latest ESOP liquidity event comes as a reward to employees who have contributed to Darwinbox’s exponential rise and serves as a financial milestone for many team members.
Buyback Highlights
- Total Buyback Size: ₹86 crore
- Number of Employees Benefiting: 350 (including former employees)
- Eligibility: Based on vested stock options
- Objective: To reward employee contributions and promote long-term value alignment
The company clarified that this buyback is part of its ongoing mission to make employees co-owners in the journey and create real financial outcomes for those driving the company’s success.
Leadership Speaks
Commenting on the buyback, Darwinbox’s Co-founder and CEO Jayant Paleti said:
“We firmly believe our people are our greatest asset. This buyback is a small token of appreciation for the phenomenal work our team has done. We are committed to building a culture of ownership, trust, and shared success.”
This marks Darwinbox’s second ESOP buyback and demonstrates its commitment to inclusive wealth creation, especially at a time when startups are under increasing scrutiny for delivering real value to employees—not just paper equity.
A Growing Trend in Indian Startups
Darwinbox’s move aligns with a broader trend among Indian startups, where ESOP buybacks are gaining popularity as a tool for retention, motivation, and employer branding. Companies such as Zerodha, Swiggy, Razorpay, and Cred have also made headlines for conducting multi-crore buybacks in recent years.
Such initiatives reflect a maturing ecosystem where employees are not only seen as contributors but as stakeholders in the company’s financial success.
In conclusion,
Darwinbox’s ₹86-crore ESOP buyback highlights its strong growth trajectory and deep respect for its workforce. As the company continues to scale and innovate in the HR tech space, this move sets an inspiring precedent for employee-centric policies in India’s startup landscape.
