Building a thriving startup is a challenging endeavor, yet these five Odia entrepreneurs have not only succeeded but are also pushing the limits of innovation. After establishing impactful companies on a national scale, they are embarking on new ventures and tackling fresh challenges. Here’s a look at five Odia startup founders who have made their mark and are now pursuing exciting new projects.

Srikumar Misra, renowned for founding Milk Mantra, a dairy startup, is now venturing into the future of finance and technology. Following the acquisition of Milk Mantra by HatsunAgro Product Ltd for Rs 233 crore in 2025, he is now focused on Aarna Protocol, a Singapore-based platform that integrates decentralized finance with AI for autonomous asset management solutions.

After co-founding Explara in 2008, a platform for event ticketing and management, Santosh Panda is now dedicated to nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs. With a background at global firms like eBay and BBC Broadcast, he transformed Explara into a leading platform for event organizers. Currently, he is mentoring and investing in early-stage startups through his latest venture, Foundership, a global accelerator VC focused on AI, Web3, and emerging technologies.

Subrat Kar gained recognition as the co-founder of Vidooly, a video analytics platform that revolutionized how Indian content creators and brands assess video performance. After the platform was acquired by The Good Glamm Group, he is now at the helm of MotorFloor, an online marketplace for commercial vehicles, aiming to streamline the purchasing process for trucks, tractors, buses, and electric vehicles across India.

Sitakanta Ray, co-founder of MySmartPrice, a leading price comparison platform, exited the company in 2019. His new venture, RetainIQ, focuses on enhancing customer engagement for e-commerce brands by personalizing email and MMS marketing based on real-time triggers such as user behavior and location.

Sibasish Mishra, a serial entrepreneur from Odisha, is recognized for founding BookingJini, a hospitality SaaS platform that supports thousands of hotels. Launched in 2017, BookingJini offers cloud-based solutions to enhance direct bookings and streamline hotel operations. Before this, he had a background in banking and was the founder of 5 Elements.

These five Odia entrepreneurs have already demonstrated their capabilities by establishing successful businesses, and they are now boldly pursuing new challenges. Their ongoing journeys serve as a source of inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs everywhere.