A Founder’s Perspective on Building for the Long Term

For startup founders, rapid growth is often treated as the ultimate measure of success. But Snapdeal co-founder and investor Kunal Bahl offers a different perspective: sustainable businesses need strong fundamentals before they chase scale.

His philosophy can be summed up in the statement, “Strong fundamentals matter more than short-term growth.” The idea reflects an approach centred on resilience, calculated risk-taking and building businesses that can create lasting value.

From Snapdeal to Startup Investing

Kunal Bahl is an entrepreneur and investor best known as the co-founder of Snapdeal, which he launched with Rohit Bansal in 2010. The company initially started as a daily-deals platform before evolving into an e-commerce marketplace as India’s online retail ecosystem expanded.

Bahl’s journey with Snapdeal gave him firsthand experience of the opportunities and challenges that come with building a technology company in a highly competitive market.

His entrepreneurial career later expanded into early-stage investing and mentorship through Titan Capital, which supports startups across areas such as fintech, consumer technology, SaaS and other emerging sectors.

Why Fundamentals Matter

Bahl’s message is particularly relevant in an environment where startups can become heavily focused on metrics such as user growth, valuation and market share.

Short-term expansion can sometimes be driven by aggressive customer acquisition, heavy discounts or significant marketing expenditure. While such strategies may help a company grow quickly, they do not necessarily guarantee a sustainable business.

Strong fundamentals, on the other hand, include healthy unit economics, efficient operations, customer value, financial discipline and a clear path toward long-term sustainability.

For founders, this means understanding whether growth is creating genuine business value or simply increasing numbers temporarily.

Growth Should Follow, Not Replace, Business Strength

The lesson behind Bahl’s philosophy is not that startups should avoid growth. Instead, growth should be supported by a business model capable of sustaining it.

A company with strong fundamentals is better positioned to handle market changes, competition and periods when funding becomes harder to access. Building this foundation can also help founders make decisions based on long-term objectives rather than pressure to deliver immediate numbers.

A Lesson for the Next Generation of Founders

Bahl’s journey from building Snapdeal to backing emerging startups gives his perspective particular relevance for India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

For founders navigating uncertainty, the message is straightforward: scale can attract attention, but strong fundamentals create staying power.

In an ecosystem where speed often dominates conversations around startups, prioritising sustainable economics and operational strength can help businesses build value that lasts beyond short-term growth cycles.

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