Pulkit Agrawal, the co-founder and former CEO of Trell, emerged as a key architect of India’s social commerce movement. With a bold vision to bridge the gap between lifestyle content and online shopping, Agrawal helped create a platform that reshaped how young Indians, particularly from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, discover and purchase products. His journey with Trell reflects the vast potential—and occasional pitfalls—of India’s rapidly evolving digital economy.

Engineering Roots and Entrepreneurial Spark

Pulkit Agrawal’s foundation in technology began at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, where he studied engineering. Known for its culture of innovation and entrepreneurial encouragement, IIT Bombay played a key role in shaping Agrawal’s ambitions. During his student years, he developed a strong interest in building scalable consumer tech solutions—a drive that would later materialize into Trell.

Building Trell: From Travel Stories to Social Commerce

Trell began in 2017 as a travel-sharing app. Along with co-founders Bimal Kartheek Rebba, Prashant Sachan, and Arun Lodhi, Agrawal launched Trell to help users share their travel experiences through video-based storytelling. The idea was to create a vibrant community of storytellers and explorers.

However, by 2019, a clear market shift in India had emerged. Short-form content was booming, regional influencers were rising, and video consumption had skyrocketed—largely driven by Jio’s affordable data revolution and smartphone penetration. Sensing an opportunity, Trell pivoted into a lifestyle and social commerce platform.

The revamped Trell allowed creators to recommend products in categories like beauty, wellness, and fashion through video content, enabling users to purchase directly from the app. This creator-led discovery model became a hit with India’s aspirational youth.

Scaling the Platform

Trell’s rapid growth was impressive:

• Over 100 million app downloads by 2021.
• Active presence in multiple Indian languages, empowering regional content creators.
• Strategic brand collaborations with D2C companies to integrate shoppable content.
• Strong traction in vernacular and influencer-led markets, a segment underpenetrated by giants like Amazon and Flipkart.

Agrawal’s product vision and deep consumer insight helped Trell become India’s leading lifestyle content commerce app, positioning it as a formidable player in the growing social commerce space.

Challenges and Corporate Governance Controversy

Despite its momentum, Trell encountered a significant crisis in 2022. Reports surfaced of corporate governance lapses and alleged financial irregularities. The turmoil triggered a wave of investor concerns, prompting audits, internal investigations, and board-level scrutiny.

The controversy led to a management reshuffle, with Agrawal stepping down as CEO. While the startup continued its operations, the scandal marked a turning point, underscoring the need for stronger governance mechanisms in fast-growing Indian startups.

Pulkit Agrawal’s Legacy in India’s Digital Commerce

Although Agrawal exited Trell’s leadership, his influence on India’s creator economy and social commerce remains foundational. He was among the earliest to recognize the power of content-driven commerce—a model now embraced by global platforms such as Instagram Shopping and YouTube Shorts.

Agrawal’s ability to integrate video storytelling, product discovery, and regional content helped Trell tap into India’s next billion digital users. His blueprint of enabling influencer monetization through commerce paved the way for future innovations in this space.

What’s Next for Pulkit Agrawal?

Agrawal’s next chapter is still unfolding. Industry insiders suggest he remains active in the startup ecosystem, with interests ranging from early-stage investing to launching new ventures. With deep experience in product, growth, and digital consumer behavior, his future projects are likely to draw investor attention.

As India’s digital commerce ecosystem matures—with ONDC, D2C brands, and AI-led personalization at the forefront—entrepreneurs like Agrawal remain vital to driving innovation and consumer engagement.

Conclusion

Pulkit Agrawal’s journey with Trell is a tale of audacious innovation, rapid scaling, and the complex realities of startup leadership. From a simple travel-sharing idea to building a 100-million-user social commerce platform, his vision redefined how Indians shop through content.

While Trell’s governance issues marked a difficult chapter, its impact on lifestyle commerce and influencer monetization remains undeniable. As Agrawal forges ahead into new ventures, his experience stands as both a case study and a source of inspiration for India’s next generation of digital entrepreneurs.