May 2026 | Startup Story | India – India’s startup ecosystem is witnessing a new wave of founders solving real Bharat-scale problems, and one such story is that of Shrey Bansal and Shubham Periwal—the duo behind JobsUPI.
Their idea is simple yet powerful:
👉 If payments can happen instantly via UPI, why can’t jobs be accessed just as quickly?
The Big Idea: “Quick Commerce for Jobs”
JobsUPI is built on a bold concept—bringing the speed and simplicity of UPI to hiring, especially for blue-collar and gig workers.
Instead of long job searches and fragmented platforms, the startup aims to:
- Enable job discovery in minutes
- Connect workers to hyperlocal opportunities
- Use voice + multilingual interfaces for accessibility
The goal is not just a job platform—but employment infrastructure for India.
The Origin: A Realisation Abroad
The idea for JobsUPI didn’t begin in India—it took shape while Shrey and Shubham were living overseas around 2016.
During that time, they observed a striking contrast:
- India was rapidly digitising payments through UPI
- But employment access for millions remained slow, fragmented, and inefficient
This insight became the foundation of their mission:
👉 Access to livelihood should not depend on location, language, or literacy
Mission: Building for “Viksit Bharat”
When the founders returned to India, they aligned their vision with a larger national narrative—Viksit Bharat (Developed India).
Their focus:
- Solve for the next billion users
- Build for non-English, non-urban audiences
- Create systems that work at scale, not just for the elite
Instead of launching another job portal, they set out to build a foundational layer for employment.
From Idea to Execution: The 2025 Launch
In early 2025, Shrey Bansal and Shubham Periwal officially launched JobsUPI.
Their key insight:
👉 A tea can be paid for in seconds using UPI
👉 But finding a job still takes days or weeks
This gap led to the creation of a “Unified Interface for Jobs”
Early Validation: Hackathon Breakthrough
One of the first major milestones came when the founders participated in a hackathon organised by:
- Deshpande Startups
- EkStep Foundation
Out of 100+ teams, they:
- Won first prize
- Secured a ₹1 lakh grant
More importantly, their multilingual and voice-first approach received strong validation from experts.
Scaling with Support: IIMA Ventures
The startup was later selected for the Bharat Inclusion Initiative by IIMA Ventures.
This played a crucial role in:
- Refining the product
- Building scalable architecture
- Getting mentorship for real-world deployment
It helped transition JobsUPI from a concept to a market-ready platform.
Funding Milestone: $250K Pre-Seed Round
On May 6, 2026, JobsUPI raised $250,000 in a pre-seed round led by IIMA Ventures.
The round also saw participation from notable ecosystem leaders:
- Alok Bansal
- Anshoo Sharma
- Amit Jain
This mix of investors reflects strong belief in both the problem and the founders’ execution capability.
Why Investors Are Betting on JobsUPI
The 30-Minute Hiring Vision
Using voice AI, the platform aims to enable job matching within minutes, removing barriers like literacy and app complexity.
Hyperlocal Focus
Targeting 4.5 crore MSMEs, JobsUPI solves for businesses that need workers immediately—not after long hiring cycles.
Open Network Approach
Built as an open system, the platform aspires to become the ONDC-like layer for employment.
Current Focus & Future Plans
The startup is currently focused on:
- North India expansion
- Strengthening its voice AI capabilities
- Building deeper MSME partnerships
Long-Term Vision
👉 Unlock 100 million job opportunities across India
The Bigger Insight
The JobsUPI story reflects a larger shift in Indian startups:
- From apps → infrastructure
- From urban users → Bharat users
- From convenience → access
Conclusion
From a conversation abroad to a funded startup solving one of India’s biggest challenges, the journey of Shrey Bansal and Shubham Periwal shows how simple ideas, when executed well, can unlock massive impact.
If successful, JobsUPI could do for jobs what UPI did for payments—
👉 Make them fast, accessible, and universal
Ruchi Kumar is the associate editor at Entrepreneur News Network and TVW News India, where she leads editorial strategy, brand storytelling, and startup ecosystem coverage. With a strong focus on innovation, business, and marketing insights, he curates impactful narratives that spotlight India’s evolving entrepreneurial landscape. She has written extensively on fintech, AI and emerging startups.