Mukesh Bansal’s story is an inspiring story. He co-founded Cure.fit in May 2016 in Bangalore, India, with a vision to redefine how people approach health and fitness. As of 2025, Cure.fit (now popularly known as Cult.fit) is valued at approximately $1.5 billion USD, serving over 1.2 million active members across India and other regions. The company tackles India’s fragmented wellness ecosystem by offering a one-stop solution for fitness, nutrition, mental well-being, and primary care. By combining tech-enabled offline fitness centers, healthy meal subscriptions, and telehealth services, Cure.fit aims to make holistic health accessible and enjoyable.
Basic Details
| Origin Country | India |
| Legal Name | Curefit Healthcare Private Limited |
| Brand | Cult.fit |
| Founder | Mukesh Bansal |
| Co-Founder | Ankit Nagori |
| CEO | Naresh Krishnaswamy (2025) |
| Industry | Healthcare |
| Website | www.cult.fit |
| Year of Founding | May 2016 |
| Valuation | $1.5 billion USD (2025) |
| Employees | ~3,000 (2025) |
| Headquarters | Bangalore, Karnataka, India |
| Status | Active |
FOUNDER OVERVIEW – MUKESH BANSAL
➤ Net Worth (2025)
Mukesh Bansal’s estimated net worth in 2025 is around $200 million USD. This primarily comes from his significant equity stake in Cure.fit, combined with returns from Myntra’s successful acquisition and other startup investments.
➤ Ownership in Company
Mukesh Bansal holds an estimated 10–11% stake in Cure.fit as of 2025. He is known for drawing a modest, market-aligned salary and reinvesting earnings to expand services. His financial philosophy leans towards building sustainable businesses and empowering teams rather than chasing flashy valuations.
➤ Ventures Founded
Myntra (2007): India’s leading online fashion and lifestyle platform, which he scaled into a market leader before its acquisition by Flipkart in 2014.
Cure.fit (2016): A holistic health and wellness ecosystem blending fitness, nutrition, mental wellness, and medical care.
Meraki Labs (2020): A venture studio and investment arm supporting new-age tech and health startups, promoting bold ideas in consumer tech.
➤ Investments
Mukesh has invested in emerging startups, primarily focusing on consumer tech, health-tech, and education. He supports founders with mentorship and strategic insights. Some known investments include early-stage funding in companies like Groww (investment platform) and Skyroot Aerospace (private space tech).
➤ Recognition & Awards
- Distinguished Alumnus Award, IIT Kanpur (2021)
- Named in Fortune India 40 Under 40 (Multiple Years)
- Featured in the BoF 500 list for his impact on India’s fashion and retail sector through Myntra.
PERSONAL STORY: MUKESH BANSAL
Mukesh Bansal was born in September 1975 in Haridwar, a sacred city by the Ganga in Uttarakhand, India. Coming from a middle-class family rooted in traditional values, he grew up learning the importance of hard work and education. His father, a government employee, and his mother, a homemaker, nurtured a close-knit, supportive home where curiosity and learning were encouraged.
As a child, Mukesh was fascinated by science and problem-solving. His school years were marked by academic diligence and a quiet determination to do something meaningful. Getting into the prestigious IIT Kanpur was a turning point, giving him a solid technical foundation and a peer circle that fueled his entrepreneurial dreams.
Before stepping into the startup world, Mukesh worked as a System Analyst at Deloitte in Chicago and later moved through various tech roles in Silicon Valley during the early 2000s. These years exposed him to the vibrant energy of the tech startup ecosystem, planting the seeds for his own ventures back in India.
Mukesh’s life was not without challenges. Leaving a stable career abroad to return to India and start Myntra from scratch was a risk that came with moments of self-doubt and financial pressure. Balancing family responsibilities while managing the intense demands of startup life tested his resilience. Yet, every struggle strengthened his resolve to build businesses that solve real problems.
His journey has shaped a philosophy rooted in humility, learning, and leading by example. Even today, despite his success, Mukesh is known to keep a low profile, focusing more on building impactful products and teams than seeking the limelight. His personal experiences — from small-town beginnings to Silicon Valley and back — have instilled in him a unique mix of global vision and local execution.
FOUNDING STORY: CURE.FIT
Inspiration Behind the Idea
Mukesh Bansal’s inspiration for Cure.fit was deeply personal and practical. After years of relentless work building Myntra and leading Flipkart’s commerce division, Mukesh faced burnout and a realization: while India’s urban youth had access to global fashion, there was still no modern, organized way to take care of one’s overall health and fitness. He noticed people juggling between gyms, nutritionists, yoga studios, and doctors, without a unified system to tie it all together. This fragmented approach inspired him to build an integrated health platform that made fitness fun, accessible, and part of everyday life.
In May 2016, in Bangalore — India’s buzzing startup capital — Mukesh, along with co-founder Ankit Nagori, laid the foundation of Cure.fit to revolutionize preventive healthcare through technology and community-led experiences.
Founding Team
Ankit Nagori, Mukesh’s trusted colleague from Flipkart, joined him in this ambitious venture. The duo brought complementary skills: Mukesh’s product mindset and deep execution discipline paired perfectly with Ankit’s operational sharpness and strategic thinking. Together, they envisioned a brand that could scale physical fitness centers, online classes, healthy food delivery, and mental wellness, all under a single app.
Early team members were hand-picked for their passion rather than just resumes. Many ex-Flipkart employees joined them, forming a close-knit core team bound by mutual trust and a shared dream to redefine India’s approach to health.
Starting Capital
Unlike many bootstrapped ventures, Cure.fit began with a clear plan to scale fast. Mukesh and Ankit raised an initial seed round backed by personal investments, contributions from close networks, and early venture capital support. Mukesh also invested a portion of his Myntra earnings into the venture, demonstrating strong personal commitment. This willingness to back his own idea financially gave early investors confidence in the scale and seriousness of their vision.
Building Cult.fit studios, setting up kitchens for Eat.fit, and developing a robust tech backbone demanded significant upfront capital. Mukesh chose to take calculated risks, often prioritizing growth over short-term profitability in the initial years.
Challenges
Building Cure.fit wasn’t a smooth sprint. At the start, finding suitable real estate for large-scale fitness studios in crowded Indian cities posed logistical nightmares. Managing food operations at scale for Eat.fit brought its own complexities: from sourcing fresh ingredients to ensuring consistent taste across cities. Convincing customers to trust an all-in-one health brand when each vertical — fitness, food, mental wellness — already had niche players was another uphill task.
Internally, the team had to continuously juggle multiple business lines under one roof while maintaining the quality and brand promise. Mukesh often worked 16-hour days, spending mornings at Cult.fit centers interacting with trainers, afternoons with the tech and product teams, and evenings with investors or strategists.
Adding to these hurdles, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 tested Cure.fit’s resilience like never before. Physical studios had to shut overnight, revenues took a massive hit, and the team had to pivot to digital workouts and online doctor consultations almost immediately. Mukesh’s clear-headed leadership and the team’s adaptability turned this crisis into an opportunity — digital subscriptions and virtual classes exploded, laying the foundation for a robust online fitness ecosystem.
Breakthrough
The first big breakthrough came when Cult.fit centers, with their vibrant community vibe and expert-led group classes, began seeing repeat customers and word-of-mouth growth. People loved the idea of working out in premium spaces with energetic trainers and a playlist that felt more like a dance party than a workout.
Simultaneously, Eat.fit’s meal plans became popular among busy urban professionals seeking clean, tasty food options. This dual success helped establish Cure.fit as more than just a gym — it became a lifestyle.
Investor trust grew as revenue streams diversified and customer stickiness improved. Over time, strategic acquisitions of local fitness chains and wellness startups strengthened Cure.fit’s physical footprint across India.
By 2025, Cure.fit (now Cult.fit) stands as India’s largest holistic health platform — an idea born out of one man’s quest to simplify wellness for millions. Mukesh Bansal’s belief in solving real-life problems, coupled with relentless execution, continues to push the company into new frontiers of preventive healthcare.
COMPANY PROFILE: CURE.FIT
Cure.fit, now popularly branded as Cult.fit, is India’s pioneering health and wellness platform delivering a holistic approach to physical fitness, nutrition, mental well-being, and primary healthcare. Founded in 2016 by Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori, the company’s mission is to make healthy living easy and enjoyable for everyone, everywhere.
Area Served
Primarily serving urban India with a growing footprint in tier-2 cities, Cult.fit has also expanded its online offerings globally through its app, reaching millions with digital fitness classes and telehealth services.
Vision & Mission
Vision: To make health and fitness a seamless part of everyone’s daily routine.
Mission: To build an integrated ecosystem covering all aspects of preventive and primary healthcare under one trusted brand.
Services / Products Offered
- Cult.fit: Premium fitness centers offering group workouts, personal training, and sports programs.
- Eat.fit: Healthy meal subscriptions and ready-to-eat products.
- Mind.fit: Yoga, meditation, and mental well-being sessions.
- Care.fit: Online and offline consultations for primary healthcare and diagnostics.
- Cult.Live: Online workout sessions and wellness content for remote users.
Business Model
Cult.fit operates on an omni-channel model. It monetizes through subscription plans for fitness centers and online workouts, meal delivery revenues, and consultation fees for Care.fit services. Strategic tie-ups with corporates, schools, and wellness partners further broaden its customer base.
Revenue Model
Cure.fit earns revenue through multiple sources, which makes the business stable and less dependent on a single line of income. Here’s a clear breakdown:
1. Cult.fit Memberships (Fitness Centers)
Customers pay for access to Cult.fit’s fitness centers and studios. They can choose plans that are monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or yearly. Some members also pay extra for personal training or specialty classes like boxing, strength training, dance, or sports coaching. This brings predictable income because members often renew.
2. Cult.Live and Mind.fit Subscriptions (Online Workouts and Mental Well-being)
This part covers the digital side of Cure.fit. People subscribe to online workout videos, live training sessions, yoga, and meditation through the app. There is a free version with basic access, but many users upgrade to paid subscriptions for premium content and live classes. This revenue stream is highly scalable because more users do not add much extra cost.
3. Eat.fit (Healthy Food Delivery)
Eat.fit prepares and delivers healthy meals for daily consumption at home or work. Customers can order individual meals or subscribe to meal plans for a week or month. Eat.fit operates its own kitchens in key cities and sometimes partners with restaurants to reach more areas. Many offices also use Eat.fit for team meals or cafeteria supply.
4. Care.fit (Healthcare Services)
Care.fit offers primary healthcare services including doctor consultations, health check-ups, and lab tests. Customers can pay per consultation or buy annual health packages. Corporate companies also partner with Care.fit to offer these services as employee health benefits.
5. Other Revenue
Additional income comes from selling branded fitness gear, workout equipment, and healthy snacks. Cure.fit also organises large fitness events and community challenges. Corporate wellness programs, which provide fitness and health services to companies, add another revenue line.
Market Landscape & Competitors
Cult.fit competes with local gyms, boutique fitness studios, standalone healthy meal brands, mental health apps, and primary healthcare clinics. Key competitors include Gold’s Gym India, Urban Company’s fitness services, Fittr, and emerging nutrition startups. However, its integrated ecosystem and brand trust provide a defensible edge.
USP (Unique Selling Proposition)
Cult.fit’s biggest differentiator is its “one-stop-shop” for health — blending physical spaces, digital services, expert content, and community engagement into a single app. This integrated experience reduces customer churn and builds strong brand loyalty.
Growth Highlights
- Expanded to 250+ Cult.fit centers across 20+ Indian cities by 2025.
- Over 1.2 million paying members.
- Significant growth in online fitness subscriptions during and post-pandemic.
- Strategic acquisitions strengthened its studio network and tech stack.
- Consistent backing by marquee investors, including Accel, Temasek, and Tata Digital.
Funding & Investment History
Cure.fit has raised over $655 million across multiple rounds. Major rounds include Series A from Accel and Kalaari Capital, growth rounds from Temasek and Chiratae, and a major investment by Tata Digital which cemented its unicorn status.
Awards & Recognition
Awarded “Best Health and Wellness Startup” by various industry platforms.
Featured in LinkedIn Top Startups India.
Regularly covered in national media as India’s benchmark for organized fitness and holistic wellness.
Team Size & Culture
With an employee base of about 3,000 people, Cult.fit is known for its high-energy, mission-driven culture. Trainers, chefs, doctors, technologists, and customer support staff work in sync to deliver a delightful experience at every touchpoint.
Future Plans
Looking ahead, Cult.fit aims to:
- Expand to tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
- Strengthen its international online subscriber base.
- Innovate with AI-driven personalized health plans.
- Deepen partnerships with schools and corporates to embed fitness and mental well-being into everyday life.
CONCLUSION
“Your body is the only home you truly live in for life — take care of it like your most precious asset.”
— Mukesh Bansal, in an interview with The Economic Times, 2023.
Mukesh Bansal’s journey shows that solving everyday problems with clarity and courage can build companies that change how people live. From a small-town boy fascinated by technology to a serial entrepreneur behind two unicorns, Mukesh has never settled for easy wins. Through Cure.fit, he proves that health can be more than a chore — it can be a joyful community experience. His story reminds aspiring founders that big visions paired with relentless execution and genuine care for customers can redefine entire industries. For Mukesh, every setback has been a stepping stone, and every success a reason to raise the bar higher for what’s possible in India’s startup story.
