The Indian fintech landscape has seen rapid transformations over the past decade, but few stories stand out like that of Manish Maryada (LinkedIn), co-founder of Fello. His journey is not just about building a company but also about navigating uncertainties, blending creativity with finance, and finding new meaning beyond entrepreneurship.
Manish Maryada – Early Life and Education
Manish’s path into finance was not straightforward. He started with a B.Tech in Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering from the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Technology. However, curiosity and ambition pushed him to explore the business side of things, and he later pursued a Master’s degree in Finance from Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School.
This combination of technical and financial expertise gave him a unique advantage when he entered the world of startups and finance. He worked across conventional banking and fintech roles with organizations like HSBC, Koinex, Flobiz, and Zaggle. At Koinex, one of India’s early crypto exchanges, he played a role in scaling operations to massive daily trading volumes. These early years were crucial, shaping his understanding of both traditional finance and the potential of digital disruption.
Founding Fello: Making Finance Fun
In 2020, during his time at Entrepreneur First (EF), Manish crossed paths with Shourya Lala, a computer science engineer and award-winning app developer. The duo saw a common problem—young Indians often found finance boring, intimidating, or inaccessible. But they also noticed the rise of gaming and the way rewards captured attention.
That observation led to Fello, a platform that gamified saving and investing. Instead of presenting financial tools in traditional formats, Fello blended them with gaming elements, turning saving into an engaging activity. The concept was inspired by Prize-Linked Savings models from global markets and behavioral economics, tailored to the aspirations of India’s Gen-Z and millennials.
The results were immediate. Within weeks of launch in late 2020, Fello onboarded over 100,000 users, with nearly 90% being first-time investors. By 2023, the platform had grown to over 500,000 users, backed by strong organic referrals. What made Fello unique was its ability to turn casual gamers into savers, rewarding financial discipline with both returns and prizes.
Growth, Funding, and Recognition
The startup quickly drew the attention of leading investors.
- Seed funding (2021): $1 million, led by Entrepreneur First.
- Follow-on round (2023): $4 million, led by Courtside Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator, Goodwater Capital, Kunal Shah, Ashneer Grover, Charlie Songhurst, and others.
With this, Fello became part of the Y Combinator W22 batch, giving it global visibility and mentorship. The company was also recognized in India’s fintech ecosystem, chosen for programs like the CIIE Fintech Inclusion Programme 2021.
By the time Manish exited, Fello had scaled to over a million users, raised around $5 million in funding, and secured a place in the fast-changing narrative of Indian fintech. His achievements also earned him a spot on the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list.
The Entrepreneurial Highs and Lows
While the numbers tell one side of the story, Manish has always been open about the other—the challenges behind the scenes. Starting a company meant quitting a secure job with just six months of personal financial runway. Building a fintech during the pandemic came with regulatory uncertainties, hiring struggles, and co-founder disagreements.
In his reflections, Manish has spoken about the toll entrepreneurship can take on mental health. From navigating investor rejections to dealing with legal and operational hurdles, the journey was as testing as it was rewarding. Yet, those very challenges shaped his perspective as a more grounded founder who now values resilience as much as strategy.
Life Beyond Fello
After scaling Fello and exiting, Manish took a deliberate pause. On his personal website, he shares how he is now exploring the world he couldn’t while building the startup. His pursuits range from fitness and mental well-being to experimenting with mushroom farming, AI tools, and app development. He also mentors early-stage founders, passing on lessons learned the hard way.
Interestingly, his journey has also taken an unconventional turn into entertainment. In 2025, Manish appeared as one of the Top 15 contestants on Bigg Boss Telugu 9: Agnipariksha, streaming on JioCinema. The shift from fintech to reality TV reflects not just versatility but also his openness to explore opportunities outside the entrepreneurial bubble.
The Bigger Picture: Gamification of Finance
One of Manish’s biggest contributions has been popularizing the idea that finance doesn’t have to be dull. Gamification is now seen as a serious strategy to improve financial inclusion, especially among young Indians who may not be inclined towards traditional saving instruments.
Similar models in the U.S., such as “Long Game” and “Yotta,” have shown how gamified banking drives user adoption and retention. Fello has been a pioneer in applying this model in India, proving that behavioral economics, when combined with technology, can shift how people think about money.
Also Read | Kunal Shah Success Story: The Relentless Entrepreneur Behind Freecharge and CRED
Net Worth and Future Plans
Exact figures on Manish Maryada’s net worth are not publicly available. However, considering the funding raised, the scale achieved at Fello, and his eventual exit, it is clear he has built substantial financial value along with his reputation in the startup ecosystem.
As for the future, Manish seems to be in a phase of experimentation and reflection. Whether it’s through new ventures, mentorship, or creative projects, he continues to stay relevant at the intersection of finance, technology, and lifestyle.
Conclusion
The story of Manish Maryada is more than a fintech success—it’s about reinvention. From a finance professional to a startup founder, from scaling Fello to exploring reality television, his journey underscores the importance of adaptability in a fast-changing world. For aspiring entrepreneurs, his path offers both inspiration and realism: success is possible, but it often comes with unexpected detours, lessons, and new beginnings.
