If you’ve spent any time inside the trenches of a growing Indian startup, you know this: success rarely comes from one giant leap. It’s a series of experiments, sometimes scrappy, sometimes structured, that stack up to real growth.
This post brings together ten such experiments that played a crucial role in shifting the trajectory for Indian startups. These aren’t just “run ads and hope for the best” stories, each of them carries a deeper insight into how Indian startups think, adapt, and win.
Whether you’re a product manager, founder, growth leader, or figuring out your next career move in tech, these stories might just spark your next big move. Yes, many of these experiments are shaped by the kind of thinking that happens inside communities like growthx, where growth isn’t a buzzword, it’s a craft.
Here Are The Top 10 Growth Experiments That Changed The Trajectory For Indian Startups
1. The Freemium Pivot That Powered Plum
Startup: Plum (employee health benefits)
Experiment: Switching from a sales-heavy model to a freemium offering for startups
In 2021, Plum tested offering free group health insurance plans to early-stage startups. It was a bold bet, they were essentially giving away their core product. But it triggered word-of-mouth in India’s close-knit founder ecosystem, and suddenly, Plum was in every Slack channel and founder WhatsApp group.
What worked wasn’t just the “free”, it was who they offered it to. Early adopters with high LTV who later upgraded and evangelised.
Takeaway: A freemium strategy works best when it creates a tribe, not just leads.
2. Zepto’s Delivery-Route Optimisation Layer
Startup: Zepto (10-minute grocery delivery)
Experiment: Geo-fencing product + marketing rollouts based on local delivery route success
Zepto discovered that not all neighborhoods responded equally to “10-minute delivery.” Instead of scaling city-wide, they segmented zones based on delivery predictability and customer density. Marketing and UX nudges (like “Just 6 minutes away” CTAs) were then tailored to those zones.
The result? Higher NPS in high-success zones and faster PMF detection in newer markets.
Takeaway: Product-market fit can exist in micro-markets. Growth happens faster when you know where to look.
3. Jar’s Daily Reminder Framework
Startup: Jar (micro-investments in gold)
Experiment: Built-in habit loops through reminder UX
Jar gamified savings with nudges like: “You didn’t save anything today 😟 Want to do ₹10 now?”
This tiny micro-copy, coupled with a single-tap payment experience, led to 3x retention in users who interacted with reminders.
Takeaway: Retention isn’t just about features, it’s about rituals. And rituals need reminders.
4. Leap’s Cross-Border Community Engine
Startup: Leap (study abroad for Indian students)
Experiment: Build a private, invite-only community to pre-qualify high-intent leads
Instead of pushing ads for test-prep products, Leap invited users to exclusive Discord communities, gated by academic intent and destination.
These communities became high-conversion lead pools for their advisory and loan services. Also, they unlocked user-led content, organic referrals, and FAQs, cutting CAC by ~40%.
Takeaway: Sometimes the best funnel isn’t a form, it’s a room full of believers.
5. CRED’s Scarcity-Driven Feature Drops
Startup: CRED
Experiment: Limited-period feature drops (like CRED Store, Mint, Cash) to test velocity
CRED didn’t just ship new features, they launched them like sneaker drops. High design, limited availability, and intense FOMO.
One example? “CRED Mint”, a P2P lending feature that saw ₹1,000 crore in signups within 72 hours. Why? Scarcity + early access + trust.
Takeaway: Velocity of growth isn’t just about scale. It’s about controlled burns.
6. Teachmint’s Tier-2 Onboarding Blitz
Startup: Teachmint (ed-tech for teachers)
Experiment: One-on-one onboarding for teachers in Bharat towns
Teachmint knew their core user, independent tutors, weren’t always tech-savvy. So they launched a “Teacher First Hour” where local reps onboarded new users over WhatsApp video calls in their native languages.
This not only drove first-week retention but became a feedback engine for product localisation.
Takeaway: Scale doesn’t mean skipping the human touch. Especially in Tier-2, Tier-3 India.
7. Kutumb’s Language-First Growth Loop
Startup: Kutumb (vernacular social network)
Experiment: Prioritising language-based micro-communities over features
Kutumb resisted the urge to go “feature-rich” early. Instead, they doubled down on making every language group (Kannada, Marathi, etc.) feel native and real. Fonts, cultural idioms, onboarding, all customised.
The result? Extremely high engagement and DAU/MAU, even with a lean product.
Takeaway: Growth isn’t more features. It’s more relatable.
8. GrowthX’s Campstone Experiments
Startup: GrowthX
Experiment: Using live “campstone” projects to simulate real startup growth scenarios
One of the most quietly powerful growth experiments has been growthx decision to embed capstone-like simulations into their learning journeys. Instead of theoretical frameworks, members work on live startup growth challenges, solving churn, GTM, hiring, and more.
This not only helps learners build actual skill, it gives founders hiring signals. A real win-win.
Takeaway: Education for startup builders shouldn’t feel like school, it should feel like a job.
9. Fi’s Behavioral Finance Hooks
Startup: Fi (neobank for salaried millennials)
Experiment: Gamifying “savings triggers” based on lifestyle spend
Fi integrated “rules” like: “Save ₹100 every time you order from Zomato.” These little hooks were less about saving and more about building financial mindfulness in a fun, low-friction way.
It created engagement moments that weren’t reliant on cash back or offers, but on emotion and behavior.
Takeaway: Finance doesn’t have to be serious. It has to be sticky.
10. Dunzo’s Ops-Led Brand Recall
Startup: Dunzo
Experiment: Branded in-bag notes + hyperlocal memes
In their early days, Dunzo added quirky handwritten notes like “You’re the best part of our day 🛵” inside delivery bags. And they used memes relevant to each area (Koramangala, Andheri) as ads.
Small ops-heavy gestures, but insanely shareable.
Takeaway: Brand isn’t a campaign. It’s the echo after every small touchpoint.
Final Thought
Great growth experiments don’t look like “hacks”, they often look like care, curiosity, and craft.
In the Indian startup ecosystem, this craft is being honed every day, in real communities, inside real product rooms, and often away from the spotlight. Platforms like growthx continue to be where this kind of thinking gets sharpened, challenged, and shipped.
So if you’re building, growing, or transitioning into a product/growth role, remember: experiments compound. Start with one.
