Bengaluru-based grocery-tech startup KiranaPro was thrust into chaos last week when its customer-facing app crashed. What was initially called a “data breach” turned out to be something far more internal—and personal. CEO and founder Deepak Ravindran later revealed that a recently fired employee had allegedly wiped critical code and data, causing the app to go dark between May 24–25. Far from a cyberattack, it was an internal breach that forced the company to reconstruct its core systems from scratch.
“We raised almost ₹2 crore to build that product. Now we’re writing the code again,” said Ravindran, noting that the app should be back online within 48 hours. The damage was extensive, even wiping the app’s ratings and user data from the App Store.
Credits: The Week
Funding Lifeline, But Only Partial Relief
Amid growing concerns that KiranaPro might fold under pressure, Ravindran insists the company is far from shutting down. Backed into a corner, the startup secured a fresh round of seed funding—though only a portion has been wired so far. The silver lining? Ace shuttler PV Sindhu joined not just as an investor, but also as brand ambassador.
This round follows KiranaPro’s earlier ₹1.5 crore pre-seed raise from Blume Founders Fund and others in December 2024. The new capital infusion enabled the company to clear partial salary dues for current employees by June 5 and pay nearly all of its former staff—many of whom had gone unpaid for weeks.
Culture of Chaos: Firing, Fallout, and Fractures
The app outage was just one storm in a longer season of internal unrest. Reports by The Morning Context highlighted troubling HR practices—employees being fired abruptly over WhatsApp, removed from Slack or company groups without notice, and penalised for raising concerns. In one case, an employee on sick leave was terminated informally, with no formal process or warning.
Compounding the situation was the quiet exit of co-founder Dipankar Sarkar earlier this year, likely due to internal friction. With Ravindran as the sole founder, oversight and balance were sorely lacking—a fact he now openly admits.
A Founder’s Apology and the Road Ahead
In an unusually candid turn, Ravindran has gone public with his shortcomings. “The problem is not with the product or the idea. The problem is with me,” he posted on X. He confessed to displaying “god-mode behaviour” and acknowledged operational lapses and poor communication. “This is my fourth startup—I shouldn’t be acting like a first-timer.”
He’s even considering stepping aside in favour of a professional CEO. It’s a rare instance in the startup world where a founder not only takes responsibility, but contemplates moving aside to let someone more experienced steady the ship.
Acquisitions Continue Amidst the Turmoil
Even as it works to regain stability, KiranaPro is forging ahead with strategic moves. On May 30, it announced the acquisition of AR startup Likeo.me, to be integrated into its fashion commerce vertical, BLACK. Earlier in February, it had snapped up Joper.app, a hyperlocal grocery delivery platform.
Despite recent stumbles, the startup claims to have served over 30,000 users across 50 cities, processing 2,000 daily orders at its peak. Some have questioned these numbers, but Ravindran insists they are accurate—pointing to sellers who raked in over ₹1 lakh in daily sales.
Credits: Money Control
Rebuild or Restart?
With the app’s reputation dented, internal culture under scrutiny, and funding still in partial flow, KiranaPro is at a critical juncture. The company says it’s using the funds to rebuild its tech, hire new talent, and course-correct operationally. “There is no shutdown,” says Ravindran, “just a serious course correction.”
Whether this blend of brutal honesty, leadership recalibration, and product reinvention can revive KiranaPro’s fortunes remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: it’s not business as usual anymore.
