An International Vision Meets Indian Passion

For most entrepreneurs, building a successful business in their home country is a significant achievement. For Mark Sellar, it was just the beginning. With a portfolio spanning property development, award-winning consumer products, and digital innovation, Mark has taken a distinctly global approach to entrepreneurship—one that has now found its latest chapter in India.

As the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Drive Fitt, India’s first cricket and fitness integrated club franchise, Mark is blending personal passion with strategic foresight to launch a concept that taps into the very heartbeat of Indian culture: cricket.

“I’ve always loved cricket and played as a junior,” Mark shares. “At the same time, I’ve spent years building in the fitness space. Drive Fitt is about bringing those two worlds together—and making them accessible to everyone, not just the elite.”

A Track Record of Global Entrepreneurship

Before Drive Fitt, Mark was already a well-established name in entrepreneurial circles. He is the Founder and CEO of Sellar Capital, a dynamic family office investment firm that operates across real estate, startups, medical ventures, and sports innovation. Under his leadership, the firm has backed a diverse range of ventures from Australian consumer brands to growth-stage tech companies.

His earlier ventures, like Shader Australia, Fantom Hardware, and Tumbl Bear, are not just inventive, they’re globally recognized. His products have reached over 50 countries, with multiple awards validating his ability to identify untapped opportunities and turn them into scalable businesses.

“It’s about spotting a need, building the solution, and making sure it can thrive across markets,” he says. “That’s the DNA behind every business I’ve built.”

Drive Fitt: Building a Fitness Movement Around Cricket

The idea behind Drive Fitt is as ambitious as it is timely. At its core, the franchise combines cricket training, gym facilities, fitness classes, recovery zones, and a community hub; what Mark and his team call “Drive. Strive. Thrive. Revive.” It’s a holistic approach to wellness that speaks to India's twin passions: sport and health.

“Fitness and cricket go hand in hand, yet no one was offering them together under one membership,” Mark explains. “We’re changing that with Drive Fitt. Whether you're an amateur cricket enthusiast or someone who just loves a good workout, you belong here.”

The flagship site, a 26,000-square-foot facility at M3M’s 65th Avenue in Gurgaon is already setting the tone for what future Drive Fitt locations will look like: premium, inclusive, and community-driven.

“We didn’t want to just create another gym,” he says. “We wanted to build a lifestyle hub something that resonates deeply with local culture but delivers a world-class experience.”

Why India? Timing, Culture, and Opportunity

So why is an Australian entrepreneur focusing so intensely on India? The answer lies in the unique intersection of culture, scale, and timing.

“There’s no market like India,” Mark says. “The passion for cricket is unmatched, and the fitness industry is exploding. Combine that with a young, tech-savvy population and increasing middle-class spending power, it’s the perfect storm for innovation.”

Having done business in over 50 countries, Mark brings a refined global lens to market selection. His ventures like Red Giant, which helps Australian brands enter China, a digital marketing powerhouse, have taught him how to adapt, localize, and scale effectively. India, he believes, offers a rare opportunity to do all three at once.

“India is not just part of our strategy; it is the strategy” he says. “The scale here is something you don’t find anywhere else. If you can get the model right, the impact can be massive.”

The Road to 300: A Bold Five-Year Vision

Mark’s vision for Drive Fitt is nothing short of audacious: 300 franchise locations across India, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States within five years.

To pull it off, he’s betting on a few key ingredients: a replicable business model, a high-demand market, and most importantly, a world-class team. Leading the charge in India is Vikram Bhatia, former CEO of Fitness First India, whose leadership and industry expertise have been crucial in shaping Drive Fitt’s local rollout.

“Getting the right people on board was one of the hardest parts,” Mark admits. “But once we brought Vikram in and built the team, everything accelerated. I truly believe we now have the best fitness leadership team in the country.”

Each Drive Fitt franchise will follow a standardized design and operations model, ensuring that whether someone visits a club in Mumbai, Dubai, or Los Angeles, they experience the same quality, atmosphere, and energy.

Lessons from a Global Founder

Having built businesses from Melbourne to Shanghai, Mark is no stranger to the realities of scaling across borders. His advice for entrepreneurs looking to follow in his footsteps is rooted in experience:

1. Localize with Respect:

 “Don’t assume what works at home will work abroad. Every market has its own rhythm, you must listen and adapt.”

2. Build for Community, Not Just Commerce:

 “People connect to purpose, not just products. Drive Fitt isn’t about machines and cricket nets, it’s about belonging.”

3. Think Big, Execute Small:

 “Start with one perfect site. Nail it. Then scale it. That’s been my approach with every venture.”

Balancing Ambition with Values

Despite his high-growth trajectory, Mark remains grounded in something deeply personal: family. As a father two daughters, Olympia and Everly, and an adopted son, Franklin, he draws strength and inspiration from home while navigating the intense demands of entrepreneurship.

“Family is my anchor,” he says. “It reminds me why I build. I want my daughters to see that they can dream big and do meaningful work without sacrificing their values.”

It’s this blend of ambition, grounded values, and global perspective that makes Mark Sellar more than just a founder. He’s a connector of cultures, a builder of brands, and now, a catalyst for change in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.

Explore Drive Fitt and Connect with Mark

As Drive Fitt continues to expand across India and beyond, Mark Sellar remains committed to his mission: making elite-level cricket and fitness facilities available to all, while fostering a culture of wellness and connection.

Want to follow the journey or become part of the Drive Fitt ecosystem?

·         Website: www.drivefitthq.com

·         LinkedIn: Mark Sellar

·         Instagram: @mark_sellar

Whether you're an investor, franchise partner, or someone passionate about fitness and sport, Drive Fitt represents a movement worth watching and Mark Sellar is a founder worth following.

This is the problem that Arthavaad, an initiative supported by Crowwd and its founder Ajitesh Gupta, seeks to solve.

A Movement for Financial Clarity

Unlike traditional finance events or corporate seminars, Arthavaad is a grassroots financial movement. It brings together analysts, educators, creators, and investors in a shared mission: to spread financial literacy, promote credible content, and inspire a new generation to take control of their money.

The vision is clear—empower individuals with knowledge, not just tools.

Why Arthavaad Matters

India is home to one of the world’s youngest investor populations. Students, professionals, and small business owners are actively looking to grow their wealth. But the resources they rely on—social media, blogs, and short videos—are often inconsistent or unverified.

Arthavaad changes this dynamic by connecting learners directly with SEBI-registered analysts, seasoned creators, and verified experts. Through workshops, talks, and interactive sessions, the initiative is bridging the gap between curiosity and competence.

“Financial literacy isn’t a luxury anymore; it’s a necessity,” says Ajitesh Gupta. “Arthavaad is about equipping people with clarity before they invest.”

The Role of Crowwd

Arthavaad isn’t happening in isolation. It’s powered by Crowwd’s mission to prioritize credible financial content over viral distractions. Crowwd has already become a trusted platform where users can access merit-based insights, AI-personalized feeds, and expert-vetted analysis.

By extending this vision offline through Arthavaad, Ajitesh and his team are building a community where knowledge is shared, discussed, and acted upon responsibly.

Building Momentum on Campus and Beyond

Arthavaad has gained traction at **top Indian colleges—like IITs, IIMs, SRCC, and LSR—**where ambitious young minds are eager to learn how markets work. These interactive sessions have drawn large audiences, reflecting a hunger for structured, trustworthy financial guidance.

Beyond universities, the initiative is also resonating with retail investors and early-career professionals, creating a nationwide conversation around responsible investing.

Looking Ahead: A Smarter Investment Culture

The long-term vision of Arthavaad is ambitious but achievable: create a financially literate India where decisions are data-driven, informed, and free of unnecessary risk.

With Crowwd as its backbone, Arthavaad is poised to become a movement rather than just an event, fostering collaboration between regulators, creators, and everyday investors.

Conclusion

Arthavaad represents more than financial education—it’s a cultural shift. By championing clarity and credibility, Ajitesh Gupta and Crowwd are ensuring that India’s next generation of investors will be smarter, more confident, and better prepared for the opportunities ahead.

Connect with Crowwd and Ajitesh Gupta:

• Website: http://crowwd.io/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajiteshgupta1/

At just 24 years old, Gupta is the co-founder of Crowwd, a financial technology platform that’s rapidly emerging as one of India’s most promising initiatives in the personal finance and education space. While most founders chase scale in Silicon Valley or Berlin, Gupta chose to build for—and in—India. And it’s paying off.

With over 15,000 users in just one month, Crowwd is not just growing; it’s resonating. Across college campuses, finance communities, and among India’s young investor class, it’s redefining how the next generation learns about money.

But this isn’t a story about another flashy fintech startup. There are no massive funding rounds—yet. No unicorn labels. No celebrity endorsements. What makes Crowwd unique is its mission: to restore trust in financial education in a time where misinformation spreads faster than facts.

An Unlikely Beginning

Ajitesh Gupta didn’t come from a business family. There was no legacy of entrepreneurship to lean on. No Silicon Valley pedigree. Growing up, finance wasn’t an obvious path—it was a curiosity. That curiosity deepened during his time at Imperial College London, where Gupta found himself at the intersection of technology, economics, and the growing influence of financial influencers online.

“I kept seeing people my age investing based on Instagram reels, Telegram tips, or random YouTube videos,” he recalls. “There was so much noise—and so little real knowledge. I kept thinking, What if we built something that people could actually trust?”

That thought lingered. What started as a small research project at university slowly evolved into a working prototype. Gupta teamed up with two European classmates, Nicolas and Johannes, and together they built the earliest version of Crowwd. It was rough, unfinished, and mostly unnoticed. But it carried with it a powerful vision.

Building Crowwd: A Platform Rooted in Trust

Crowwd is built on a simple but transformative idea: young investors shouldn’t have to guess who to trust.

The platform connects users—primarily students and young professionals—with verified, SEBI-registered analysts and credible finance creators. But instead of feeding users generic content or algorithmic noise, Crowwd offers AI-personalized financial insights, market explainers, and education tailored to the user’s interests and knowledge level.

“It’s not just about stocks or crypto,” Gupta explains. “It’s about creating a space where financial literacy is actually accessible, digestible, and reliable.”

Unlike many consumer-facing finance platforms, Crowwd doesn’t promote products or encourage risky speculation. It’s designed to help users understand, not just act.

Back to Bharat

Despite launching the idea in London, Gupta always knew where Crowwd truly belonged.

“When it started gaining traction, I knew we had to bring it back home. My Bharat,” he says. “I didn’t just want to return to India—I wanted to return with something meaningful.”

Returning wasn’t just symbolic. It was strategic. Gupta and his co-founders registered the company in India, set up operations in Delhi, and began hiring a local team. Today, Crowwd employs 50+ team members, works with 24 investors, and is rapidly expanding its presence in universities and financial communities across the country.

Among their early adopters are students from top institutions like LSR, SRCC, IITs, and IIMs, who use Crowwd not only for financial insights but also to build financial literacy from the ground up.

“We didn’t run paid ads or influencer campaigns,” Gupta says. “Our growth has been completely organic—through communities, through conversations, and most importantly, through impact.”

The Team That Believed

Ask Ajitesh about Crowwd’s early days, and he won’t talk about growth metrics or product features. He talks about people.

“There were months when we couldn’t afford to pay salaries,” he admits. “And yet, people stayed. Some joined knowing there wouldn’t be a stipend at all. They believed in the mission. They worked nights. They sacrificed.”

The story of Crowwd is, in many ways, a story of that belief. In a world where startups are often defined by valuation and virality, Crowwd is built on something deeper—conviction.

That conviction extended beyond borders. Nicolas and Johannes, Gupta’s co-founders, chose to commit not just to the company, but to India. They moved operations, invested their time and effort into localizing the product, and embraced India’s rapidly evolving digital economy—not as a market to exploit, but as a mission to build for.

Valuations and What Really Matters

Insiders in the startup ecosystem already value Crowwd at ₹50 crore. And yet, Gupta shrugs off discussions around valuation.

“It’s flattering,” he says. “But the valuation isn’t the point. Our mission is bigger than the number.”

He’s not being modest. Crowwd’s growth trajectory—currently adding nearly 500 new users every day—suggests that the platform is not just filling a gap but creating a new category altogether: trust-first, community-led financial learning.

The platform is also in early talks for academic integrations, potential partnerships with financial institutions, and long-term certification programs—all focused on empowering young Indians to take charge of their financial futures.

Reversing the Brain Drain

Gupta’s journey also touches a deeper nerve in the Indian entrepreneurial psyche. In a time when top graduates often look west for opportunity, his decision to return and build in India is a powerful counter-narrative.

“In every graduation photo, there’s a subtext: who’s going abroad, who’s leaving,” he says. “I wanted to come back with something. I didn’t just want to build for India—I wanted to build with India.”

This theme of return, of bringing something home instead of taking something away, is at the heart of Crowwd’s ethos. It’s what makes the company more than a fintech play—it’s a movement rooted in purpose.

What’s Next for Crowwd?

The roadmap ahead is ambitious but grounded. The team plans to scale its user base, launch mobile-first solutions, introduce vernacular content to reach tier-2 and tier-3 cities, and continue deepening its AI capabilities for personalized financial learning.

“We’re just getting started,” Gupta says. “There’s so much work to do. But if we do it right—if we keep listening, building, and staying true to the mission—Crowwd can be something that lasts.”

And in a sea of startups that rise fast and fade faster, that kind of lasting impact may be the most ambitious goal of all.

Crowwd isn’t making headlines every week. But in university canteens, finance clubs, and Telegram groups, the name is spreading. Quietly. Steadily. Authentically.

And if the past few months are any indication, this 24-year-old founder may just be leading one of the most important fintech movements India has seen in years—not by disrupting from above, but by building trust from the ground up.