The reading habit is waning, and the publishing industry is facing challenges, a sentiment echoed by many over recent years. However, two entrepreneurs have ventured into this demanding field, identifying opportunities they believe they can exploit for profit.
Ranjeet Pratap Singh, a tech entrepreneur from Rae Bareli, has established a digital platform known as Pratilipi, which aims to provide a voice to storytellers in various languages. Launched in 2015, the Bengaluru-based startup has garnered multiple funding rounds, acquired Westland from Amazon in 2022, and is venturing into new areas. The company’s revenue has surged to approximately ₹200 crore, a notable increase from ₹85 crore a year earlier, although it is still operating at a loss of ₹40 crore, which is gradually decreasing. An initial public offering (IPO) is planned for the future.
Yashraj Sharma, the founder of Wyzr and an alumnus of IIM Indore, recognized a gap in the market where domain experts in India were not publishing books, prompting him to create a solution. Founded in 2021 and self-funded, Wyzr has published 16 titles, with 14 currently available. Sharma aims for quality over quantity, stating, “We are cash-flow positive and comfortable.”
Both entrepreneurs are passionate readers, and their companies emerged from their dissatisfaction with what’s available in their favorite subjects. Singh’s frustration stemmed from the scarcity of Hindi reading material online, leading to the inception of Pratilipi, which resembles a platform for storytelling akin to YouTube. Users can upload their stories across a range of genres including romance, thriller, and horror. Currently, there are 1.8 crore stories and over 18 lakh authors contributing content, with some earning more than Singh himself. Authors benefit financially similar to creators on YouTube.
On the other hand, Sharma runs a more traditional publishing business. He was discontented with the predominance of foreign authors in business literature, which often lacked local relevance. “I thought about how to encourage Indian experts—CXOs and practitioners—to write more,” he remarked. He discovered that lack of time hindered CXOs from authoring books. By offering writing assistance, research support, and expediting the writing process, Wyzr successfully attracted interest from several executives. This led to the publication of best-sellers like “Zero To Scale,” authored by Atomberg’s CBO Arindam Paul. Wyzr’s profitability does not stem solely from book sales; its revenue derives mainly from a thought leadership consultancy.
Pratilipi boasts six operational units, including online literature, Pratilipi Comics, podcasts (IVM Podcasts), audio (Pratilipi FM), Westland Books, and Write Order, its self-publishing platform. While publishing remains the primary source of revenue, other segments are also expanding. Singh indicates growth in areas such as audio, which grew 400% last year. Looking ahead, Pratilipi aims to achieve ₹300 crore in revenue while reducing operational burn.
Published on November 10, 2025.
