193. Puneet Gupta
https://www.linkedin.com/in/puneetiimc/ Puneet Gupta Founder & CEO, Clensta | National Awardee | Angel Investor Delhi, India
Founder & CEO of Clensta—but before I was solving personal care problems, I was knee-deep in defense tech. Spent 8 years building an optoelectronic company from scratch. We scaled globally and even attracted a few eyebrow-raising offers (looking at you, Reliance Defence).
After a successful exit, I pivoted from the battlefield to the bathroom (literally). I founded Clensta to revolutionize personal care with our patented Waterless Bathing Technology. The armed forces love it, travelers swear by it, and hospitals? They’re hooked. We’ve secured 4 patents along the way, and partnered with IIT Delhi to bring our innovations to life. Not bad for a pivot, right? The valuation of these patents? We’re still calculating, but let’s just say they’ve got solid potential—around ₹100 Cr+.
In just 5 years, Clensta’s been growing at a 150% CAGR, hit ₹100 Cr ARR, and boosted margins from 21% to 60%. I’m all about taking ideas from the lab and scaling them into real, globally recognized solutions. Execution is everything.
And hey, the fun’s just beginning.
Follow me on Twitter: @puneetclensta Facebook: @puneet.iimc Instagram: @puneetclensta Website: www.clensta.com
Awards:
• Entrepreneur of the Year, NewsTv 18 (’23) • Times 40 Under 40 (’22) • E4M D2C Revolution Summit Awards (’22) • DST Certificate of Appreciation (’22) • TiE Lumis Entrepreneurial Excellence Award (’21) • Ayushman Bharat “Market Access Programme” (’20) • ET Rise “Top Start-up of the Year” (’20) • CII Startupreneur of the Year (’20) • STEVIES Award (’20) • National Entrepreneurship Award, Govt of India (’19) • Saudi Aramco “Asia Business and Culture Program” (’19) • TiE Young Entrepreneur of the Year (’19) • Business World Young Entrepreneur Award (’19) • TiE Spirit of Manufacturing Awards (’19) • PwC LevelNXT Award “The Next Big Disruptor” (’19) • National Small Business Award “Innovation of the Year” (’19) • ET “Leaders of Tomorrow” (’18) • ET “SME of the Year” (’18) • UK’S DIT “TechRocketShip - Best Healthcare Startup” (’18) • Embassy of US “Top 4” Innovative Companies in India” (’17) • Krypto Lab “Top 30” Innovative Companies across the globe” (’17) • IIT Delhi “Top 10 Innovative Companies” (’17) • Honorable President of India “Presidential Appreciation” (’17) • US Embassy “Nexus Program” (’17)
Here’s a detailed persona profile for Puneet Gupta, based on his rich LinkedIn profile and high-growth entrepreneurial journey:
🎯 Persona: Puneet Gupta
Demographics
Name: Puneet Gupta
Age Range: 35–45
Location: Delhi, India
Education: Likely holds a business/engineering background (IIMC mention + IIT Delhi collaboration)
Professional Level: Founder & CEO / Serial Entrepreneur / Angel Investor
Firmographics
Industry:
D2C Personal Care & HealthTech (Clensta)
Defense Tech (past startup, successfully exited)
DeepTech Innovation (patented waterless tech, IoT-enabled products)
Organization:
Founder & CEO @ Clensta
Ex-Founder @ Optoelectronics Defense Company (Exited)
Job Role:
Product Innovator & Scale-Up CEO
Deep IP Commercialization Expert
Angel Investor & Startup Mentor
Psychographics
Interests:
Taking deep-tech from lab to scale (science + speed)
IP-backed product innovation (e.g., patented personal care, waterless hygiene)
Supporting founders solving real-world, large-market problems
Hidden Interests (Inferred):
Building export-worthy Indian brands
Cross-sector innovation (defense-to-consumer transitions)
Hobbies:
Evangelizing Indian deeptech potential
Mentoring D2C and sustainability-focused founders
Hidden Hobbies (Inferred):
Participating in startup forums, hackathons, or tech summits
Experimenting with new product formats and packaging tech
Pain Points & Challenges
Pain Points & Challenges:
Scaling IP-driven products in regulated markets
Bridging lab-based R&D with mass-market GTM
Educating the market about non-traditional solutions (e.g., waterless tech)
Frustrations (Inferred):
Shallow execution or copycat models in D2C
Startups lacking product defensibility or clear innovation
Founders who focus more on valuation than solving real problems
Skills & Competencies
Deep IP Creation & Commercialization
GTM Execution for D2C & Institutional Markets
Fundraising & High-Margin Growth Strategy
Cross-Industry Innovation (Defense, Health, Consumer)
Manufacturing, Operations, and Unit Economics Mastery
Public Relations & Thought Leadership
Communication Preferences
Preferred Communication Channel:
Email for formal pitches or collabs
Open to LinkedIn or social DMs (Twitter, Instagram for public discourse)
Prefers pitches with: ✔ Clear innovation edge ✔ Demonstrated execution (not just ideas) ✔ Big, audacious market + strong unit economics
Appreciates storytelling with traction + IP strategy baked in
Would you like help crafting a high-impact pitch or collab request tailored for Puneet—especially if you’re in D2C, IP-led, deeptech, health, or sustainability sectors?
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