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Varun Dua founded ACKO in 2016 with a vision to simplify insurance through technology, making policy purchases and claims faster, paperless, and customer-friendly.
Before launching ACKO, he co-founded Coverfox, gaining valuable insights into the insurance industry that inspired him to build a fully digital insurance company.
Under his leadership, ACKO became a unicorn, expanded across multiple insurance segments, and established Varun Dua as a leading voice in India's insurtech ecosystem.
Varun Dua is an Indian entrepreneur and one of the pioneers of India’s insurtech sector. He founded ACKO in 2016 to make insurance simple, digital-first, and customer-centric by reducing paperwork and removing intermediaries. He is currently serving as the company’s CEO.
Born on 25 February 1981, Varun Dua grew up alongside India’s digital and commercial transformation, an environment that influenced his approach to business and technology. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Mumbai and has established a firm academic foundation before making the transition to corporate and start-up sectors.
He pursued postgraduate education in Marketing & Communication from MICA to gain in-depth knowledge of markets and customers.
His educational and professional background helped pave the way for his entry into the world of insurtech. With his experience in the fundamentals of business along with the principles of communication, Dua embraced the concept of ‘Customer First’ in everything. Eventually, this became his hallmark as an entrepreneur.
Also Read: Top Insurtech Companies in India to Watch in 2026
Varun Dua spent the early part of his career at the intersection of marketing and financial services, working with names such as Leo Burnett, TATA AIG Life Insurance, and Franklin Templeton. This experience taught him how brands are built and financial products are sold, while exposing frequent pain points in the insurance experience: complex policies, lengthy processes, and heavy reliance on intermediaries.
In 2011, he co-founded Coverfox to make it simpler for consumers to compare and buy insurance online. The platform demonstrated the power of digital distribution, but it also revealed its limits: enabling sales was not enough. Dua concluded that meaningful, customer-centric transformation would happen only when insurers owned the full digital journey. This conviction later shaped his strategy for building more direct and user-friendly insurance models.
Varun Dua launched ACKO in 2016 as a digital-native insurance company. After receiving its regulatory licence from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) in 2017, ACKO expanded into:
Motor insurance
Health insurance
Travel insurance
Term life insurance
Mobile insurance
Digital automotive services through ACKO Drive
The company grew into one of India’s leading insurtech startups and entered the unicorn club in 2021 after a major funding round. The latest reports suggest that ACKO is preparing for an IPO with a target valuation of around $2.5 billion.
Business and Customers: He has a profound passion for the strategic aspect of business and consumer behavior. He keeps studying trends and new business models.
Role as a Founder’s Advisor: He acts as an advisor and mentor to founders via Shark Tank India. He shares his expertise and experience with startups.
Thought Leadership and Culture: He is a thought leader and often writes about leadership, corporate culture, and consumer behavior.
Insurances and Technology: He supports innovation and technology and promotes the use of artificial intelligence and other technologies to optimize the insurance process.
Varun Dua's biggest business milestones include:
Started ACKO Insurance in 2016 to simplify insurance, making it faster and fully digital.
Co-founded CoverFox to help more Indians compare and purchase insurance online.
Led ACKO from a startup into becoming a ‘unicorn’ worth over a billion dollars.
Expanded ACKO’s business into health, life, travel, and many other types of insurance.
Partnered with brands such as Ola, Zomato, OYO, Urban Company, for embedded insurance services.
Serves as an investor in Season 3 of Shark Tank India.
Varun Dua's journey reflects how innovation and persistence can transform even the most traditional industries. From co-founding Coverfox to building ACKO into one of India's leading digital insurers, he has consistently challenged conventional insurance models.
His focus on technology, customer experience, and accessibility has earned him recognition as a key figure in India's insurtech ecosystem. Dua remains an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs across the country.
Who is Varun Dua?
Varun Dua is the founder and CEO of ACKO, a digital insurance company. He is known for transforming India's insurance sector through technology-driven, paperless, and customer-friendly insurance solutions.
What is ACKO and when was it founded?
ACKO is a digital-first insurance company founded by Varun Dua in 2016. It offers motor, health, travel, life, and mobile insurance with simplified online purchases and faster claims processing.
What did Varun Dua do before starting ACKO?
Before launching ACKO, Varun Dua co-founded Coverfox in 2011 and worked with companies including Leo Burnett, TATA AIG Life Insurance, and Franklin Templeton, gaining extensive insurance industry experience.
Why is Varun Dua considered a leading insurtech entrepreneur?
Varun Dua pioneered digital insurance in India by eliminating intermediaries, simplifying claims, expanding insurance accessibility, and building ACKO into a unicorn with innovative technology-driven insurance products.
What are Varun Dua's major achievements?
His major achievements include co-founding Coverfox, establishing ACKO, leading the company to unicorn status, investing in Shark Tank India Season 3, and driving innovation across India's insurtech ecosystem.
