Varun Dua Biography

Varun Dua is renowned as a fintech entrepreneur, notably recognized as the founder and CEO of Acko, a prominent digital insurance company in India.

Born on February 25, 1981 (Wednesday), Varun has established himself in the fintech industry through innovative approaches to insurance services. Acko, under his leadership, has gained traction for its customer-centric digital insurance solutions. Varun Dua’s career is marked by his vision to revolutionize the insurance sector by leveraging technology, making insurance more accessible and user-friendly.

Early Life

Varun Dua’s early life began with aspirations to become a news anchor, influenced by his admiration for Prannoy Roy. After completing his education, he embarked on a career journey that initially led him to an internship at Leo Burnett Advertising in Mumbai.

This stint was pivotal as it set the stage for his entry into the insurance industry, starting with Tata AIG Life Insurance where he gained foundational experience in marketing. His early career choices and experiences eventually paved the way for his entrepreneurial ventures in the fintech sector, notably co-founding GlitterBug Technologies and later transitioning into the founding of Coverfox and Acko, where he established himself as a prominent figure in the digital insurance landscape.

Education

Varun Dua pursued his education at R.A.Podar College of Commerce & Economics, Mumbai, Maharashtra, where he earned a commerce degree. He later completed a Master’s degree in Strategic Marketing and Communications from Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Age

Varun Dua was born on February 25, 1981 (Wednesday), in Delhi, India. As of 2024, he is 43 years old and his zodiac sign is Pisces. He holds Indian nationality.

Physical Stats

Varun Dua stands approximately 173 cm tall (1.73 m or 5’ 8”) with black eyes and black hair.

Wife

Varun Dua married Sapna Rana, who serves as the Head of music acquisition at Radio Mirchi, in the year 2012. They have children, though specific details about them are not publicly known.

Family

Varun Dua’s father, Chander Mohan Dua, is a former government employee, and his mother, Rashmi Dua, is a retired school principal. He has a brother named Kartik Dua, and he does not have any sisters.

Varun Dua with his Parents

Varun Dua with his wife Sapna Rana

Career

Varun Dua’s career is defined by his entrepreneurial journey in the fintech and insurance sectors. After starting with an internship at Leo Burnett Advertising, he joined Tata AIG Life Insurance as a Marketing Manager. Following this, he co-founded GlitterBug Technologies, which evolved into Coverfox, an online insurance brokerage.

Dua then ventured into launching Acko, an innovative online insurance firm, which quickly gained prominence in the industry. Acko achieved unicorn status in 2021, reflecting Dua’s strategic leadership and vision. He also appeared as a judge on the reality TV show Shark Tank India, further solidifying his role in the business and entrepreneurial community.

Net Worth

Varun Dua earns approximately Rs. 57,00,000 as the Managing Director and CEO of Acko. His net worth is currently not publicly known.

Some Lesser Known Facts About Varun Dua

• Dua obtained the Acko licenses in October 2017 and launched its first product in February 2018.
• Acko started first by selling car insurance but later expanded into mobile insurance and, in collaboration with OLA, started offering health insurance to passengers on OLA.
• Acko raised 255 million dollars in a Series D round of funding in October 2021, making it the 34th Indian start-up to reach unicorn status and increasing its total valuation to 1.1 billion dollars.
• Varun Dua is a dog lover and along with his wife, owns many rescued dogs.
• In 2024, Varun Dua was featured as a judge on season 3 of the business-themed reality television show Shark Tank India. on Sony Liv.
• He is the founder of Acko, an online insurance firm, and serves as its CEO. Previously, he co-created and led Coverfox, one of India’s leading digital insurance comparison platforms. In 2024, he appeared as a judge on the third season of Shark Tank India, a business reality TV show.
• Inspired by Prannoy Roy, Varun Dua wanted to become a news anchor as a kid.
• After his graduation, Varun Dua began an internship at Mumbai’s Leo Burnett Advertising in 2002. He was employed there for less than a year.
• He was working on an insurance project at Leo Burnett when he contacted a Tata AIG employee for assistance. The Tata AIG employee offered him a job at Tata, which he readily accepted.
• Dua started working at Tata AIG Life Insurance as a Marketing Manager in 2003. From 2003 until 2007, he spent four years working there.
• He began working as a marketing manager at Franklin Templeton Investments in January 2007 and remained there for a year before leaving.
• After Franklin Templeton Investments, he decided to put his career on hold. He met Devendra Rane, an IT engineer from IIT Bombay, during that time, and the two of them came up with the idea of integrating IT and insurance.
• In 2010, Dua and Rane co-founded GlitterBug Technologies. He discussed how he came up with the idea for his business in an interview, mentioning his experience with the industry as an important aspect of his success.

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