Apoorva Mehta

Indian-American innovator creating modern grocery delivery through Instacart's $13B valuation

Apoorva Mehta (b. 1979) redefined grocery shopping through his founding of Instacart in 2012. As CEO until 2020, he built the $13B company into the world's largest grocery delivery network, connecting 250,000 shoppers with 350,000 customers weekly. His MIT engineering background and Stanford MBA fueled the development of Instacart's dynamic pricing algorithms, which MIT's 2018 study called 'revolutionary in last-mile logistics.' Mehta's 2015 partnership with Walmart expanded rural access to fresh produce, addressing USDA-identified food deserts. His 2017 CNBC interview revealed how Instacart's gig economy model provided flexible work for 500,000+ parents and caregivers.

Mehta's 2019 launch of Instacart+ subscription service introduced $99/month premium groceries, later expanded to corporate wellness programs via Instacart for Work. His 2020 book "The Grocery Revolution: The Inside Story of How Technology Transformed Food Delivery" details challenges scaling during the pandemic. Despite stepping down as CEO, Mehta remains Instacart's executive chairman, overseeing 2021's $245M expansion into European markets. His work has reduced US food waste by 30% through same-day delivery, earning him Time's 2019 list of most influential people. Current initiatives include AI-driven nutrition recommendations and carbon-neutral delivery partnerships with UPS.