On this special New Year's episode, we sit down with Dr. Ritesh Malik, an Indian medical doctor turned entrepreneur. Ritesh realized he didn't feel fulfilled as a doctor, took a huge leap, and shifted careers. In 2015, he founded Innov8 Coworking, a startup that just four years later, was acquired by Softbank-backed OYO, an Indian multinational hospitality chain. Today, Innov8 is a significant coworking player across India – offering flexible offices in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru – and Ritesh is a millionaire.
As a young leader in India’s digital startup ecosystem, Ritesh now plays an active role in backing over 125 startups, and investing in public equities and real estate. In this intimate conversation, we discuss his major learnings, the values that guide his life and decisions, and why one of his superpowers is having JOMO or the joy of missing out.
My final assignment of the year is to leave you with some inspiration as you enter 2026.
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What is On Assignment With Me?
I'm Natashya Gutierrez, an award-winning journalist and on this limited series podcast, I take you... On Assignment With Me. Join me as I explore global stories, meet trailblazers and newsmakers, and take you behind the scenes of my investigations. My journalistic curiosity meets intimacy on this assignment, and you're invited.