From Delhi Techie to Beer King: Who is Bira 91 founder Ankur Jain?
Ankur Jain, a Delhi-born techie and former Motorola employee, he raised multiple funding rounds from Sequoia, Kirin Holdings, and other investors. Despite initial family skepticism, he built Bira 91 into a premium beer brand, though recent employee unrest and financial troubles have challenged his leadership.
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Ankur Jain, the founder and CEO of B9 Beverages, the company behind India’s beer brand Bira 91, is once again making headlines, but this time for internal unrest. More than 250 employees have petitioned the company’s board and top investors, including Kirin Holdings and Peak XV Partners, seeking his removal over alleged “corporate governance failures, lack of transparency, delays in employee dues and salaries,” as reported by ET.
Born in Delhi, Jain hails from a family of creative professionals as his father is an architect and his mother an interior designer. He moved to the United States in 1998 to pursue engineering, completing his degree in computer engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 2002. His early career included a stint at Motorola, but entrepreneurship was calling.
Jain’s first entrepreneurial venture was in the healthcare sector, which he successfully exited after four years. He then pivoted to the alcohol industry, spotting a gap in India’s beer market. During this time, he imported 30 varieties of beer that were previously unavailable in India. Recognizing the demand among Indian youth for wheat beers and lighter flavors, he decided to launch a domestic brand, Bira 91.
Interestingly, his family was initially skeptical of this career move. Jain recalled in an interview that his father did not speak to him for five years after he shared his plan, but this only reinforced his determination to carve his own path.
Bira 91 began its journey in 2015 by importing Belgian craft beers. Soon, the company embraced the ‘Make in India’ initiative, setting up production facilities in Madhya Pradesh and Nagpur. Under Jain’s leadership, B9 Beverages scaled up from importing beers to producing millions of cases domestically, turning Bira 91 into a household name among young Indian consumers.
Ankur Jain’s ability to attract investors played a crucial role in Bira 91’s growth. He initially raised $1.5 million (Rs 12.45 crore) from friends, followed by a $6 million Series A round in 2016 led by Sequoia Capital, its first investment in the alcohol beverage segment in India.
Angel investors like Kunal Bahl, Rohit Bansal and Deepinder Goyal also participated. In 2018, Sofina and existing investors infused $50 million, and subsequent funding rounds included $4.3 million from Sixth Sense Ventures and $30 million from Japan’s Kirin Holdings in 2021.
Despite the brand’s success, Bira 91 is facing turbulent times. The company reported a net loss of Rs 748 crore in FY24 on revenues of Rs 638 crore, with sales volumes declining from 9 million to 6–7 million cases. Production halted in July 2025, and global investment firm BlackRock reportedly withdrew from a proposed Rs 500 crore funding deal. Employees’ petition against Jain signals deep internal dissatisfaction, placing the company at a crossroads.
