Naveen Tewari Story is a journey of visionary leadership, digital disruption, and building one of India’s most engaging lock screen platforms—Glance. What started as an idea to reinvent how users consume content turned into a tech product used by over 200 million people across India and Southeast Asia. Naveen, also the founder of InMobi, saw a future where the smartphone lock screen could deliver personalized, real-time content without opening apps. Glance today is changing how people discover news, entertainment, and live content. His story proves how one bold idea can shape digital habits at scale.
Basic Details
| Legal Name | Glance Digital Experience Private Limited |
| Brand | Glance |
| Founder | Naveen Tewari |
| Co-Founder | Abhay Singhal, Mohit Saxena, aur Piyush Shah. |
| CEO | Naveen Tewari |
| Industry | Technology |
| Website | www.glance.com |
| Year of Founding | 2019 (Bengaluru, India) |
| Founder Education | IIT Kanpur (B.Tech), Harvard Business School (MBA) |
| Valuation | Approx. $1.4 Billion (as of 2025) |
| Employees | 800+ |
| Headquarter | Bengaluru, Karnataka, India |
PERSONAL STORY: NAVEEN TEWARI
Naveen Tewari grew up in a family of academicians and always had a deep interest in innovation and scale. After studying engineering at IIT Kanpur, he went to Harvard for an MBA—where the spark of entrepreneurship was truly ignited. He first built InMobi, India’s first unicorn in ad-tech, but Naveen didn’t stop there.
His hunger to create consumer-facing products led to Glance, an idea born out of observing user behavior on mobile phones. He wanted to make content discovery seamless, and his drive to innovate resulted in Glance becoming a lock screen revolution.
FOUNDING STORY: GLANCE
The idea for Glance was simple but powerful—use the smartphone lock screen to deliver personalized, snackable content in real-time. Naveen saw that people unlock their phones over 100 times a day but often don’t know what to do next.
In 2019, Glance was launched under InMobi Group. With a combination of AI, machine learning, and content curation, the product started gaining massive traction. In a few years, Glance was pre-installed on leading Android phones and expanded across India and Southeast Asia.
It later acquired Roposo, a short video platform, to boost live and interactive content. Today, Glance is a unicorn that redefines user engagement.
COMPANY PROFILE: GLANCE
Glance is a next-gen content platform that appears directly on a user’s smartphone lock screen. It delivers AI-driven content in categories like:
- Trending News
- Live Entertainment & Roposo Shows
- Games & Quizzes
- Fashion & Lifestyle
- Product Discovery & Shopping
Glance aims to become the “default content experience” for mobile users globally.
Products & Services Offered:
- Glance Lock Screen – Personalized content feed (news, entertainment, fashion, sports, etc.) on the smartphone lock screen
- Roposo (Live & Creator Platform) – Short video & live content by creators, integrated into Glance
- Glance Live Fest – Interactive, shoppable live entertainment events
- Gaming Zone – Instant games & quizzes directly on lock screen
- Live Shopping – Creator-led shopping experiences with brand collaborations
- Smart Ads & Brand Content – AI-targeted brand promotions integrated into content
- Content Discovery Engine – ML-based content curation for real-time interest-based updates
Revenue Model
Glance earns revenue through:
- Brand Advertising & Sponsorships
- Shoppable Content (via Glance Live Fest, etc.)
- In-app Purchases and Engagement Partnerships
- Gaming & Quiz Monetization
- Content Integration Deals with OEMs (like Samsung, Xiaomi)
Market Landscape
The content-tech space is evolving rapidly with players like:
- Dailyhunt (Josh)
- MX Player
- YouTube Shorts
- Instagram Reels
- Phone manufacturers’ native feeds
Despite competition, Glance stands out because of its lock screen advantage and zero-friction access to content.
USP (Unique Selling Proposition)
- Lock Screen Innovation: No app required
- Real-time Personalization powered by AI
- Live Content Integration through Roposo
- Pre-installed Reach across 400M+ Android phones
- Diverse Content Categories—News, Games, Fashion, Shopping, and more
Funding and Investment
- 2020: Raised $145M from Google and Mithril Capital
- 2022: Raised $200M from Jio Platforms (Reliance)
- 2024: Touched $1.4 Billion valuation
- Total Funding Till Date: $400M+
Growth Highlights
- 2019: Glance officially launched
- 2020: 100M+ daily active users
- 2021: Acquired Roposo
- 2022: Launched Glance Live Fest
- 2023: Expansion into Southeast Asia
- 2025: Revenue crosses ₹1,200 Cr; Planning global partnerships
Team Size & Culture
With 800+ team members, Glance follows a dynamic culture focused on:
- Innovation-first mindset
- Fast-paced product development
- Data-backed decision-making
- Creative freedom for content teams
They also collaborate heavily with creators and brand partners.
Mission & Vision
- Mission: To make the smartphone lock screen more meaningful through personalized, real-time content that informs, entertains, and empowers.
- Vision: To redefine content consumption and become the world’s most engaging lock screen platform.
Awards and Achievements
- Named in Fast Company’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies”
- Featured in Google Play’s Top Lock Screen Experience
- Won IAMAI India Digital Award – Best Content Innovation
- 2023: Partnered with IPL for interactive lock screen content
- Recognized by CNBC as a disruptor in digital content
Future Plans for Glance
- Global Expansion: Tapping into LATAM, Europe lock screen partnerships
- AI-powered Personalization: Smarter content delivery models
- Live Commerce & Shoppable TV: Boosting creator economy
- Roposo Integration: Elevating user-generated content
- OEM Partnerships: Tie-ups with more smartphone makers
- Sustainability: 100% digital eco-friendly content delivery
- IPO: Eyeing public listing by 2027
FOUNDER GUIDE
“Glance is not just a product, it’s a new way of experiencing the internet—without even unlocking your phone.”
— Naveen Tewari, Founder & CEO, Glance
Founder’s Advice for Entrepreneurs
- Focus on daily digital behavior—opportunities lie in habits
- Build frictionless user experiences
- Keep adapting to content trends and user emotion
WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE STORY
Naveen Tewari story teaches us that innovation isn’t always about creating something new—it’s often about rethinking what already exists. By turning the lock screen into a content destination, he changed how we interact with our phones. His vision behind Glance is a reminder that bold ideas, when executed right, can lead to mass impact.
