GimBooks: How Yash Agrawal is Building a YC-Backed Bookkeeping Powerhouse for Bharat from Raipur

January 15, 2026 11 min read

For decades, small businesses in India have been trapped between two extremes: the cumbersome complexity of traditional desktop ERPs and the inefficiency of physical ledgers. Yash Agrawal, Founder of GimBooks, is providing the "Goldilocks" solution. By building a mobile-first, comprehensive bookkeeping platform that handles everything from GST invoicing to inventory management, Yash is empowering millions of "Bharat" traders. Backed by Y Combinator and operating out of **Raipur**, GimBooks is proving that world-class fintech doesn't just come from Bangalore or Gurgaon—it comes from solving the hard problems of the local market.

Yash Agrawal’s journey is a story of a corporate professional returning to his roots to solve a systemic local problem. An alumnus of Symbiosis International University and a former Business Analyst at Target Corporation, Yash witnessed firsthand the digital divide in his hometown of Raipur. While large corporations had sophisticated data tools, the local merchant was still struggling with manual GST compliance. In 2017, alongside co-founders Ujjwal Agrawal and Meghal Agrawal, he launched GimBooks. In 2021, the company made history as one of the few Raipur-based startups to be selected for the **Y Combinator Summer batch**, securing global validation for their "Comprehensive Bookkeeping" vision.

The Ledger vs. ERP Paradox

Many fintechs in India focus on "Credit Ledgers" (tracking who owes whom). Yash realized that for a merchant to truly grow, they need more than just a list of debts. "A simple digital ledger doesn't solve GST. It doesn't manage inventory. We built GimBooks to be a 'Mini-ERP' on a smartphone—giving the small trader the same professional invoicing and tracking tools that a mid-sized corporation uses."

The Problem: The "Dependency" Trap for SMBs

Small and Micro businesses (SMBs) in India are often crippled by their dependency on part-time accountants and complex desktop software. Traditional software requires a fixed computer and specialized training, making it inaccessible for a trader who is always on the move. When GST was introduced, the problem exploded—merchants were forced to navigate complex tax filings without the right digital tools. This led to errors, penalties, and a massive loss of productivity as business owners spent hours on manual record-keeping.

"I saw merchants struggling," Yash explains. "They were dependent on others for basic invoices. We wanted to build a solution that was so intuitive that a merchant could create a professional, GST-compliant invoice in 30 seconds from their mobile phone, while standing in their shop."

The Solution: The GimBooks Mobile-First Suite

GimBooks acts as a comprehensive "Business Operating System" for the SMB. Unlike simple ledger apps, GimBooks provides a full stack of tools designed specifically for the Indian regulatory and trade environment.

The GimBooks Feature Stack

Instant GST Invoicing: Creating professional, tax-compliant bills on the fly.
Inventory Management: Real-time tracking of stock levels to prevent over-purchasing or stock-outs.
Purchase & Expense Tracking: Recording all business outflows to maintain a clear profit-and-loss view.
Voucher Generation: Creating professional quotes, delivery challans, and purchase orders.
One-Tap Reports: Generating GSTR reports and financial summaries that can be shared instantly with accountants.

"Being in Raipur was never a disadvantage; it was our superpower. We were closer to our customers than any startup in a metro. We saw their daily struggles, and we built for them, not for the investors." — Yash Agrawal

The Y Combinator Validation: From Raipur to Silicon Valley

Yash shares the rigorous journey of joining Y Combinator (YC). For a startup from a Tier 2 city, YC provided more than just capital—it provided a global mindset. The program forced the team to focus relentlessly on "Traction" and "Unit Economics." Yash notes that the YC interview process is designed to test if you truly understand your user. By demonstrating consistent growth and a deep understanding of the Indian SMB psyche, GimBooks secured its place among the world's most promising startups.

"YC teaches you to talk to your users every single day," Yash reflects. "We didn't focus on the competition. We focused on the feature requests coming from our users in places like Raipur, Indore, and Nagpur. That focus is what allowed us to scale while keeping our burn low."

GimBooks Impact & Reach

YC Backed (S21): Secured funding and mentorship from the world's top accelerator.
$834K Total Funding: Backed by YC and marquee angel investors.
Comprehensive GST Suite: Moving beyond ledgers to full-scale business management.
Tier 2 Success Story: Building a high-growth tech platform from Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

Lessons in Leadership: Resilience over Pedigree

Yash advocates for a "Lean and Mean" approach to building a team. He believes that in the early stages, you need "Generalists" who are willing to wear multiple hats. He emphasizes the importance of hiring people who are excited by the "Hard Problem" of digitizing Bharat. For Yash, entrepreneurship is a marathon of finding solutions—where the ability to stay calm during a crisis (like the pandemic pivot) is more valuable than a shiny degree.

"Don't wait for the perfect time," he advises. "If you see a problem, start building. Your first product won't be perfect, but it will be better than a paper ledger. If you can make one merchant's life easier, you have a business. If you can make a million lives easier, you have a legacy."

Founder's Lesson: Proximity to the Problem

Yash believe being physically close to your user base is critical. "If you are building for SMBs, go to the markets. Talk to the traders. Understand why they are hesitant to use tech. Once you solve their fear of 'Complexity,' the 'Utility' of your product will drive the growth."

The Future: Neo-Banking for SMBs

Yash’s vision for GimBooks is to evolve into a full-fledged Neo-bank for small businesses. He sees a future where the bookkeeping data on the platform becomes the "Credit Score" for the merchant, allowing them to access loans, insurance, and working capital with a single tap. By turning "Dead Data" into "Financial Intelligence," GimBooks aims to become the financial heart of every Indian shop. For Yash, the goal is simple: ensuring that every small trader in India has the same financial opportunities as a global enterprise.

GimBooks is proving that the next generation of fintech giants will be built by those who truly understand the "Nitty-Gritty" of local trade. By giving the Indian SMB a digital pulse, Yash Agrawal and his team are ensuring that for the future of Bharat's economy, the books are finally balanced.

About the Guest

Yash Agrawal is the Founder and CEO of GimBooks. An alumnus of Symbiosis International University and a veteran of Target Corporation, Yash is a pioneer in the Indian bookkeeping-tech space. Under his leadership, GimBooks emerged as a standout performer in the Y Combinator Summer 2021 batch, becoming one of the first Raipur-based startups to achieve global recognition. He is a recognized thought leader in the fintech ecosystem and a vocal advocate for building tech solutions for Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. He is also a mentor to several emerging founders in the Chhattisgarh startup ecosystem.

GimBooks is a mobile-first bookkeeping and business management platform designed for Indian SMBs. By providing intuitive tools for GST invoicing, inventory management, purchase tracking, and financial reporting, the platform helps millions of traders digitize their operations, ensure regulatory compliance, and build a verifiable financial history for future growth.