Vinay Hiremath founded one of the most successful companies during the pandemic, but he discovered that the accumulation of wealth did not fulfill him at all: the journeys that made him reflect.
Most entrepreneurs believe that money is the key to happiness: this position is closely linked to purchasing power and eventual financial independence, which means not having to work in the future. However, Vinay Hiremath, a 34-year-old who managed to amass an unexpected fortune, is at the opposite end of the spectrum.
The Indian-born, US-based tycoon forged a different path, and success came knocking on his door much sooner than expected. The millionaire co-founded the firm Loom in 2015, which experienced an extraordinary boom during the pandemic: the prolonged lockdown and the need to connect with others virtually catapulted the platform to fame.
The startup allows screenshots and video recordings to be made in third-party applications, with a key functionality. For example, for people who had to deal with remote working or online meetings, it became essential in order to keep a record and prevent those who were not present from missing out on the details of the meeting.
What Vinay Hiremath did with the money he made after selling the company
However, in 2023 the company went one step further: it was sold to Atlassian for 975 million dollars, which left the businessman with a total of 60 million to use as he saw fit. Instead of continuing to accumulate wealth, he took the opportunity to look for activities that would fulfill him. During his journey, however, he was demotivated by some of the proposals he was presented with.
The young man held meetings with experts from the world of robotics to familiarize himself with the subject, but the initiatives did not fully convince him. “I began to realize that what I really wanted was to be like Elon Musk and that is incredibly embarrassing. It even pains me to write this. I have infinite freedom, but I don’t know what to do with it,” said Hiremath, who realized that his personal process should be at the forefront.
During his trip to the Himalayas, Vinay suffered hypoxia due to lack of oxygen.
So, he decided to share his money with his parents, whom he convinced to retire and live a decent life without worries. At the same time, the Indian went on a trip around the world with his girlfriend, which allowed him to get to know new cultures and soak up the traditions of other territories. However, that relationship did not prosper and ended two years later, a circumstance that made him reflect.
The dangerous expedition to the Himalayas and a new stage in Hawaii
“We started arguing frequently and I knew it wasn’t her fault, it was mine,” he explained, acknowledging his emotional distress. In search of answers, he embarked alone on a dangerous expedition to the Himalayas, as he had no climbing experience. The difficulties led him to the brink of death: he suffered hypoxia from lack of oxygen, although he challenged himself and was able to climb two peaks.
“I understood how important it was for me to do difficult things,” added Vinay, whose life took a drastic turn. He went on to study physics in Hawaii and is now looking to create a new company related to value creation. ‘It is not the richest who have the most, but the one who needs the least,’ was the conclusion he drew after several movie-like experiences in which he found his true essence.
