At just 19, Zeryab Cheema sold his first tech startup for 7 figures. But instead of stepping back, he went bigger - founding HOP, a transport and logistics platform now powering Amazon’s last-mile delivery in NSW and partnering with global governments to modernise mobility.
In this episode, Zeryab shares the mindset behind his early success, how he pivoted HOP from rideshare to B2B infrastructure, and why not all exits mean selling. We talk burn rate, tech partnerships, investor dynamics, and building a company designed to last 15+ years.
You’ll learn:
How Zeryab launched and exited his first startup before 20
Why pricing isn’t just financial - it’s strategic
The shift from founder-led hustle to system-led scale
Why HOP started buying back shares instead of selling out
What it really takes to build a tech company with global ambition

Listen now on Build and Scale with Devika: https://podfollow.com/build-and-scale-with-devika 

At just 19,&nbsp;Zeryab&nbsp;Cheema sold his first tech startup for 7 figures. But instead of stepping back, he went bigger - founding HOP, a transport and logistics platform now powering Amazon&rsquo;s last-mile delivery in NSW and partnering with global governments to modernise mobility. In this episode,&nbsp;Zeryab&nbsp;shares the mindset behind his early success, how he pivoted HOP from rideshare to B2B infrastructure, and why not all exits mean selling. We talk burn rate, tech partnerships, investor dynamics, and building a company designed to last 15+ years. You&rsquo;ll learn:
<ul>
<li>How&nbsp;Zeryab&nbsp;launched and exited his first startup before 20</li>
<li>Why pricing isn&rsquo;t just financial - it&rsquo;s strategic</li>
<li>The shift from founder-led hustle to system-led scale</li>
<li>Why HOP started buying back shares instead of selling out</li>
<li>What it really takes to build a tech company with global ambition</li>
</ul>
Listen now on Build and Scale with Devika: <a href="https://podfollow.com/build-and-scale-with-devika" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://podfollow.com/build-and-scale-with-devika&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1758246737233000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0N0BVJrr20MRj5NdWktOLJ">https://podfollow.com/build-and-scale-with-devika</a>&nbsp;

Build and Scale with Devika reveals the unexpected, rarely shared realities of growing a technology startup. Hosted by Ken Kencevski, founder of award-winning tech company Devika, each episode spotlights founders who turned bold ideas into multi-million dollar products with serious growth and exit potential.

These aren’t your typical success stories... Through candid interviews, we explore how they built scalable tech, raised capital, and found product-market fit, often starting with just a pitch deck. New episodes every fortnight.

Build and Scale with Devika reveals the unexpected, rarely shared realities of growing a technology startup. Hosted by Ken Kencevski, founder of award-winning tech company Devika, each episode spotlights founders who turned bold ideas into multi-million dollar products with serious growth and exit potential.
These aren&rsquo;t your typical success stories... Through candid interviews, we explore how they built scalable tech, raised capital, and found product-market fit, often starting with just a pitch deck. New episodes every fortnight.

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