The future of food is homemade.
How it all started
Cravd was born from the shared experience of two college mates who became dads, realizing the struggle busy families face in finding time, energy, or even interest to cook daily meals. Cooking is becoming a heavy burden. Yet, every household needs personalized, healthy, home-cooked meals.
Every day, our dedicated home chefs visit customers' homes to prepare meals which they love! Our home chefs love Cravd as they earn a meaningful income every month!
We believe that the future of food is personalized. And home-made. Get Cravd.
College mates and buddies
Ajith and Avinash first met at Amrita University, where their shared ambitious goals laid the foundation for a strong friendship. They collaborated on technical, cultural, and other events throughout college, fostering a close bond. Ajith went on to become a data science expert, founding a successful startup that joined Y Combinator and raised $20M. Meanwhile, Avinash developed into a passionate tech enthusiast, mastering various programming languages and platforms, and building multiple products.
The duo reunited when Avinash joined Ajith's previous startup, where they spent three years working side by side to build the product from scratch. Throughout this journey, they discovered they shared not only core values and a passion for driving large impact through technology, but also a desire to create a generational company that their kids can be proud of. Their commitment to contributing to their university and the broader community continues to fuel their ambition as co-founders.
Values that define us
Product at core
Our mission is to go beyond utility, sparking joy and delivering real value with product. We design with the user in mind, ensuring that every interaction is meaningful, intuitive, and leaves a smile!
One team always
We are the best of the best, holding ourselves to the highest standards. We push together for collective success — when one wins, we all win; when one struggles, we all step up to support.
Being nice
We default to kindness and respect in every interaction. It’s about choosing empathy, practicing patience, and creating a culture where being nice isn’t just encouraged—it’s our natural instinct.
Focus and execute
We focus on action and rapid learning, using each experience to drive growth. By building, testing, and refining quickly, we ensure every step brings us closer to bigger impact.
Meet the founders
Ajith Govind
Co-Founder & CEOAjith is a serial entrepreneur, YC alum, and data science expert who co-founded Turing Labs, achieving Series A funding with over $20M raised from top investors like Insight Partners. He has a proven track record of driving impact, having delivered $65M+ in value while working closely with leading 15 of the Top 20 CPGs. He also played a pivotal role in optimizing $1B marketing spends for Dell globally while he was in Mu Sigma.
With a background in Computer Science from Amrita University, where he earned national recognition at IBM's "The Great Mind Challenge," Ajith is also a patent holder in advanced machine learning, AI, and causality algorithms. He has deep expertise in cutting-edge techniques like Deep Learning, Neural Networks, and Bayesian Networks, and excels in building scalable cloud-based applications.
Driven by a passion for solving real-world problems and creating technology that makes a difference, Ajith is committed to building impactful products and companies. Outside of work, he enjoys playing soccer with his 2-year-old and exploring great food with his wife, blending his love for innovation with his dedication to family.
Avinash Joshi
Co-Founder & CTOAvinash is a passionate programmer and tech enthusiast with a deep love for solving problems through code. His fascination with technology began early, and over the years, he has developed his skills across various programming languages and platforms. Guided by the mantra "It’s possible," Avinash prioritizes doing what's right over what's easy, embracing challenges as opportunities for growth. A strong believer in the power of the majestic monolith, he particularly enjoys working with Ruby on Rails.
Avinash holds a bachelor's degree in information technology from Amrita University and a master's degree in computer science from UT Dallas. He was the founding member of the Free and Open Source (FOSS) chapter at Amrita, where he evangelized open-source technologies. His dedication led to winning Sun Microsystems' Code For Freedom contest and contributing to the OpenSolaris codebase. In 2009, Avinash was the only student from India selected to represent the country at the prestigious JavaOne conference in San Francisco, inspiring many students to contribute to open source.
Beyond coding, Avinash stays grounded in his spiritual roots, which shape his approach to life. He cherishes time with his wife and kids, loves exploring new places on road trips, and keeps a pulse on the latest tech gadgets, always eager to tinker and learn.
Join our team
We're always on the lookout for talented individuals who share our passion for creating impactful products and solutions. Here, we set ambitious goals, offer generous and transparent compensation, and focus on creating an environment where you can perform at your best. We're committed to supporting each other's growth while pushing for collective success.
Interested? Reach out to us at join@cravd.com
The day we knew we had to do Cravd
A weekend at Legoland and a conversation every parent can relate to
It was one of those rare, perfect weekends at Legoland - sunny skies, happy kids, and a chance for us to catch our breath as the little ones ran around chasing their favorite characters. As we took a seat at a nearby bench, we couldn’t help but overhear a nearby conversation. A group of moms nearby was deep in a discussion that was all too familiar to us, something that we had been discussing for many months.
One of the moms said, almost in anger, “I’ve tried them all - Blue Apron, HelloFresh, you name it! They start off great, but soon, the novelty wears off. It’s still so much work, and the meals just don’t feel personal. My kids get bored with the same recipes, and I end up wasting so much food!” We found ourselves nodding along, almost instinctively, re-living our journey.”
Another mom jumped in. “Exactly! And hiring a home chef sounds like a dream, but the reality is far from it. I had a chef who was fantastic, but coordinating with them was a nightmare. There were constant back-and-forth messages, endless discussions about menus, and the prices! They always charged by the hour, dragging out the sessions, and I could never be sure if I was getting a fair deal.”
Turning frustration into innovation: The birth of Cravd at Legoland
As we sat there, listening to them vent, it was like we were hearing our own thoughts out loud. We’d had the same struggles, the same headaches since the time we both became dads. And then, right there, as if fate was giving us a gentle push, one of them said the magic words, “Why is there no platform to book home chefs online? I wish there was.”
It hit us like a jolt - we knew this was it. This was the missing piece we’d been searching for, without even knowing it. We looked at each other, and in that moment, we knew we had just found our mission. This wasn’t just an idea anymore; it was a calling. That day at Legoland, while our kids ran around without a care in the world, we realized we needed to create Cravd - not just for us, but for all the families out there who deserved better. That overheard conversation didn’t just spark an idea; it lit a fire.
It was the moment we knew we had to bring Cravd to life.