Swapnil co-founded Ather Energy with his IIT Madras classmate Tarun Mehta. Their partnership began during college through shared product development projects, including work on Stirling engines under the name "Energy Filled Up." After brief corporate stints (Swapnil at General Motors' 'Crash and Safety' team), both founders quit within months to return to IIT Madras campus and build what would become India's leading smart electric scooter company.

"We wanted to do entrepreneurship not to get rich, but because we like the idea of building an organization with a certain culture and products that people desire. Doing great things was more important than becoming rich." - Swapnil