India is seeing an exponential increase in the number of startups. And the major centers of these startups are located in the major tier-1 cities. Chennai is one of those. It is on the verge of breaking into the top 100 startup ecosystems globally. (1). This article introduces the top 30 startups in Chennai that are making a difference.
The government of Tamil Nadu is continuing its vigorous efforts to foster the growth of an environment favorable to the establishment of new businesses. Therefore, there is no need to explain the substantial increase in the number of startup companies in Chennai or Chennai's rise to the position of the fourth most dynamic startup ecosystem in India.
The following are a few of Chennai's most successful new startups.
Netmeds
The online pharmacy, Netmeds delivers pharmaceutical products directly to the client's front doors.
Netmeds offers a comprehensive selection of medical supplies and equipment on its website. The company is making rapid progress toward success because of its powerful marketing methods and the appointment of Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the brand ambassador.
Pradeep Dadha is among the most renowned businesspeople to originate from Chennai. He founded Netmeds in 2015. He held a position at Dadha & Company, the family business. Throughout its history, Netmeds has purchased several early-stage medical technology companies, the most recent of which was KiViHealth in 2019.
Netmeds can be found online here. (2)
Sulekha
Sulekha is a platform that facilitates connections between customers and companies. Satya Prabhakar started Sulekha in 1996.
Sulekha employs more than 1,300 people, and the company has 14 offices in different countries worldwide, including the United Arab Emirates, Canada, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom.
Satya received his Bachelor of Engineering degree from the NIT in Trichy and has previous experience working for Philips. Being a diligent student who excels in the classroom, he was offered admission to the top four Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, and Lucknow.
However, he decided to pursue a Master of Science degree in Computer Science at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
You can visit Sulekha here: Sulekha (3)
Financial Software Systems (FSS)
FSS is a payments company founded by Nagaraj Mylandla in 1991.
Financial Software Systems (FSS) provide businesses with solutions and services that add value to their operations in digital transactions and financial payment services.
FSS has created a global footprint with its headquarters in Chennai. Its offices can be found in Africa, Australia, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Singapore, and the United States of America.
To date, FSS has achieved more than one billion Payment Gateway transactions. Moreover, it has managed more than 27k ATMs. FSS is handling more than 30% of IMPS transactions in Asia.
They can be found on their website. (4)
Servion
Within the realm of enterprise customer experience management, Servion can facilitate business transformation for companies (CEM).
Servion was founded by Kavikkal Balakrishnan and N Raghunandan in 1991.
Servion is a platform-led consulting firm whose primary mission is to improve the overall quality of the user experience by automation and to connect the various channels through which customers interact with businesses.
Servion has been a leader in designing, implementing, and managing Contact Centers and Customer Experience (CX) solutions for over 25 years. Customer-centric brands trust Servion to develop, implement, and manage these solutions.
Servion offers comprehensive solutions to companies, enabling them to innovate in providing digital experiences by using the most cutting-edge technologies while simultaneously making the most of the investments they have already made.
Servion has assisted 600 businesses worldwide in delivering outstanding experiences to their respective customers, business partners, and workers.
You can find Servion on their official website. (5)
Caratlane
Founded by Mithun Sacheti and Srinivasa Gopalan in 2008, Caratlane is widely regarded as one of the most successful online jewelry merchants in the Indian market. As of 2020, the Business operates over 92 retail locations in over 36 cities throughout the United States.
The company was established in 2008 by Mithun Sacheti and Srinivasa Gopalan, and it currently operates out of Chennai, which is located in the state of Tamilnadu. In 2016, Titan Jewelry made the acquisition, and the company continues to operate under the guise of a collaboration with Tanishq.
In addition, the company went on to build its very own app, which includes a function for facial recognition and 3D imaging technology. This allows the company's consumers to try on the jewelry pieces virtually. According to a survey carried out in 2011 by Dataquest and JuxtConsult, Caratlane was ranked as one of the top 20 e-commerce sites in India.
Caratlane can be found online at their website. (6)
Aquaconnect
Rajamanahar Somasundaram founded Aquaconnect in 2017.
Aquaconnect is among the most successful companies in the field of aquaculture technology. The company offers comprehensive solutions to the shrimp and fish farming industry through A.I. and satellite remote-sensing technology.
Aquaconnect specializes in artificial intelligence (A.I.), farming techniques, and business intelligence for aquaculture. In addition, the company offers assistance for data-driven farms across the country.
Currently, the Business collaborates with over 35,000 seafood and shrimp farmers worldwide who are increasing their output with AI-enabled technologies and connecting their operations with other participants in the value chain.
In addition to advising farmers, they offer a marketplace for agricultural inputs, a linkage to existing markets, farm insurance, and financing. Aquaconnect is widely regarded as Asia's most comprehensive marketplace for the aquaculture industry.
You can find them there on their website. (7)
CreditMantri
CreditMantri was founded by Gowri Thyagarajan Mukherjee, Ranjit Punja, and Sudarshan Rajasundaram in 2012.
CreditMantri is a digital platform for the management of credit services that are situated in Chennai. The portal offers customers credit and financial reports that are based on the users' credit histories.
The users of CreditMantri are given the ability to construct their credit profiles and gain an understanding of the current state of their credit health, all of which is powered by data.
Credit Mantri is available here. (8)
BankBazaar
BankBazaar is a FinTech founded by Rati Shetty in the year 2008.
BankBazaar has created a strong presence in India in a relatively short time. Customers can apply for loans and make payments online using this service.
BankBazaar performs the same basic services as a bank, except that you do not need to walk between multiple counters. The work can be completed in a flash while one relaxes at home.
Here is the website for BankBazaar. (9)
TenderCuts
TenderCuts was founded by Nishanth Chandran, Sasikumar Kallanai, Varun Prasad Chandran, and Venkatesan R in 2016.
TenderCuts is a web-based e-commerce company that sells a variety of meats, including chicken, mutton, fish, eggs, cold cuts, and ready-to-eat goods, among other things. TenderCuts has its headquarters in Chennai and offers doorstep delivery of its items to customers in Chennai and Hyderabad within one hundred twenty minutes.
Here is their website. (10)
Flintobox
Flintobox is a toy startup started by Arunprasad Durairaj, Vijaybabu Gandhi, and Shreenidhi Srirangam in 2013.
The peril of the internet is that our kids are growing up addicted to digital screens. Instead of playing with toys, they have made mobile or laptop screens their toys.
Moreover, most of the time, their watch time is entertaining. Short videos majorly impact their minds!
Flintobox has identified this problem and tries to solve it by delivering a set of activity games or toys every month.
Website of Tenderminds. (11)
Vue.ai
Vue.ai, founded by Ashwin Asokan in 2015, is an A.I. Retail management platform.
Vue.ai is an all-in-one retail automation platform that uses artificial intelligence to reimagine the future of the fashion retail industry. Vue.ai can collect catalog data by utilizing picture recognition and data science.
The company then analyzes the data for user behavior and assists businesses in enhancing the customer experience, increasing conversions, and lowering expenses.
Vue.ai translates product information into a language your teams can understand and use to make business decisions. This allows you to digitally map the DNA of your products, which in turn creates one-of-a-kind retail experiences for your customers.
Vue.ai also helps you digitally map the DNA of your products. Falcon Edge Capital, Global Brain, and Sequoia Capital have collectively provided Vue.ai with capital for $28 million.
Want to visit their website? Here it is. (12)
Updater Services
Updater Services is a management services provider startup started by Raghunandana Tangirala in 1985.
Updater Services Ltd (UDS) is Nation's largest Integrated Facilities Management and Business Services company. It has been serving the Business - to - business sector for more than 35 years through its unique model of self-management.
It has a strong presence all across India. They are linked with prominent brands in both the private and public sectors. They claim to have a customer retention rate of 95% +.
Our competitive advantage over other industry players is rooted in the diverse range of business services provided by applying technological solutions.
They can be reached from here. (13)
Fieldproxy
Fieldproxy is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that allows business owners to build bespoke applications that assist them in operating their field operations more effectively.
Fieldproxy was founded by Balakrishna Balasubramanian and Swaroop Vijayakumar in 2016.
They provide various solutions, including Sales Order Tracking, Visit Plan And Route Optimization For Field Teams, Delivery Order Management, Work Order Management, Attendance and productivity, and other business management services required by the industry.
Their web address can be found here. (14)
Freshworks
Girish Mathrubootham founded Freshworks in 2012.
It offers Cloud-based Business Management Application Services. Companies can access Freshworks' cloud-based company management products through their website.
With Freshworks, businesses can easily and quickly satisfy their staff and consumers' needs.
Freshworks takes an innovative approach to design, developing, and delivering software-as-a-service that is reasonably priced, easy to set up, and geared toward the end user's needs.
Freshworks, in contrast to legacy software, develops technology that anyone can use. This makes it simpler for I.T., customer care, sales, marketing, and H.R. departments to execute their jobs and satisfy their clients.
More than 50,000 businesses are currently utilizing the software as a service (SaaS) offered by Freshworks to improve their customer experience (CX, CRM) and employee experience (ITSM, HRSM).
Freshworks' Website can be accessed from here. (15)
ThoughtBit
ThoughtBit is a young company in the field of information technology that was established in 2017 by Sidharthan Panneerselvam.
The enterprise software is the company's primary emphasis, and it is well-known for its ThoughtAccess Identity and Access management platform, designed to assist mid-market businesses.
Additionally, ThoughtBit focuses on Goods and Services Tax (GST), GST Compliance, cyber security, Identity and Access Management (IAM), and SaaS.
The company offers various services, one of which is called ThoughtBit Access. This service manages cognitive identities and access rights via a cloud platform and is tailored specifically for mid-market businesses.
On the other hand, it also offers another clever solution known as ThoughtGST, which guarantees that small and medium-sized firms will fully comply with the GST.
ThroughBit Website (16)
Apollo Pharmacy
With over 4500 shops spread across India's most important areas, it is the first and largest branded pharmacy network in India.
Apollo Pharmacy, awarded the prestigious International Quality Certification, provides authentic medication around the clock through its network of 24-hour pharmacies. At Apollo Pharmacy, customer service is available all day and night.
The Apollo Pharmacy is well stocked with pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter products, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). It employs a team of qualified and experienced people who are available to attend to all of your requirements.
More than 5000 different products can be found on their website. These products are categorized into Vitamins and Supplements, Baby Care, Personal Care, Health and Nutrition Foods, and OTC. In addition, they have over 400 products under the Apollo Brand in various categories.
Their website can be accessed here. (17)
Grinntech
Grinntech was established by two friends named Puneet Jain and Nikhilesh Mishra in 2013.
They were driven by the notion that electric vehicles (E.V.s) had the potential to contribute to the transformation of transportation and that "intelligent" battery solutions would be the key to the company's success.
It provides cutting-edge, cost-effective, and high-quality energy storage systems for Electric Vehicles.
Grinntech website. (18)
TVS Automobile Solutions
Started by K V Narasimha Chary in 2009, TVS Automobile Solutions TVS Automobile Solutions Limited (TVS ASL), a member of the TVS Group, has a market capitalization of $6 billion, is one of the leading players in India's aftermarket for automobiles.
TVS ASL was established in 2011 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of TVS & Sons. It is in a prime position to expand from strength to strength in the automotive sector by capitalizing on the synergy between its several lines of Business.
By 2017, the company intends to have established itself as the largest vehicle aftermarket service supplier in India and across the subcontinent. Kitara Capital, based in Mauritius, is the investing arm of Umesh Khimji, which Ramdas Khimji of Oman owns. TASL has obtained private equity involvement from Kitara Capital.
TVS Automobiles Website. (19)
Agnikul
Agnikul was founded in 2017 by Moin SPM, Satyanarayanan Chakravarthy, and Srinath Ravichandran.
Agnikul is a firm that specializes in producing orbital-class rockets for nano and microsatellites. These rockets are designed, constructed, tested, and launched by the company.
Agnikul Website. (20)
Vivriti Capital
It began in 2017 by Aniket Deshpande, Irfan Mohammed, Soumendra Ghosh, Vineet Sukumar, and Gaurav Kumar.
Vivriti Capital is a platform that provides small enterprises and individuals who have difficulty gaining easy access to credit with financing options.
It provides lending and investing investment banking and Advisory services.
Vivriti Capital website. (21)
Chrysalis
Chitra Ravi founded Chrysalis in the year 2001.
"ThinkRoom" is the name of an academic curriculum Chrysalis has developed specifically for the years two through twelve of a child's formal education. ThinkRoom was conceived and developed with the intention of reawakening the latent potential that resides in every kid.
The educational program (called pedagogy) is designed with an emphasis on the needs of the students. It is an academic program that combines mathematics, English, science, and social studies and is taught in schools.
ThinkRoom is the convergence of three distinct facets: a product (a series of textbooks referred to as studios), a service design (continuous professional development training for educators), and a technological component (the 'Mitra Tab'). Chrysalis was able to secure investment from Manterra and Gray Matters Capital in 2017 at a confidential amount (GMC).
The website of Crysalis can be reached from here. (22)
Curation Healthcare
G Ramani and K Krishna started this Healthcare and medicine company in 2005.
It is a company that specializes in dermatological, cosmetological, and pediatric products. They have set up an R&D center for research in innovation and bringing out solutions for problems faced by the medical fraternity.
The Curatio Healthcare website can be reached from here. (23)
Pipecandy
Murali Vivekanandan, Ashwin Ramaswamy, and Shrikanth Jagannathan started this in 2016.
PipeCandy is an e-commerce firm based in Chennai primarily concerned with developing a predictive analytics platform. It monitors more than 500,000 contemporary e-commerce businesses and provides investors, marketers, and industry analysts insights.
PipeCandy was established by Murali Vivekanandan, Ashwin Ramaswamy, and Shrikanth Jagannathan, its current co-founders. In addition, there are operations in San Francisco, which is located in California.
Pipecandy has managed to get funding of approximately $1.1 million. Because of this, it has attracted many investors interested in investigating the system's complexities to boost sales and, as a result, the likelihood of successfully closing the purchase.
The startup company is being supported financially by 'Emergent Ventures India.' PipeCandy also has the backing of many other organizations, such as 'IDG Ventures,' 'Axilor Ventures,' and the 'Indian Angel Network.'
They can be reached from this link. (24)
Kobzo
Vineet Neeraj, Mohan Gayam, and Karthik Ramaiah started this office procurement services startup in 2012.
Kobzo is an e-commerce website that was once known as Kobster. It serves the office supply requirements of small and medium businesses, startups, and home businesses.
Kobzo facilitates the smooth and effective achievement of organizational goals for corporate buyers, retailers, SMEs, home offices, hotels, and hospitals, amongst other businesses.
Today, Kobzo offers more than one lakh commercial items across various industries, including manufacturing, construction, medical and lab, office supplies, electronics, cars, education, hotels, and restaurants.
The website of Kobzo. (25)
Galaxeye
Satya Chakravarthy and Suyash Singh were the founders of Galaxeye, who started the company in 2020.
Galaxeye is a corporation that specializes in space technology, including technology that watches both Earth and space. Additionally, the company contributes to the quickening of the expansion of the space infrastructure that makes planetary evolution possible.
The use of space technology also enables other technology-based organizations to make more informed judgments and more effectively carry out their operations.
Galaxeye is an industry leader in a variety of fields, including but not limited to remote sensing, earth observation, artificial intelligence, space technology, image processing, and geospatial analytics.
Their image dataset will supply analysts and customers with a plethora of options and benefits of all kinds.
Galaxeye is a business that caters to business and government clients and currently uses data as a service model dependent on subscriptions.
The website of Galaxeye can be accessed here. (26)
FR8
Jay Panneerselvam and Vasanth Immanuel are the company's founders. They started the company in 2016.
FR8 is a fledgling company specializing in long-haul logistics and employs technology to address inefficiencies prevalent in the logistics business.
The website of FR8 can be accessed from this link. (27)
Adjutas
Rajasekaran Anitha and Swathi Sethuraman started Adjutas in 2015.
Helpdesk service hosted in the cloud for use by both internal I.T. staff and customer service representatives, ticket creation and monitoring, a search engine, contact management, and omnichannel ticket generation are all core components of Adjutas.
The Various services provided by Adjutas are:
- Track and monitor all of your assets, whether they are pieces of hardware or pieces of software, using asset management.
- Managing all of your vendors and the specifics of the assets you've acquired is what "Vendor Management" is all about.
- Barcode tagging of assets Be sure to use barcodes to identify all of your assets.
- Maintain a Log of Asset Movements. Ensure that you maintain a log every time an asset leaves or enters your premises.
- Easily produce management information system (MIS) reports while tracking and monitoring the entire I.T. systems.
They can be accessed through their website here. (28)
Chargebee
Chargebee is a successful SaaS firm founded by Krish Subramanian in 2011.
Chargebee is a subscription and recurring billing-based solution provider for software as a service (SaaS) and online shopping cart (e-commerce) enterprises.
Subscription-based businesses worldwide are increasing, and these organizations require more choices and flexibility to manage the numerous invoicing scenarios effectively.
The company's main office is in San Francisco, California, but it also has a head office in Chennai, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
The platform is integrated with the main three payment gateways, Stripe, Braintree, and Paypal, which can assist your Business in automating the collection of recurring payments.
This can include various services, such as billing, taxation, SaaS metrics, accounting, and customer management. Chargebee’s primary objective is to make it easier for small businesses to offer flexible recurring experiences to their customers and to manage subscriptions for those customers.
Chargebee's website can be reached from here. (29)
Northern Arc
Kshama Fernandes founded Northern Arc in 2008 as an NBFC.
Northern Arc is a platform that was established primarily with the quest of trying to cater to the diversified commercial loans of under-served households and companies by providing access to debt financing that is both efficient and reliable.
They have been functioning in the financial inclusion sphere for over a decade with a differentiated business strategy across offerings, industries, product lines, geographic regions, and creditor segments. They are enrolled with the RBI as a systemically important, non-deposit-taking non-banking finance company.
Northern Arc Website. (30)
Skill Lync
Sarangarajan Iyengar and Suryanarayanan started this Engenerieng e-learning platform in 2018.
Skill Lync is currently developing a platform for alternate engineering. You can take engineering classes through Skill-Lync to help you land a job.
You can learn various industry-ready courses at Skill Lync, and are readily employable. You can learn in the following Engenerieng domains:
- Mechanical
- Electrical
- Civil
- CS Electronics
- Biomedical
You can access their various courses from their website (31)
Summing Up
Being the Capital city of Tamil Nadu and among the four major metro cities of India, Chennai has ample opportunities for funds and a skilled workforce. These readily available resources are very beneficial for startups. We can expect more such startups from Chennai as we move ahead in the 21stcentury.
