Tag: Paytm

Zee5’s Hisaab Barabar gets a fresh twist with Paytm’s Soundbox-powered campaign

MUMBAI : Home-grown streaming platform Zee5 has teamed up with Paytm, the trailblazer in mobile payments and Soundbox techy, to launch a groundbreaking promotional campaign for its latest original film, Hisaab Barabar, featuring R. Madhavan.

The campaign, which took place across 100+ cities, including key metro and Hindi-speaking regions, greeted Paytm Soundbox users with personalised audio messages from Madhavan when making payments. The initiative transformed everyday transactions into an engaging film promotion, resonating deeply with audiences and bringing the film’s themes of financial transparency and trust to life.

Hisaab Barabar is a gripping drama focused on the consequences of financial fraud, aligning closely with Paytm’s ethos of promoting accountability in financial transactions. The collaboration showcases how modern technology can blend entertainment with everyday experiences, creating memorable moments for users.

Zee5 vice president of Marketing Shresth Gupta commented, ‘This campaign seamlessly integrates entertainment with daily life, demonstrating how tech innovations can connect brands and consumers in a meaningful way.’

A Paytm spokesperson added: ‘We are excited to see the Soundbox being utilised as a creative marketing tool, proving that technology can transform everyday interactions into impactful experiences.’

February 7, 2025
Shreyas Srinivasan resigns post Zomato acquisition

Mumbai: In a significant leadership transition, Shreyas Srinivasan, chief product officer (CPO) of Paytm and founder of Paytm Insider, has resigned following Zomato’s acquisition of the ticketing platform. This move marks a pivotal moment in the evolving landscape of India’s digital entertainment and fintech sectors.

Srinivasan, who co-founded Insider.in in 2014, played a crucial role in shaping India’s live entertainment ticketing industry. Under his leadership, the platform expanded its offerings to include a diverse range of events, from stand-up comedy shows to adventure treks, catering to a broad audience base. In 2017, Paytm acquired a majority stake in Insider.in, integrating it into its ecosystem and rebranding it as Paytm Insider.

The recent acquisition of Paytm Insider by Zomato signifies the food delivery giant’s strategic entry into the live events and entertainment sector. This move aligns with Zomato’s broader vision to diversify its services and enhance user engagement beyond food delivery.

Srinivasan’s departure raises questions about the future direction of Paytm’s product development and its strategy in the entertainment domain. His resignation follows a series of leadership changes within Paytm, including the exit of president and COO Bhavesh Gupta earlier this year.

November 5, 2024
ChanaJor OTT App : A new content app on the block leveraging the power of strategic partnerships

Mumbai: ChanaJor OTT, one of the fastest-growing streaming platforms known for its unique and diverse content, being the only Hindi OTT app in the country understands its target audience and the importance of creating sampling avenues.

An effort to create more destinations offers to attract sampling by subscribers, ChanaJor has been steadily increasing its partnership umbrella. The bouquet consists of collaboration with leading partners like Coupon Dunia, GrabOn, Plutos One, Abhi Bus, Mobikwik, Paytm and many other platforms.

These offers, available on the mentioned platforms, provides discounts and offerings making it easier than ever for users to explore ChanaJor OTT’s wide range of content, including comedy, drama, romance, and horror, all while saving on their first subscription.

Being an SVOD platform with a monthly price point of Rs. 59, this limited-time offers allows users to sample and enjoy the content and experience without the hassle of paying a full price. They can renew their subscription then at the ongoing price points. With genres that appeal to every audience, from Gen Z rom-coms to thrilling horror-comedies, ChanaJor OTT ensures there’s something for everyone.

When contacted, Mr. Pratap Jain, CEO of ChanaJor mentioned “India is a price sensitive market and everyone likes trying before buying. This partnerships allows us to create sampling environment. There is a steady growth in people engaging with the platform and the most watched series are the dubbed KDrams, our latest show “Corporate Majboori”, romantic shows are also liked and watched with the average watch time being 13mins which is a remarkable milestone for snackable content platform. We see more people relating to the content from Tier 2 Tier 3 markets. Our approach is going to be to add more newer shows and relatable stories.”

September 16, 2024
Paytm’s brings UI innovation for booking tickets

Mumbai: Celebrating the release of the much awaited action entertainer DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, Paytm has created a dynamic movie booking experience with a UI innovation, bringing their favourite superheroes to reserve seats of the film.

On booking tickets of the film on the Paytm app, users can witness their preferred seats being displayed by logos of Deadpool & Wolverine while the seats already booked would be showcased with the iron claws of Wolverine. This enthralling innovation has certainly added to the buzz and hype of the film leaving no stone unturned to resonate with audiences across the country.

Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine in theatres from today in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

July 26, 2024
KING returns with his ‘Monopoly Moves’ album listening party tour

Mumbai: Indian rapper and popstar KING is returning to his hip-hop roots with his fifth feature album titled ‘Monopoly Moves’ which is touted to host star-studded collaborations with some of Indian hip-hop’s finest acts. #KINGsclan is in for a surprise with the ‘Monopoly Moves’ listening party tour that is set to take place in support of KING’s latest project. Paytm Insider, India’s premier entertainment platform, in association with Bluprint and WMS Entertainment, will be presenting his album-listening tour across cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Guwahati, and Ahmedabad, kicking off in August 2024.

The ‘Monopoly Moves’ listening party tour is a unique, experimental attempt rooted in the ethos of togetherness. KING’s upcoming listening parties will create an intimate experience, with fans in every city rocking dedicated colours basis each city’s theme. These parties set to take place across eight cities in India will bring the fans closer to the music sensation that KING has evolved into while tracing back to his humble West Delhi beginnings for what promises to be a raw, real, and an inclusive experience for them. The inception of these listening parties will be ‘One Night In Hip Hop’ an epic launch night of the album, in his hometown in Delhi. It is a fitting homecoming for his ride-or-die fans and featured artists jamming to the hip-hop beats.

Paytm Insider COO Varun Khare said, “We at Paytm Insider are stoked to be part of this landmark event for Indian hip-hop. KING is not just returning to his roots but also dropping an album that celebrates his journey and artistry. Known for his spectacular stage presence, KING is set to elevate the game with his unique and experimental ‘Monopoly Moves’ listening parties. Get ready for a once in a lifetime experience that you won’t want to miss!”

KING’s journey voices the story of a small-town boy hungry to put out his artistry and inspire the newer generation with his music. Being the only rap artist to have released consecutive albums every year since the release of his debut album in 2020, KING has brilliantly stitched together Indian melodies with international sensibilities across his catalogue to deliver massive hits like ‘Tu Aake Dekh Le’ and ‘Maan Meri Jaan’, which was also crowned as the most streamed song of 2023 on Spotify India.

KING said, “I’m beyond excited to bring the ‘Monopoly Moves Album Listening Party’ tour to life. These album listening parties are a celebration of the journey of my Kingsclan. I have been on together, my identity as KING Rocco and to showcase my latest body of work in its most authentic form. Every night will be a unique and special experience, and I can’t wait to be back on stage. See you on the road!”

Continuing his track record as a hit-making machine, the new album will bring back the stylish KING, who became a household name with ‘MTV Hustle’, and is ready to rule global charts again. With a blend of infectious hooks and memorable bars, while also exploring more personal subject matter, the ‘Monopoly Moves’ album touches upon navigating through themes of fame, relationships, and self-discovery.

Book your tickets only on Paytm and Paytm Insider.

July 13, 2024
RIOT LABZ redefining the Indian electronics landscape

Mumbai: RIOT LABZ is an Indian Electronic Contract Manufacturing and design company founded in 2015 by visionary minds from IIT Delhi. Specializing in IoT, Consumer Electronics, and Smart Home Automation, RIOT LABZ stands as a beacon of innovation and engineering excellence. With a focus on top-quality products, they offer rapid prototyping, customized hardware configurations, and efficient firmware development. Their state-of-the-art factories ensure precision and adherence to quality standards.

RIOT LABZ has achieved significant milestones, including partnerships with industry giants like Amazon and Paytm, and has a diverse clientele including leading brands such as Google and Sony.

Through their subsidiary brand, Oakter, RIOT LABZ empowers homes with a range of innovative IoT solutions, catering to modern lifestyles with products like the Mini UPS and induction cooktops. With a commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction, RIOT LABZ continues to push boundaries and innovate for a brighter future.

Indiantelevision caught up with Riot Labz CEO Shishir Gupta highlights its defining characteristics, product offerings, growth trajectory since its inception in 2015, adaptation to market demands and technological advancements, as well as strategic partnerships that have contributed to its expansion.

Edited Excerpts

On the model of RIOT LABZ as a brand in the Indian electronics industry, and setting itself apart from competitors

RIOT LABZ stands out in the Indian electronics industry through its emphasis on innovation, engineering excellence, and a customer-centric approach. By collaborating with industry giants like Amazon Alexa and Paytm, we continually introduce cutting-edge solutions to the market, showcasing our commitment to pushing boundaries. Our rigorous product development process ensures that each offering meets the highest quality standards and exceeds customer expectations, supported by 24/7 after-sales service. With a diverse product portfolio spanning IoT, Consumer Electronics, EV Charge Points, Payment Solution Devices, Sound & Audio, and Smart Home Automation, we cater to a wide range of consumer needs, positioning ourselves as a comprehensive solution provider. Furthermore, our commitment to sustainability and responsibility, evident in our eco-friendly practices and ethical business conduct, further distinguishes us from competitors, resonating with environmentally conscious consumers and reinforcing our leadership in the industry. Importantly, we have reduced rejection rates from the industry standard of 5 per cent to an impressive 1 per cent, with an average lead time for design of 6 months, remarkably shorter than the industry standard of 9 to 12 months. This highlights our commitment to efficiency and quality in every aspect of our operations, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality products to meet customer demands.

On the offerings that RIOT LABZ provides across its various product categories and catering to the needs of consumers in different sectors

At Riot Labz, our comprehensive range of solutions spans Original Design Manufacturing (ODM), Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS), and consumer IoT products under the Oakter brand. As an ODM company, we manage end-to-end development for new products, primarily for OEM demands, while in EMS, we provide manufacturing, testing, and repair services based on OEM designs. Our Oakter brand offers consumer IoT products like Mini UPS, induction cooktops, and Smart Plugs, primarily online. Serving both B2B and B2C models, our offerings are meticulously crafted to meet diverse consumer needs. For instance, our IoT products enable remote monitoring and control, enhancing energy efficiency and convenience. Likewise, our Consumer Electronics lineup seamlessly integrates into modern lifestyles, offering enhanced functionality. Additionally, our Payment Solution Devices empower small businesses with flexible payment options, driving convenience and accessibility. With our diverse portfolio, we strive to deliver cost-effective innovative solutions that elevate the ease of living and promote sustainable growth.

On RIOT LABZ’s growth since its inception in 2015

Since our inception in 2015, RIOT LABZ has experienced remarkable growth, marked by key milestones that propelled us to the forefront of the industry. In 2016, we inaugurated our in-house electronics manufacturing facility, swiftly ascending to dominance in the Smart Plugs segment. The subsequent year marked a significant milestone as RIOT LABZ became the smart-home launch partner for Amazon Alexa in India. In 2019, our first B2B collaborations with renowned brands like Sony Bravia further solidified our market presence. In 2020, we forged a strategic partnership with the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), laying the groundwork for innovation in defence electronics. Most recently, in 2023, our recognition among 27 esteemed companies for the prestigious PLI 2.0 scheme further validates our commitment to excellence. Notably, our deal with Paytm, leading to the development of Paytm Soundbox, has been groundbreaking for Indian merchants. The device has seen rapid adoption across the country and played a vital role in empowering small and micro-businesses in India. It supports multiple languages such as English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, and Odia. With Paytm Soundbox, RIOT LABZ provides flexibility and convenience to merchants with support for multiple payment methods such as Paytm Wallet, Postpaid, Paytm UPI, and other BHIM UPI apps, net banking, and cards.

On RIOT LABZ adapting its offerings to meet changing market demands and technological advancements

At RIOT LABZ we have continuously adapted our offerings to meet evolving market demands and technological advancements. Through regular market research and feedback mechanisms, we stay attuned to shifting consumer preferences and emerging trends. This allows us to proactively adjust our product portfolio and development strategies to address new market needs. Additionally, our agile development processes enable rapid iteration and deployment of new features and technologies, ensuring that our products remain competitive and relevant in the fast-paced fluctuating technological market. Moreover, our strategic partnerships with leading technology firms and industry experts provide valuable insights and access to cutting-edge technologies, enabling us to stay ahead of the curve and deliver innovative solutions in a timely manner that exceed customer expectations.

On strategic partnerships or collaborations that have played a significant role in the growth and expansion of the RIOT LABZ brand

Over the years, we have strategically leveraged many partnerships to fuel our growth and expansion in the market. One notable partnership we established was with Amazon Alexa, where RIOT LABZ became the smart-home launch partner for Amazon Alexa in India. This collaboration to a great extent boosted our visibility and credibility in the smart home automation sector, allowing us to leverage Amazon’s extensive customer base and distribution network. Additionally, our partnership with the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has been instrumental in providing us with new opportunities to explore and develop cutting-edge technologies for defence applications. Furthermore, our collaboration with Paytm resulted in the development of Paytm Soundbox, which has been groundbreaking for Indian merchants, empowering small and micro-businesses with flexible payment options and multilingual support. Although we’ve had numerous other tie-ups with industry giants, these very strategic partnerships have particularly played an important role in elevating our market presence, fostering innovation, and ultimately fueling our growth and expansion journey.

April 2, 2024
Paytm launches new ad campaign

Mumbai: One97 Communications Ltd (OCL) which owns the brand Paytm, India’s leading payments and financial services company and the pioneer of QR and mobile payments, has launched a new print advertising campaign to reassure users and merchants that its QR, Soundbox and card machine will continue to work ‘today, tomorrow, and always’.

Paytm reiterated that its innovative payment devices are here to stay. The company also thanked its digital India partners, who helped the company in countering any rumours. The ad also asked readers and its user base to refer to numbers 21 and 22 of FAQs released by the central bank that answer questions that users or merchants may have about the Paytm QR code, Soundbox and Card Machines.

From the FAQs, point no 21:

Q: I am a merchant and I accept payments using a Paytm QR code, Paytm soundbox or Paytm POS terminal, linked to another bank account (not with Paytm Payments Bank). Can I continue to use this setup even after March 15, 2024?

Yes. If your receipt and transfer of funds is linked to any bank account other than Paytm Payments Bank, you can continue to use this arrangement even after March 15, 2024.

Paytm Spokesperson said, “As pioneers of QR code, soundbox and mobile payments in India, we have always been at the forefront of the Digital revolution in India. With this ‘India’s every Paytm QR & Soundbox will keep working Today, Tomorrow, Always’ campaign, we aim to dispel any rumours, and confirm that our innovative devices will continue to empower merchant partners with seamless payments.”

The company was the first to launch QR code-based payments in India. It also pioneered audio-based confirmations with the Paytm Soundbox, which revolutionised in-store payments in the country. Paytm’s payment devices have seen widespread adoption by merchants, enabling small and medium businesses with robust growth.

February 20, 2024
ONDC announces ‘Build for Bharat’ nationwide initiative

Mumbai: The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), in collaboration with Google Cloud India, Antler in India, Paytm, Protean, and Startup India announces the ‘Build for Bharat’ initiative. The initiative aims to tackle diverse challenges in digital commerce, promoting industry innovation to develop practical solutions in this space.

‘Build for Bharat’ intends to tap into India’s technological and entrepreneurial potential with an expected participation of 200K+ participants representing startups, companies, and colleges. Prioritizing a participative and ecosystem-driven framework, the initiative is organized at a national scale across 50+ cities with top experts, leaders, VCs, and incubators onboard.

To kick-start the initiative, an event took place on December 4, unveiling the problem statements for participants and extending an invitation for registration. Covering Retail, Mobility, F&B, Financial Services, and Logistics sectors, the initiative is designed to deliver three distinct outcomes as follows:

1 Category 1 – ‘NextGen Ventures’’ is designed to supercharge venture creation on ONDC. Open to aspiring founders exploring multiple ideas or early-stage founder teams working on an idea, this track provides a pathway to raising capital, launching, scaling companies, and incubating new businesses.

2 Category 2 includes Scalable solutions and invites participation from organizations or individuals including students with a focus on solving friction points faced by Network Participants.

3 Category 3 includes Foundation solutions, exclusively for college students (18+) to identify proof of concept for the friction points faced by NPs.

Prizes and Collaborations:

Category 1 winners in ‘NextGen Ventures’ will enjoy exclusive opportunities from Antler in India and mentorship from industry stalwarts. They receive a chance to avail equity-free grants of up to INR 5 Crores. Winning teams also gain the opportunity to join Antler Residency, opening avenues for potential VC funding. This residency program not only offers capital but also serves as a platform for early founders to validate their ideas, build their teams, and launch and scale their companies. Moreover, Google India will provide shortlisted teams with Cloud credits accompanied by valuable tech guidance.

Category 2 eligible winners are slated to receive Cloud credits from Google Cloud India for shortlisted teams and also for eligible winning startups.

Category 3 winners benefit from Google Cloud India’s contributions, including Cloud credits for shortlisted teams and also credits for eligible winning startups.

ONDC CEO & MD T Koshy said, “We are excited to organize this nationwide initiative focused on building innovative solutions for India’s rapidly growing digital commerce ecosystem. Initiatives like ‘Build for Bharat’ will unleash the talent and potential of India’s startup and student community to drive meaningful impact at scale. Through grants, investments, and recognition, we hope to nurture the best ideas into sustainable businesses.”

Google Cloud India managing editor Bikram Singh Bedi said, “Google Cloud is committed to empowering India’s entrepreneurial energy and technical capabilities. The ‘Build for Bharat’ initiative, provides a platform to develop scalable solutions that can transform the digital ecosystem on a large scale. By bringing together students, startups, and businesses, we aim to foster collaboration and innovation towards an inclusive digital economy.”

Antler in India partner & co-founder Nitin Sharma said, “At Antler, we were one of the first VCs to go very deep into a thesis on the game-changing potential of ONDC, asking ourselves whether it could do digital commerce what UPI did to payments. E-commerce requires moving atoms, not just bits, and also requires aggregation of a large number of small players. ONDC has a massive vision around reimagining and unbundling commerce, and we are committed to making more investments into the space. Through the ‘Build for Bharat’ initiative, we want to enable high-potential Indian founders with resources, an expert network, community and capital to build on ONDC.

Paytm senior VP Sudhanshu Gupta said “As a buyer and seller network participant for ONDC, our mission is to bring the power of e-commerce to every seller and buyer in the country. Paytm se ONDC Network has gained massive popularity among users by unlocking the power of the inter-portable network through pricing and availability. We are excited to be a part of the ‘Build for Bharat’ initiative which aims to foster innovation and address the diverse challenges within the digital commerce landscape. This pan-India initiative will bring together the best minds in the country who will fuel a surge of innovative ideas to shape the future of digital commerce in India.”

Protean eGov Technologies MD & CEO Suresh Sethi said, “’Build for Bharat’ is a brilliant initiative to bring together students, startups and businesses to unlock Bharat’s technological and entrepreneurial capabilities. As pioneers in creating DPIs for the nation, we are delighted to be a part of this collective effort that helps us further our mission of enabling population scale digital, social and financial inclusion through technology.”

January 31, 2024
Paytm announces 100 per cent cashback offer for devotees traveling to Ayodhya

Mumbai: One97 Communications Limited (OCL) that owns the brand Paytm has introduced a special offer on flight and bus tickets for pilgrims visiting Ayodhya to witness the grandeur of the Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh.

The company is offering this exclusive offer for budget-friendly travellers with an opportunity to enjoy 100 per cent cashback on their bus and flight bookings to Ayodhya. Utilising the promo code ‘BUSAYODHYA’ for bus bookings and ‘FLYAYODHYA’ for flight bookings, every tenth user becomes eligible for this outstanding cashback offer. Bus travelers can receive cashback of up to Rs 1,000, while those booking flight tickets stand a chance to win up to Rs 5,000 in cashback.

Additionally, users can leverage the ‘Free Cancellation’ option providing flexibility in case of change in plans and get hassle free 100 per cent refund in their source account without providing a reason.

To enhance the travel experience, Paytm offers a live bus tracking service, ensuring users can journey at ease while also sharing the real time location of their booked bus with their close ones. The company also assures the best prices for both one-way and round-trip flight ticket bookings.

Paytm Spokesperson said, “ Being at the forefront of mobile payments and QR technology, we are delighted to introduce this exclusive offer for devotees traveling to Ayodhya. Through our exclusive offers, including 100 per cent cashback on bus and flight bookings, our goal is to help users with seamless travel to Ayodhya.”

January 29, 2024
These five Indian startups are at forefront of innovation

Mumbai: India’s thriving startup ecosystem has gained the trust of investors, customers and employees alike. Entrepreneurs from various parts of the country have come up with innovative solutions and profitable businesses that are no less than a Silicon Valley company. Let’s take a look at give such Indian startups which are at the forefront of innovation:

1. Paytm

Paytm has been at the forefront of UPI and payments innovation in the country. It was among the first to introduce QR codes for UPI payments, way back in 2015. In a country dependent on either cash transactions or expensive debit or credit card transactions, the QR codes made it easy to receive payments from customers seamlessly and instantly and at minimal cost. Since then, the company has branched out into becoming a full fledged fintech company. Paytm was founded by Vijay Shekhar Sharma in 2011.

Paytm was also the company to introduce the SoundBox. This made it easy for a merchant to keep track of UPI payments, as the SoundBox would announce the payments that they received. Recently, the company has also come up with two different kinds of sound boxes – one that plays music, and another that can be carried around in the pocket.

The company also has a widely used online payment gateway. It is also in the business of providing merchant loans, and enabling merchants to have their businesses discovered through its app.

2. Wahter

Wahter, the brainchild of founders Amitt and Kashiish A Nenwani, is set to transform the packaged water industry in India. With its innovative idea of providing clean, premium-quality drinking water at an unbelievably low price of just Rs 1 per bottle, Wahter is not only addressing the need for clean water but is also making a powerful statement about fairness and accessibility.

Additionally, the company is providing brands with an impactful advertising medium for the first time in the country – brands can actually advertise themselves on the labels of Wahter bottles. This way, they are not only visible to a larger audience but can measure the reach and impact of their message through Wahter’s proprietary tech.

Wahter’s MRP is just Rs 1 for a 250mL bottle, and Rs 2 for a 500mL bottle, which makes it very economical for all categories of consumers. Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability, Wahter uses fully recyclable bottles. Wahter will be available everywhere — from a paan shop, all the way to flights. The problem of clean accessible drinking water is very old, but Wahter will solve this once and for all.

3. Blusmart

BluSmart is a ride-sharing company that operates a fleet of about 5500 electric vehicles in Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru. Unlike competitors, Ola or Uber, which are aggregator platforms, BluSmart, owns its own fleet of cars and employs drivers on a contract basis. This reduces the problem of cancellations and ensures uniform service. The company was started by Anmol Singh Jaggi, Punit K Goyal and Puneet Singh Jaggi in 2019.

The company is looking to capitalise on the government’s clean energy push and rising concerns around air pollution. BluSmart has so far received around $133 million in debt and equity funding from various investors.

The company plans to scale this to 8000 cabs by next year. The company also owns and operates over 4000 charging stations in Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru. It plans to open these up for commercialisation in 2024, meaning other EV owners and fleet operators can use these for charging their vehicles.

Tech-enabled transit retail network Yatrikart raises $450 K in the seed round of funding | Startup Story

4. Yatrikart

Yatrikart is a tech-enabled company that focuses on retailing-on-the-go. The company has around 40 branded roadside retail shops and carts on long-distance trains. It ties up with hawkers and vendors and provides them with inventory, training and a vending license. In exchange, the hawkers — who are called “captains” by the company — get to keep a 20 per cent commission on the products, while 20 per cent is retained by Yatrikart.

The company has raised Rs 450,000 in seed funding so far. Founded by Gaurav Rana and Shivangee Sharma, Yatrikart is a tech-enabled transit retail chain, enabling micro-entrepreneurship by empowering hawkers and retailers who sell to those traveling by road or train. These hawkers and retailers get the advantage of not being harassed by the police for illegal vending and gain respectability. The company has partnered with brands such as Dove, Colgate, Colorbar, Pepsi, PeeSafe, Unilever and ITC. In addition, the startup offers channel partnerships to help small businesses get higher profit margins and foster growth.

5. Zoho

Zoho is an Indian multinational software-as-a-service company that was started by Sridhar Vembu in 1996. Zoho is popular for its product Zoho Office Suite, and serves over 100mn customers worldwide.

Recently, Zoho made news when it revealed that it is in the process of developing its own large language model (LLM), although this will be smaller than existing ones like GPT by OpenAI and Gemini by Google. While Zoho recently integrated several generative AI tools including ChatGPT into its products, its long-term intent is to develop its own LLM based on 7 million to 20 million parameters. For context, GPT 4 has 1.76 trillion parameters. The project is being supervised by Vembu, who is also the CEO of the company. The company also intends to have its own GPU (graphics processing infrastructure) to save on long-term costs.

Zoho’s focus is on getting talent from rural India, and focusing on building innovation ecosystems in rural India. Vembu himself operates out of the company’s office in Tenkasi, a village in Tamil Nadu.

January 4, 2024