‘Being crazy, we took up the challenge’: Zoho’s next big idea is borrowed from a customer

CEO of multinational technology company Zoho, Sridhar Vembu, said that their next big idea is one that’s borrowed from a customer, who approached him during the pandemic. Vembu said that Zoho is now ready to commercially produce a set of hand-held tools, on which they have spent 2 years of research and design.

Vembu said an idea by a customer led to the beginning of Karuvi – the Tamil word for instrument or tool – an apt branding for a box of tools. 

“A few years ago, during the pandemic, a Zoho customer and fan, Mr Abdul Gafoor, who owns Mr Light Global, a major own-brand distributor of electrical and electronics products in the Middle East (and now in India), came to see me in Tenkasi with a box full of hand held tools from his company.  He told me he wanted Zoho to make these products and he would love to distribute them. I said we know nothing about it. He said this could create rural jobs. That is how he hooked me!” said Vembu. 

“Being crazy, we took up the challenge and set up a small engineering team,” said the Zoho CEO, who said that the team spent a lot of time on the designs and redesigns since then.  

“A lot of designs and redesigns later, we have a suite of tools ready to start commercial production. The brand name is Karuvi (கருவி) the Tamil word for instrument or tool. We are trying some innovative ideas in the factory being built in Tenkasi. A new adventure begins!” said Vembu thanking the customer, Abdul Gafoor. 

When a social media user asked him about the cost of production for the tool set, Vembu said they started the project with two engineers, which has now turned into 10 engineers. “Think of it as 10-15 engineer-years. Add prototyping and tooling expenses. Add factory space, machinery and factory workforce expenses soon and then add marketing, distribution and support expenses. Work out the numbers!” he said.

Vembu’s post on X received an overwhelmingly positive response by users, who lauded the initiative.