Introduction
The term “Zoho Mafia” encompasses a collective of enterprises established by former associates of Zoho Corporation. In 1996, Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas founded Zoho, originally recognized as Advent Inc., in Pleasanton, California. The company underwent a name change to Zoho Corporation in 2009.
Spearheading his entrepreneurial pursuits, Vembu initiated operations from a modest apartment in Chennai, joining forces with Tony Thomas, whose expertise lay in Network Management. Zoho Corporation’s inception unfolded at its headquarters in Perungudi, Chennai, where it embarked on the development of software products during the 1990s. With a strategic focus on crafting web-based applications and software solutions, the company has evolved into a prominent player in the technology industry.
About Zoho
Zoho Corporation is an esteemed Indian multinational enterprise specializing in software development, cloud computing, and web-based business solutions. Renowned for its innovative contributions, Zoho’s flagship product, Zoho CRM, was launched in 2005 and achieved a significant milestone by reaching 1 million users in 2008. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, the company has evolved into a global leader in the Software as a Service (SaaS) industry, boasting a user base that exceeds 100 million worldwide.
On January 26th, 2021, a momentous occasion unfolded as Sridhar Vembu, the visionary behind Zoho, was honored with the prestigious Padma Shri Award on Republic Day.
” A Driving Force in Zoho’s Impact and Atmanirbhar Bharat Campaign”
This recognition underscores his pivotal role in advancing Zoho’s impact and his significant contributions to the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign. According to Forbes, Sridhar Vembu‘s notable achievements extend to his financial standing, with a net worth of $3.75 billion, positioning him as the 55th wealthiest individual in India.
Such accomplishments solidify Zoho Corporation’s standing as an influential force in the technology sector and a key player in shaping the digital landscape on a global scale.
“Catalyst for Job Creation and Entrepreneurial Inspiration”
The term “Zoho mafia” pertains to a cohort of former Zoho employees who have embarked on entrepreneurial endeavors subsequent to their tenure at Zoho Corporation. This collective, recognized as the Zoho mafia, has emerged as a pivotal contributor to both direct and indirect job creation within the vibrant landscape of Chennai, thereby solidifying its significance within the Indian software industry. Notably, the Zoho mafia serves as an influential force, not only in fostering employment opportunities but also in serving as a wellspring of inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs.
With a robust financial performance underscored by a commendable revenue exceeding $153.55 million in the third quarter of 2023, the Zoho mafia has significantly contributed to the transformation of Chennai into a burgeoning hub for deep-tech startups. Girish Mathrubootham, a notable figure within this cohort, departed from Zoho to establish Freshworks in 2010.
Top Companies Founded By Zoho Mafia
| Company Name | Founder |
| Freshworks | Girish Mathrubootham |
| Chargebee | Krish Subramanian |
| Hippo Video | Karthi Mariappan S |
| facilio | Prabhu Ramachandran , Rajavel Subramanian, Krishnamoorthi Rangasamy , And Yogendra babu |
| Survey Sparrow | Shihab Muhammed |
| ULektz | Dr. Sadiq Sait M.S |
| B2Brain | Sridhar Ranganathan and karthik Mahadevan |
| Edmingle | Gaurav Doshi |
Freshworks
Freshworks stands as a pioneering Indian Software as a Service (SaaS) entity, proudly listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange—a testament to its remarkable trajectory in the industry. Boasting exponential growth, the company has achieved a noteworthy market capitalization of $5.38 billion in the year 2023.
Commencing its journey in 2010 with the introduction of Freshdesk, a platform designed to facilitate meaningful customer interactions in support and sales, Freshworks has evolved into a comprehensive SaaS provider.
In a strategic move, the company rebranded itself as Freshdesk and expanded its portfolio to include innovative SaaS tools such as Freshmarketer, Freshsales, and more. These cutting-edge solutions cater to the intricate needs of entrepreneurs by enhancing Customer Relationship Management, exemplifying Freshworks’ commitment to delivering sophisticated and effective business solutions.
Since its inception, Freshworks has evolved into a global leader specializing in software products tailored for small and medium-scale businesses, particularly in the realm of cloud-based business software.
Demonstrating its prowess in the market, Freshworks achieved a noteworthy revenue milestone of $545 million in 2023, with a predominant share originating from North American and European markets. This accomplishment underscores the substantial impact of the Zoho mafia, not only in local job creation but also in the establishment of successful enterprises with a global footprint.
Chargebee : Automated Billing Software Solution
Chargebee is a sophisticated automated billing software solution that empowers businesses to streamline their billing processes with efficiency and precision. This robust platform is designed to automate the entire billing cycle, from invoicing to subscription management, ensuring seamless and accurate financial transactions.
With Chargebee, organizations can experience a heightened level of control and flexibility over their billing operations. The software offers a comprehensive suite of features, including automated invoicing, subscription tracking, and revenue recognition, all of which contribute to enhanced financial management.
What sets Chargebee apart is its intuitive interface and user-friendly design, allowing businesses to navigate complex billing scenarios with ease. The platform is adaptable to various business models, accommodating diverse pricing structures and billing cycles.
Moreover, Chargebee integrates seamlessly with popular payment gateways and third-party applications, facilitating a cohesive ecosystem for financial operations. This interoperability ensures that businesses can effortlessly synchronize their billing data with other essential tools, thereby optimizing overall operational efficiency.
Hippo Video
Hippo Video stands as an advanced online video recording tool, offering a seamless and user-friendly video solution tailored to meet diverse business requirements. This versatile platform empowers users to effortlessly capture, record, edit, share, and securely store screen captures. Whether recording video from the desktop screen or utilizing the webcam, the process is streamlined with a simple click of a button.
At the forefront of innovation, Hippo Video enables the automation of your entire sales process, facilitating the creation and delivery of personalized videos at scale. This functionality extends to orchestrating customized email campaigns, strategically designed to enhance lead generation, drive sales, foster customer retention, and amplify your brand’s outreach.
Facilio
Facilio is an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) integrated property operations software. Our platform empowers real estate owners and operators by providing invaluable access to intricate building data.
Through this innovative solution, we enable the optimization of building performance and foster efficient operations throughout real estate portfolios. Our commitment is rooted in transforming traditional models of operation into a cutting-edge, data-centric approach, ensuring our clients benefit from the latest advancements in technology to enhance their property management capabilities.
Survey Sparrow
Survey Sparrow serves as a comprehensive omnichannel experience management platform dedicated to enhancing both employee engagement and customer experience through the strategic utilization of surveys. Its innovative conversational interface facilitates the delivery of surveys in a chat-like experience, significantly elevating completion rates by up to 40%.
The platform prioritizes mobile-friendly and highly engaging interactions to ensure a seamless experience for respondents.
By adopting an omnidirectional approach, Survey Sparrow enables swift and effective communication with your target audience. This versatile platform offers a range of solutions designed to gauge the loyalty of both customers and employees.
These include NPS surveys, 360 surveys, chat-like surveys, and classic surveys, collectively providing a multifaceted toolkit for comprehensive experience management.
ULektz
ULektz, established in 2016, stands as a distinguished EdTech Software as a Service (SaaS) Startup committed to advancing the educational landscape. Devoted to empowering higher education students, the platform offers an extensive array of resources designed to enrich educational pursuits, foster employability, and unlock promising career opportunities.
At the core of ULektz’s mission is the creation of a comprehensive ecosystem that seamlessly connects students, educators, and all key stakeholders within higher education. Through this interconnected network, ULektz meticulously curates and delivers high-quality resources and services, elevating the overall standard of education, skills development, and career progression.
A cornerstone of ULektz’s offerings lies in facilitating a transformative digital learning experience. By furnishing cutting-edge mobile applications and Cloud-based educational Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, the platform equips colleges and universities with the tools to harness innovative technologies. In doing so, ULektz champions the integration of technology into the academic sphere, fostering an environment conducive to advanced learning methodologies.
B2Brain
Established in 2020, B2Brain serves as an indispensable ally for sales teams by providing automated account intelligence. Our platform streamlines the process of account research, allowing you to concentrate on the pivotal tasks of opening accounts, constructing pipelines, and identifying opportunities.
B2Brain seamlessly delivers Intel, Talking Points, and Leads directly to your CRM/SEP, ensuring a cohesive and efficient workflow.
With B2Brain, outbound sales are empowered through the provision of contextual information on leads and accounts, enabling a more targeted and strategic approach. Our solution has garnered trust from prominent enterprises worldwide, including Auditoria, Capillary, Evolv, Salesloft, Flutura, and others.
B2Brain boasts seamless integration with industry-leading CRMs, SEPs, and Collaboration tools, including Salesforce, Salesloft, Slack, MS Teams, Freshworks, Zoho, and more. By leveraging our platform, businesses can enhance their sales processes, fostering a dynamic and informed approach to customer engagement.
Edmingle
Edmingle stands as a premier Software as a Service (SaaS) Learning Management System (LMS) platform tailored for educators, colleges, and coaching institutes. This cutting-edge platform empowers educators with the ability to meticulously craft personalized courses, design assessments such as exams, quizzes, exercises, and assignments, engage in meaningful conversations, and monitor student performance comprehensively across various subjects and courses.
Facilitating seamless communication, Edmingle enables teachers and administrators to dispatch real-time notifications to both students and parents, fostering an environment of continuous monitoring and constructive feedback. Moreover, the platform integrates robust marketing capabilities, strategically designed to enhance student registrations and elevate the overall marketing efforts for coaching institutes.
Edmingle’s versatile reach extends to both Android and iOS devices, with dedicated applications for each platform, ensuring accessibility and convenience for users on the go. This comprehensive suite of features establishes Edmingle as a sophisticated and indispensable tool for modern educational institutions, enriching the teaching and learning experience through its intuitive interface and powerful functionalities.
