Entrepreneur Anupam Pathak, founder of Empala, On empowering European companies to avail Indian IT resources

Tell us about Empala.

Empala is a full-service consulting agency that uses innovative thinking and a technology-centric approach to educate, inspire, and empower European companies that are considering software development in cooperation with Indian companies. We also provide marketing consultancy services to Indian ICT companies who want to promote their services in continental Europe.

What is your market differentiator?

e-consultancy is most readily available across the globe but Continental Europe continues to be a virgin and almost inaccessible avenue for most of the SMEs operating on either sides. The language/accent barrier/communication myth accentuates issues only further. We at Empala have focussed our efforts towards specifically targeting continental Europe. The core group of personnel operating at Empala have a profound understanding of ICT business modules operating in the region. In their past years they have worked extensively with the Continental European region and we can almost claim to have mastered the region. The language/accent barrier/communication myth is definitely no bar for us. The experience, knowledge base and adept skills at the disposal of Empala make it the most unique operator to be operating in this domain. The bigger players choose to absolve themselves from the main scene and are almost absent , and this is where Empala comes in as the only harbinger of hope for SMEs across the nations to do the goods. 

How did the idea for your startup come about? How much capital was required to implement the idea?

After having worked in the ICT service providing industry for nearly half a decade, one was bemused at the lack of efforts being made to tap the ICT business avenues in the Continental European region by the Indian bastion and our counterparts across the oceans. Surprisingly these stumbling blocks were far and few and Empala was conceptualized to blow them off.

We at Empala are thoroughly convinced in that the idea is priceless and it deserves the courage of conviction that we have offered. However, for starters it required nearly 50,000 INR as a onetime upfront expenditure to meet the various expenses.

Tell us about your background.

As the chief architect of the helm of affairs at Empala, I come from an extremely modest educational background so to say. After having graduated from a lesser known Engineering College in the stream of Electronics and Communication, I had the privilege to grind it out within the market forces to earn a name for myself.              

Let us know about the tie-ups that you have. Is there acceptance for your concept? Can you give us some incidents to illustrate the same?

During my stint as an employee, on the one hand I was busy and successful cracking deals for my employer like nobody’s business and on the other hand there was a constant dichotomy within me that suggested me of the vast potential that the Continental European market does have in the beckoning. The concept of Empala thus arrived and here I was interacting with Mr. Peter Friebel, CEO, IdreData AB (www.idredata.se ), a firm pioneering ICT operations ex Sweden. The gentlemen echoed my views on lack of efforts being done across the nations to harness the growth potential in the ICT sector due to various reasons, most of which were workable. So we were thoroughly convinced that the idea had its share of universal acceptance. Consequently, we ended up with a tie up with IdreData (www.idredata.se) and since then have been handling their offshore operations in India and vice versa.

Where do you see your start up five years from now?

We see Empala as the front runner of all business of offshore ICT business emerging out of Continental Europe and with an unparallel coverage in the region.  

What is your revenue model? Have you been funded? If yes, can you throw some light on how the funding came about and from whom?

The revenue model is strongly based on the concept that knowledge is power/ need to share and grow mutually. Thus we at Empala strongly feel that the core of revenue generation is from the businesses mutually generated between the Continental European region and India with Empala being at the helm of affairs. Additionally, Empala is also open to the idea of generating business for other sister firms operating ex India but are unable to plunge into the Continental European market since they may not be as well prepared and may prove to be incompetitive due to various reasons.

The funding for the venture has essentially essayed out of personal savings and one need not overemphasize that a profitable idea is dependent on astronomical funding at any stage.  

As an entrepreneur, what are your joys? What are the challenges?

The biggest joy for an IT personnel is to create business opportunities where it never was and we at Empala are focussed towards achieving that aim. There is probably no bigger joy than to harness un kindled avenues and we have just done that.We are being watched closely and constantly and therefore need to be on our toes in order to keep all competition at bay. As long as we can keep our uniqueness surreal, we will be the front runners.

How big is your team? Give us some info on team composition. Number of people, their backgrounds. Are you looking at hiring?

We have a closely knit well motivated team of 5-6 professionals operating ex India in addition to our 3-4 offshore partners who work day in and out towards accomplishment of a vision now coined as Empala.

The Core members of this unique thought process are a fall out of the ab-original acquaintance in the industry. This has ensured that the qualification & commitment of these personnel is unquestioned. However, we have hired committed professionals to contribute to the cause and will continue to do so in future. 

Let us know about your expansion plans.

Empala is the future of ICT business solutions emerging ex Continental European region towards India and vice versa. We therefore intend to open firm bases ex Continental Europe to facilitate our mission. Empala intends to further the existing ties with the Indian solution providers also in furtherance with our mission and thus strengthen our resolve to be the best in business.

Anything else you want to tell us?

Since the basic product is essentially outside the domain of the common man it would be unwise to ascertain a demographic conclusion. However based on the queries received at our offices from worldwide and especially Continental Europe the signs are positive and indicate to a glorious tomorrow. Giving in figures would be misleading and may remove it from the original vision.

We at YourStory wish Empala good luck with all their future endeavors! What do you think about this idea? Do check out http://www.theempala.com/ for further details. Feel free to write to us at [email protected]