Startup harnesses geospatial technology to help businesses make informed location-based decisions
After graduating from the one of the best engineering colleges in India, Amarsh Chaturvedi and Ashwani Kumar got high paying jobs in a MNC. Both had a smooth career laid infront of them but instead chose to start out on their own. And what's really interesting is the space they've taken up- Geospatial Technology.
Transerve Technologies is a geospatial product company that uses digital mapping technology to help customers make more informed location-based decisions. According to Wikipedia, Geomatics also known as geospatial technology is the discipline of gathering, storing, processing, and delivering geographic information. Amarsh further explains “We create smart web/desktop/mobile maps to help customers manage their assets such as water supply lines, tanks, treatment plants, sewerage lines, manholes, electrical networks, transformers, substations, etc. We also help customers improve the speed and accuracy of their engineering surveys. Our modern surveying solutions help them in getting a long-lead survey done in less time and cost with improved accuracy”. Their customers at this point includes Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Public Works Department (PWD) Goa and CBRE Korea Ltd from South Korea.
Geospatial technology has been identified as one of growing fields of study along with biotechnology and nanotechnology. And the duo were smart enough to comprehend this fact while in college itself, making the decision to startup in this field.
Their decision to work at Jones Lang LaSalle, (JLL) a financial and professional service firm specializing in real estate came in handy when they decided to startup. Amarsh says: “My experience in JLL was focused on learning how MNCs deal with their customers, vendors and team members. I gained a lot of project management skills in my first year here.” Recession taught Amarsh about cost control mechanisms and the way multi-national giants dealt with such global phenomena.
Transerve Technologies was born on December 2009 and has two distinct products and solutions:
a. Map Based Products: These products are customized web/desktop/mobile based interfaces that help customers visualize their geographies, assets and/or carry out feasibility analysis for their projects.
b. Survey Solutions: These solutions are aimed at providing faster, more accurate and convenient engineering survey solutions to the customers.
Transerve Technologies has completed three years and are now battling the challenge of scaling up. From the beginning, the startup has operated without any external funding but with their recent progress, they have been offered funding support from CIIE (IIM-A). Transerve Technologies is currently being incubated at the Center of Innovation and Business Acceleration (Goa) and the duo have opened a new office in UK as well, after they realized the market potential for such customized products in the UK. They were the winners of ET Power of ideas 2012 which also fetched them an award from Department of Science & Technology (Government of India).
Amarsh is very hopeful of the future and says “Our target is to cater to the requirements of more diverse clientele. Our journey in the next 5 years will be exciting and we plan to introduce some new solutions to the Indian market.”
