Reengineering industry: Tamil Nadu’s startups lead the next industrial revolution

Tamil Nadu has long been recognised as an industrial powerhouse. Today, the narrative is shifting from scale to smarts. Backed by a thriving network of entrepreneurs, investors, and enablers, the state is building momentum toward its goal of ranking among the world’s top 20 startup hubs by 2032, powered by innovation across diverse sectors.

A new wave of founders is driving this shift, proving that growth can be cleaner, smarter, and more inclusive. From clean mobility and advanced manufacturing to SaaS and sustainable textiles, these startups are transforming Tamil Nadu’s traditional strengths into engines of the future.

At the Tamil Nadu Global Startup Summit (TNGSS) 2025, this ambition takes center stage with ventures like Torus Robotics, GIMS, Gallabox, and Glaudia Sustainable Textiles - startups reshaping what progress looks like when technology and purpose move in step.

Driving cleaner industries with smarter motors: Torus Robotics

Founded in 2019 in Chennai by Vignesh Manimaran, Vibhakar Senthil Kumar, and Abbhi Vignesh Kandasamy, Torus Robotics is building India’s next-generation motion stack with compact axial-flux motors and intelligent controllers that are dramatically lighter and more efficient than conventional radial-flux machines. The platform covers a wide set of use cases — from electric two- and three-wheelers and tractors to HVAC systems and industrial fans. It combines high power density hardware with AI-driven software for predictive maintenance and performance optimization.

“Designed in Chennai, made in India, and built for the world, our goal is to set a global benchmark for sustainable motion systems,” Vignesh Manimaran says.

By cutting energy consumption, lowering lifecycle costs, and reducing import dependence, Torus is positioning Tamil Nadu as a hub for locally manufactured, export-ready motor and controller technology. With its axial-flux architecture validated by ISRO, United Nations, Bureau of Energy Efficiency, CII, and funding from investors such as TNIFMC, SINE IIT Bombay, and Forge Innovation & Ventures, the company is scaling toward tens of thousands of units while driving a new standard for clean, efficient mobility and industry.

Engineering bold ideas: GIMS

Founded in 2020 by Guhan Gunasekaran, Guhan Industrial and Manufacturing Solutions (GIMS) is taking on one of Indian manufacturing’s biggest gaps: dependence on imported machine tools. Its flagship Katana series of abrasive waterjet systems is India’s first indigenous system capable of handling a wide range of materials for semiconductors to munitions and wide industries including aerospace, defense, and education.

Designed to be both affordable and scalable, with models ranging from compact rigs for classrooms to midscale machines for industry, Katana makes advanced machining accessible to MSMEs and technical institutes that have long been priced out of global technology. As Gunasekaran says, “Innovation in manufacturing is not just about machines; it’s about empowering people, industries, and entire nations to build their future.”

With StartupTN’s support and early adoption from IIT Madras, GIMS has grown into a company capable of building capacity, training ITI students, creating jobs, and supplying small businesses with world-class precision manufacturing.

Conversations that convert: Gallabox

Founded in 2021 by Karthik Jagannathan, Yathindhar Panchanathan, and Yogesh Narayanan, Gallabox is building an AI-first conversational platform that helps B2C sales teams turn chats into conversions. Optimized for WhatsApp and Instagram, with voice on the way, it enables businesses to qualify leads, book appointments, process orders, and manage scale through automated yet personalized conversations.

Gallabox has deep roots in Chennai and employs much of its 75-person team from Tamil Nadu’s Tier II and Tier III towns. In just a few years, the startup has grown to serve over 10,000 customers across 40 countries, backed by funding from Prime Venture Partners and FUSE VC. As Co-founder and CEO, Karthik Jagannathan explains, “A leaky funnel is the number one challenge for sales teams globally. Consumers prefer to engage with businesses on WhatsApp and Instagram, and Gallabox helps scale those interactions seamlessly into revenue.”

With offices in Chennai, Dubai, and Delaware, Gallabox has positioned itself as a fast-growing player in conversational AI, carving a niche in a highly competitive SaaS landscape while strengthening Tamil Nadu’s global startup footprint.

Fashion that doesn’t cost the planet: Glaudia Sustainable Textiles

Based in Tirupur, Glaudia Sustainable Textiles (trade name Vonit) is pioneering 100% natural, zero-discharge dyeing processes that use plant- and ocean-derived colorants at a commercially viable scale. Founded by R Gladys Lourdhu Josephin, the company bridges the gap between traditional eco-friendly dyeing and the demands of modern fashion supply chains.

What began as hands-on experimentation has evolved into a scalable, repeatable process that has created direct jobs, established farmer linkages for dye raw materials, and delivered skill workshops to train students and artisans in sustainable techniques. By replacing synthetic dyes with natural methods, Glaudia not only prevents toxic effluent from entering water systems but also reduces water usage while opening new opportunities for local livelihoods in Tamil Nadu’s textile belt.

“As a brand, we believe fashion should not cost the planet,” Josephin says. “Our journey is about reviving natural dyeing traditions with modern innovation to make clothing safe for people, sustainable for communities, and restorative for nature.”

With recognition from TANSEED and collaborations with fashion brands already underway, Glaudia is showing how sustainability can scale, positioning Tirupur as a hub for textiles that are as commercially viable as they are environmentally responsible.

The StartupTN catalyst effect

What links these industrial breakthroughs? StartupTN’s TANSEED program. Across Torus, GIMS, Gallabox, and Glaudia, TANSEED provided early funding, mentorship, and market access that helped translate prototypes into market-ready products. Each company received Rs 10 lakh in funding, while women-led startups and those in the fields of rural, agri-tech, and green-tech received up to Rs 15 lakh. This funding provided access to a network that opened doors to Fortune 500 partnerships, international markets, and follow-on investments.

The new industrial DNA

These four startups demonstrate a simple idea: industry built with purpose lasts. From axial flux motors that cut energy use, machine tools that democratize manufacturing, AI that fixes leaky sales funnels, or textiles that curb toxic effluents, Tamil Nadu’s industrial innovators are designing solutions that are cleaner, smarter and scalable.

As the state advances toward its $1 trillion economy target, these ventures will play a defining role – not just for the products they create, but for the industrial DNA they are shaping, one that champions sustainability, skill creation, and global competitiveness.