How This 20-year-old Company Bootstrapped its Way to Success


The founder spends so much of time abroad, despite that they are always connected because of their technology

Zoho has grown into a global software company without depending on external funding. Founder Sridhar Vembu uses Zoho's own technology to manage everything from sales and marketing to HR, allowing the company to stay connected despite operating across different countries.

The Zoho journey began over 20 years ago when India's software product industry was still developing. Originally launched as AdventNet Inc., the company later adopted the name Zoho in 2010. Instead of raising venture capital, it initially focused on niche markets, built its customer base and became profitable before expanding into larger markets.

Challenges and Focus on Innovation


Finding skilled employees, reaching customers and expanding into new markets remain some of Zoho's major challenges. To address talent shortages, the company runs Zoho University programmes alongside traditional hiring. Its current focus is product innovation, including the launch of a voice-enabled CRM and several new products.


Global Expansion and Growth


Zoho serves customers across the US, Europe, Japan, Thailand, Australia and the UK, with the US contributing nearly 50% of its revenue. The company continues to expand internationally and reports annual growth of around 30%, with more than 250,000 paying customers.