In the bustling industrial landscape of Pune, a homegrown startup is quietly laying the groundwork for India's ambitious economic future. Rawmart, founded in 2021 by Saurabh Rana, Shrenik Bora, and Tejas Changede, has positioned itself as a critical ally for the nation's Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), the unsung heroes of the Indian economy.
From Steel Supplier to SME Powerhouse
What began as a venture supplying raw steel to factories has rapidly transformed into a comprehensive ecosystem for small and medium businesses. The founders recognized a pervasive gap in the market: many SMEs possess the ideas or infrastructure but lack the platform, capital, or consistent orders to scale.
"You take any sector—auto, medical, or pharmaceutical—and you see large corporations thriving while their vendors have stagnated with the same turnover for 10-20 years," explains Saurabh Rana. "We wanted to empower SMEs to work to their full potential because we know that the next phase of India's growth must originate from this sector."
Addressing the Core Challenges of Indian Manufacturing
Shrenik Bora highlights the stark reality of the global manufacturing landscape. India currently holds fifth place in manufacturing exports, contributing a mere 2%, a stark contrast to China's 35% and the USA's 16%. "Rising even one step will require two to three times growth, and this must be achieved sustainably," Bora states, emphasizing the urgent need for innovation and skill upgrades.
Rawmart's intervention is multi-pronged. The company analyzes the existing manufacturing processes of its partner SMEs, identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies. It then works on standardizing processes and optimizing workflows. Beyond analysis, Rawmart provides a suite of services including supply chain finance solutions, technical expertise, and guidance for design improvements.
Customization and a Sustainable Future
A significant recent addition to their portfolio is the creation of customised products. This includes developing light pallets for a pharmaceutical company and designing specialized potato storage units for a fast-food chain's chips factory.
For co-founder Tejas Changede, the path to global competitiveness is clear. "Innovation, quality, and sustainability are not just buzzwords", he asserts. "The world no longer rewards low-cost manufacturing; it rewards smart, clean, and consistent manufacturing. Until we compete on design, precision, and responsibility, cost advantage alone won't take us global."
The results speak for themselves. Today, Rawmart collaborates with over 200 SMEs, has developed more than 40 manufacturing processes, manufactured over one lakh parts, and served more than 300 projects.
Looking ahead, the company plans to expand into Tier 2 cities to partner with quality manufacturing setups that have a growth mindset. Furthermore, Rawmart is launching Rawmart Renewables, a biofuel and biomass division, aiming to help industries reduce carbon emissions and power the end-to-end manufacturing cycle with clean energy.
"We want to help SMEs grow their revenues by doing this sustainably using green energy," Rana concludes, charting a course where business growth and environmental responsibility go hand-in-hand, solidifying the foundation for India's projected journey to a $10 trillion economy.
