Pune-based startup boosts small-scale manufacturing survival within India's fractured industry landscape

Rawmart, a Pune-based startup founded in 2021, has made a significant impact in India's manufacturing sector. The brainchild of Saurabh Gupta, Ankur Gupta, Shrenik Bora, Saurabh Rana, and Tejas Changede, Rawmart was created to address the challenges faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in India.

From day one, Rawmart has remained profitable, demonstrating its effectiveness in the market. The startup's unique model combines procurement, credit, manufacturing capacity, and innovation, setting it apart from conventional suppliers.

Rawmart's mission is to build integrated manufacturing ecosystems within industrial clusters, synchronizing supply chains, production, and quality for scale. By unifying capacities into one production network, Rawmart addresses India's supply chain challenges, using predictive analytics to balance demand and supply and aggregating credit to ease cash flow.

One of Rawmart's key offerings is Rawmart Labs, an innovation hub designed to help SMEs move beyond replication and identify gaps in the market. This hub facilitates the creation of bespoke engineering solutions, development of automation for hazardous or inefficient processes, and the launch of market-first products.

Rawmart's focus on innovation and sustainability is evident in its plans to invest in plastic and metal scrap recycling, launching more innovation-led manufacturing projects, and developing high-value engineering solutions.

The startup's success is reflected in its financial growth. In its first year, Rawmart recorded $3.5 million in revenue, which more than doubled to $7.8 million the next year, and crossed $10 million by FY23-24.

Rawmart's footprint covers 14 states and 250 pin codes, serving over 140 clients across various sectors such as infrastructure, railways, pharma, FMCG, solar, and heavy engineering. The startup's services have also caught the attention of multinational corporations in India, introducing Rawmart to their global headquarters.

Rawmart's approach to manufacturing is efficient and effective. The startup delivers over a million steel parts with minimal to zero rejection rates, thanks to its combination of in-house research and design with technology-enabled procurement. This allows Rawmart to move from concept to product nearly three times faster than traditional players.

Unlike conventional suppliers, Rawmart delivers raw materials across India, aggregates credit to ease cash flow, unlocks spare SME capacity through contract manufacturing, and develops custom machines to improve productivity and safety.

Looking ahead, Rawmart aims to enter selected markets in Asia and Europe and build long-term partnerships with MNCs and large enterprises, providing end-to-end supply chain and manufacturing solutions. The startup also plans to digitize SMEs with ERP systems, IoT integration, and robotics, with the goal of creating an ecosystem that solves the gaps faced by SMEs and enables them to compete at global standards.

Rawmart's journey is testament to the power of innovation and collaboration in addressing complex industrial challenges. As the startup continues to grow and evolve, it is poised to revolutionize small-scale manufacturing in India and beyond.

Pune-based startup boosts small-scale manufacturing survival within India's fractured industry landscape