In recent years, India has seen tremendous growth in entrepreneurship and startups, propelling it to rank as the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. While most of these startups are concentrated in Tier 1 cities such as Bangalore, Mumbai, and Delhi, a new wave of entrepreneurs is emerging from Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns across India. These entrepreneurs have a distinct approach to business, prioritizing their employees’ well-being and treating them like family, rather than viewing them simply as machines.
Ar. Harkaran Singh, a young and dynamic Indian designer from Punjab, is one such entrepreneur. In December 2016, Ar. Harkaran Singh and his sister Simran Boparai started Space 5, a design firm that initially employed just 2-3 people with no external investment. Thanks to his leaderhip, it has grown into a multi-disciplinary practice with a new branch opening in Delhi in 2022.Harkaran Singh believes in giving his employees a meaningful stake in the company and prioritizing their health and happiness.
Back in 2022, Harkaran set up his second venture: MMH, a consult-tech platform for the real-estate sector. His vision for MMH is to become the most prominent name in real-estate consultation in India.
The entrepreneurs from Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns have a deep understanding of local communities and the problems that they face, which enables them to create products that are more relatable and relevant for the population. Their perspective is not simply to follow the Silicon Valley mold, but instead strive to create products that address Indian problems. As such, the entrepreneurial spirit that they exhibit is deeply empowering, pushing India ever closer to becoming an economic and innovative powerhouse.
Tata and HCL are prime examples of human-centric startups that understand the importance of putting their employees’ health and happiness first. The success of these companies shows that such an approach to business can be lucrative and rewarding. We can only hope that more and more entrepreneurs will follow the trailblazers from Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns and prioritize the well-being of their employees, allowing for an even healthier and more inclusive Indian startup environment.
