Pune Inc: How a 24-year-old spotted holes in India’s digital transformation, and came up with solutions

“I learnt that a lot of industries hesitate to upgrade because it takes time and the return on investment is not immediate. The hierarchical nature of companies, powered by babus who passed out before the digital revolution, also makes the transition difficult. The long processing time means that money is stuck, the pipeline is dripping, and such companies become roadblocks in the economy,” says Tanksale.

He set up a startup with a bunch of interns, Two Registers, that creates customised automation software for mobile and web applications for organisations, institutions, and SMEs.

For the tractor company, Two Registers developed a kit to digitise their meter reading and a few other processes. In another company, Two Registers saw that the task of getting work permits, such as for chimney cleaners to operate at heights, in a toxic environment and a high electricity area, was filled by hand using sheets of paper. “The appended forms go to the first plant head, the second plant head, the third and to the final authority before the first pass is generated. In case of changes, you need to start from scratch,” says Tanksale.

Two Registers created a software that has brought down the three-week work permit process to a week. “They have a rotating holiday, so we cannot do much about reducing the time even further. The person who has to approve should be available,” says Tanksale.

Today, his startup has 45 interns working on seven to eight different projects — and the challenge still lies in bringing a mindset change in the industry. The industries they have worked with range from automobile and construction to real estate. The company does not make a general product, but tailors software to a client’s specific demand. A publisher and library client asked for a web-based platform with a system for audiobooks that Tanksale and the team created.

“There are opportunities in the market, but one just needs to have consistency and patience to look around. We try to focus on the smaller things that need attention rather than the bigger problems. This is what I have learned from my first two big projects. It is in the minor details that the Indian market is still functioning like it did 60 to 70 years ago. If we can digitalise these, it is a better option. We would be taking many companies ahead into the paperless era,” says Tanksale.

Revenue is still in lakhs, and Tanksale aims to raise this to a couple of crores. “If we get into the US market or European market, then the dynamics will change. A lot of foreign countries have a higher adaptability to digitisation,” he says.