Ratan Tata made significant profits from his investments in businesses such as Teabox, Upstox, Lenskart, Firstcry, Ola Electric, the Urban Company, and others.
In addition to creating the Tata conglomerate, Ratan Tata, the chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, who died on October 9, 2024, at the age of 86, is also recognised for having supported numerous startups around India.
About 45 businesses had received investments from Ratan Tata. In addition, India has emerged as the third-largest startup environment globally.
A Moneycontrol report based on data from markets data provider Tracxn, which is also a business he supports, stated that Tata had invested in about 45 companies.
He has also received enormous returns from his investments. For instance, according to the research, Ola Electric and Firstcry, which went public earlier this year, provided returns of 10 times and 450%, respectively, while Upstox offered over 23,000% and Lenskart returned 28 times the investment.
Ratan Tata’s 2016 investment in Teabox, according to the report’s remark from Kaushal Dugar, the company’s creator, made it what it is today rather than a “bunch of misfits trying to change something that’s been “working” for about 100 years,” as the traditional tea industry perceived it.
According to the report, Dugar stated, “Once Mr. Tata joined the team, literally everyone in India started taking us seriously and we got the much needed boost to grow.”
Ratan Tata informed Abhiraj Singh Bhal, co-founder of Urban Company, at their first meeting that “India needs what you are building, keep the quality high and the rest will follow,” according to a post he made on X.
The founder and chairman of Chairatae Ventures, Sudhir Sethi, was also reported in the paper as saying of Ratan Tata, “he gave time almost every time over Zoom to me, founders of our portfolio, and the Chiratae team for over six years, including during the Covid time.” His humility, his interest in learning more about the startup environment, and his capacity to offer advice on governance, integrity, strategy, and other topics in every discussion were the most notable aspects of every encounter.
He went on to say that he “was liberal as a teacher, a student, and a tall father figure to everyone and never rushed for time.”
Boosting The Startup Ecosystem In India
In addition to his work in healthcare, Ratan Tata has played a significant role in promoting technical innovation in India, particularly by lending support to startups. His investments demonstrate a strong dedication to the nation’s technical development, which he views as a potent force behind both social and economic transformation. Supporting More Than Fifty Startups With his support of more than 50 businesses in a variety of industries, including technology, banking, e-commerce, and sustainable energy, Ratan Tata has been a significant player in India’s startup scene in recent years. He is a key player in determining the direction of Indian entrepreneurship since his investments have fuelled the expansion of some of the country’s most prosperous technological firms. His attention has frequently been drawn to businesses that could influence society or provide answers to pressing issues.
Among the well-known companies that Ratan Tata has funded are:
One of the top retailers of eyewear in India, Lenskart has revolutionised the market by providing fashionable and reasonably priced glasses both online and in-store.
Tata’s goal of making basic services available to a larger segment of the public is supported by his investment in Lenskart.
Paytm: A trailblazer in the digital payments revolution in India, Paytm has revolutionised the way that millions of Indians transact financially. Ratan Tata’s early investment in Paytm was crucial in making it a significant force in the digital payments market and hastening India’s transition to a paperless society.
Ola Electric Mobility: Tata’s dedication to advancing clean energy solutions is demonstrated by his investment in Ola Electric Mobility, a firm that specialises in electric cars (EVs). The drive towards electric transportation has become essential as India struggles with the environmental effects of its fast urbanisation. In line with Tata’s goal of a sustainable future, Ola Electric is striving to lower the cost and increase the accessibility of EVs.
Ratan Tata has made investments in a variety of non-traditional industries. Additionally, he has provided help to firms developing cutting-edge technologies like electric transportation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Tata has contributed to India’s rise to prominence as a global leader in technical innovation by achieving this.
His investments have inspired businesspeople to go for audacious concepts that could address issues like climate change and financial inclusion.