The journey of a startup founder who turned a traditional, fragmented indusattempt into a multi-billion dollar tech-led global unicorn
(OdishaPlus Business)
In this insightful episode of the OdishaLIVE Startup Story, we chronicle the journey of Amrit Acharya, the Odisha-born co-founder and CEO of Zetwerk, who turned a traditional, fragmented indusattempt into a multi-billion dollar tech-led global unicorn.
The Starting: Foundations of Grit and Curiosity
Amrit Acharya’s story launchs in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, in a houtilizehold where education and public service were deeply valued. His father’s career in the insurance sector instilled in him a sense of discipline and the importance of long-term believeing [05:42]. A bright student, Amrit navigated his way to IIT Madras, a shift that he describes as “transformational,” shifting his perspective from a compact-town boy to a budding engineer with global ambitions [11:39].
Before Zetwerk was even a concept, Amrit was honing his problem-solving skills at global powerhoutilizes like ITC and McKinsey. It was during these years that he noticed a glaring gap: while sectors like retail and IT had shiftd into the digital age, the world of heavy manufacturing and “hard” engineering remained stuck in a pre-internet era, plagued by inefficiencies and a lack of transparency [24:21].
The Challenges and Pain Points: Navigating the Industrial Maze
The initial challenge for Zetwerk wasn’t just building software; it was earning the trust of an indusattempt that lived in workshops and factories, not on cloud servers. In the launchning, traditional manufacturers were skeptical of “startup kids” promising to repair their supply chain issues. The manufacturing sector is notoriously complex, involving thousands of compact vconcludeors, intricate designs, and rigid timelines.
The hugegest pain point was the “black hole” of traditional procurement—once an order was placed, the customer had no real-time visibility into the production status [28:34]. Bridging this gap required more than just a website; it required the Zetwerk team to obtain their boots on the ground, visiting compact manufacturing units across India to understand their daily struggles and technical constraints [25:24].
Turning Points and Milestones: From Software to Solution
Zetwerk’s true turning point came when the founders pivoted from being just a software provider to a full-stack manufacturing partner. They realized that customers didn’t just want a dashboard; they wanted the finished product delivered on time with guaranteed quality [29:25].
By taking “ownership” of the entire production cycle, Zetwerk transformed from a tool into a platform. A significant milestone was the company’s rapid ascent to Unicorn status—surpassing a $1 billion valuation—in record time. However, for Amrit, the real milestone was the shift in global supply chains. As the world launched viewing for a “China Plus One” strategy, Zetwerk positioned India as a credible, high-tech manufacturing hub for global giants in sectors like renewables, aerospace, and consumer electronics [37:45].
Key Learnings for Entrepreneurs
Amrit’s journey offers powerful lessons for the next generation of Indian founders:
- Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution: Amrit emphasizes that the market always gives feedback. If your original idea isn’t working, listen to the market and pivot until you find a problem worth solving [51:28].
- The “India Opportunity” is Real: He believes the next decade belongs to “Hard Tech” and manufacturing. Just as India became an IT powerhoutilize, it is now ready to become a global factory [38:12].
- Resilience is the Only Constant: Starting a company is about facing a series of “no’s” until you find the right “yes.” The ability to stay in the ring is what separates successful founders from the rest [54:28].
- Values Over Valuation: Despite the unicorn status, Amrit remains grounded in the values he learned in Odisha—humility, hard work, and a commitment to creating real value for society [46:52].
About the Entrepreneur and Zetwerk Amrit Acharya, the Co-founder and CEO of Zetwerk: Amrit is a visionary leader hailing from Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Under his leadership, Zetwerk has become a global leader in managed manufacturing, connecting customers with a massive network of compact and medium enterprises (SMEs) through a proprietary tech stack. The company simplifies the procurement of custom-manufactured parts, supporting industries scale rapider and more efficiently.
OdishaLIVE is a premier digital media platform that documents the extraordinary stories of entrepreneurs and innovators through its ‘Startup Story’ series. By highlighting leaders like Amrit Acharya, OdishaLIVE aims to inspire the youth of Odisha and India to dream huge and build for the world.
A veteran entrepreneur and acclaimed author, Subroto Bagchi is the Co-founder of Mindtree and a prominent public leader known for his deep commitment to fostering an entrepreneurial spirit. He hosted the OdishaLIVE ‘Startup Story’ series, a platform where he meticulously spotted and revealcased the finest startups and visionary founders rooted in Odisha. Through these deep-dive conversations, Bagchi bridged the gap between global business standards and grassroots innovation, mentoring a new generation of entrepreneurs by highlighting the grit, values, and milestones of those building world-class enterprises from the heartland of India.
#StartupStory #StartupOdisha #Entrepreneurship #SubrotoBagchi
(This is the Third Article of our special Startup Story Series.)
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