Zoho
About Us
You can build a world-class company and also take your people and values with you- thats Zoho in a few words. Founded in 1996 by Sridhar Vembu with his brothers Kumar and Sekar, as well as Tony Thomas, an entrepreneur, Zoho (then, AdventNet Inc) began as an outsider in the competitive world of SaaS.
From humble beginnings in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, Sridhar graduated from IIT Madras and Princeton with a dream to build something of value. Today, Zoho offers over 50+ applications for everything from CRM to accounting, marketing automation to project management. Their products enable efficiency, collaboration, and growth for businesses around the globe. 3 of every 5 Fortune 500 companies rely on Zoho. Yet the real story of Zoho lies beyond its software.
What truly sets Zoho apart is its vision and ethos. Unlike other startups, Zoho stayed bootstrapped, choosing independence over external influence. Sridhar’s belief was simple: build sustainably, serve customers honestly, and grow on your own terms. This philosophy has powered Zoho’s rise to being a billion-dollar company while retaining its core values from the beginning.
Zoho’s employee-friendly culture that makes the most news. As Sridhar often says, “We grow people first, products second.” Employees are encouraged to experiment and learn continuously—Zoho even runs its own university to upskill talent from unconventional backgrounds.
In fact, he moved his home base from the United States to a remote village in Tamil Nadu. His goal? To prove that innovation doesn’t need a Silicon Valley zip code. Zoho has built rural offices, creating jobs and empowering communities that were previously left out of India’s tech boom. Today, Zoho has several offices around the world- each with an employee-first mission to upskill its people.
Zoho has cracked how you can confidently build a scalable global product with roots in India. In a world dominated by high-octane startups chasing exponential growth, Zoho stands apart: patient, purposeful, and deeply inspiring.
Story of Zoho told by our editorial team
Zoho
You can build a world-class company and also take your people and values with you- thats Zoho in a few words. Founded in 1996 by Sridhar Vembu with his brothers Kumar and Sekar, as well as Tony Thomas, an entrepreneur, Zoho (then, AdventNet Inc) began as an outsider in the competitive world of SaaS.
From humble beginnings in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, Sridhar graduated from IIT Madras and Princeton with a dream to build something of value. Today, Zoho offers over 50+ applications for everything from CRM to accounting, marketing automation to project management. Their products enable efficiency, collaboration, and growth for businesses around the globe. 3 of every 5 Fortune 500 companies rely on Zoho. Yet the real story of Zoho lies beyond its software.
What truly sets Zoho apart is its vision and ethos. Unlike other startups, Zoho stayed bootstrapped, choosing independence over external influence. Sridhar’s belief was simple: build sustainably, serve customers honestly, and grow on your own terms. This philosophy has powered Zoho’s rise to being a billion-dollar company while retaining its core values from the beginning.
Zoho’s employee-friendly culture that makes the most news. As Sridhar often says, “We grow people first, products second.” Employees are encouraged to experiment and learn continuously—Zoho even runs its own university to upskill talent from unconventional backgrounds.
In fact, he moved his home base from the United States to a remote village in Tamil Nadu. His goal? To prove that innovation doesn’t need a Silicon Valley zip code. Zoho has built rural offices, creating jobs and empowering communities that were previously left out of India’s tech boom. Today, Zoho has several offices around the world- each with an employee-first mission to upskill its people.
Zoho has cracked how you can confidently build a scalable global product with roots in India. In a world dominated by high-octane startups chasing exponential growth, Zoho stands apart: patient, purposeful, and deeply inspiring.
Story of Zoho told by our editorial team
