My entrepreneurial journey began in late 2000s, when I founded BrokenGlass Designs, a software development company in Chennai. I was young, ambitious and deeply fascinated by the possibilities of technology. We started small by building websites, web apps and software solutions for local businesses. Over time, BrokenGlass grew into a reliable name across south India. We became known for our speed, adaptability and client-first approach.
Those formative years taught me how to build teams, deliver consistently and keep promises. BrokenGlass was profitable, but more than that, it gave me the confidence that I could create something from nothing.
IDLYVADA.com: Startup Ahead of Its Time
Around 2012, while still running BrokenGlass, I took my first big leap into the startup world with an idea that was, in hindsight, far ahead of its time: IDLYVADA.com. The concept was bold. We wanted to deliver food to passengers in moving trains, by identifying their next station and delivering fresh meals from their favorite restaurants in that city. Imagine this: you’re traveling from Chennai to Coimbatore, and you receive a hot, local meal from your preferred restaurant right at the next stop.
It worked. People loved it. The logistics were challenging but exhilarating. We built a working system connecting passengers, restaurants and delivery agents seamlessly. This was long before India’s food-tech revolution had even begun. For a brief time, IDLYVADA.com was a roaring success. But like many early movers, we hit the limits. Funding was scarce, investor interest was low and scaling nationwide was nearly impossible without capital. I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my career – to shut it down!
It was painful. For days, I questioned everything. But eventually, I realised that failure is not final. IDLYVADA didn’t fail me; it prepared me. It taught me how to think big, act fast and stay humble. That experience, more than any success, shaped the entrepreneur I became.
From Services to Products
BrokenGlass continued to thrive, but somewhere deep inside, I wanted more. Running a service company meant constant cycles of building for others. I wanted to build something of my own. That shift in mindset from services to products was not easy. It meant letting go of comfort and stepping into uncertainty. When the pandemic hit in 2020, I saw small businesses, especially MSMEs, struggle to adapt to the new digital economy. Payments were going online, customer interactions were changing and yet most small entrepreneurs were being left behind.
That’s when the idea for PaySmart Payment Technologies began to take shape. Co-founded along with Satheesh Kumar, it is a digital platform to help MSMEs embrace smarter, simpler and sustainable payment and savings solutions.
The Big Break
Our big milestone came in 2021, when PaySmart was selected for the FinBlue Programme under Software Technology Parks of India (STPI). A defining moment in our journey. FinBlue gave us more than infrastructure. It gave us direction. Through their mentorship, networking and FinTech ecosystem support, we began to evolve rapidly.
For anyone unfamiliar, STPI FinBlue has become a cornerstone for FinTech innovation in Tamil Nadu. Alongside StartupTN and IITM Incubation Cell, programmes like these have completely transformed Chennai’s startup ecosystem over the past five years. They have made Chennai a hub of meaningful innovation, where founders quietly build products that last long, without getting caught up in the noise of the startup hype cycle.
As a founder who has been part of this evolution, I can proudly say that Chennai is no longer the silent observer in India’s startup race. It’s a city that builds strong, steady, and scalable ventures. Most often these have deeper purpose and stronger fundamentals.
The Funding Milestone
At PaySmart, our mission is simple, to help gold jewellery businesses and MSMEs offer digital gold savings and seamless payment solutions to their customers. It’s a way to bring traditional businesses into the digital fold through bridging trust, technology and financial empowerment. Recently, we secured seed funding from a Chennai-based investor, which will help us expand our reach across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. This milestone isn’t just about the capital. It’s a sign that persistence pays off. If you stay true to your purpose long enough, the world eventually takes notice.
What Success Means Now
After twenty years, my idea of success has changed completely. In my early years, success meant growth, numbers and visibility. Today, it means something quieter. The ability to wake up every morning with purpose. It is the satisfaction of seeing your idea impact lives. It is mentoring young founders who remind you of your own early struggles. It is realising that every detour, every dead-end and every failure was simply preparing you for this moment.
Looking back, I can say with conviction: you can’t rush destiny. Sometimes, it takes two decades to become an overnight success. And if my journey says anything, it is this – stay the course, keep believing and keep building. The world rewards those who refuse to stop trying.
The author is the Co-founder of PaySmart Payment Technologies.
