While several start-ups have been launched in the State in the past few years, not many have been able to break even and go on to register profits.
The feeling of uncertainty could easily have dissuaded a group of five youths from floating their start-up company soon after graduating from a self-financing college at Karakulam in 2010. But, pooling in the caution deposits they received from the college, they launched their endeavour, which primarily focused on supplying LED lights.
“Despite many odds, we were confident of tapping the potential of such a venture though LED lights were not in vogue then as they are now,” says Jino V. Manohar, one of the founders of the company. Amal Raj, Arul Raj, Shahab Ellias Iqbal and A.K. Surjith are the other members of the group.
Their decision turned out to be a masterstroke with their company, Semilon Technologies Pvt. Ltd. at Peroorkada, witnessing a turnover of Rs.1 crore during the 2014-15 fiscal. The company has a workforce of 12 people at present.
Their journey has been far from smooth. However, the company has gone on to bag the commendation award from the Kerala State Energy Management Centre in 2012 for manufacturing energy-efficient equipment.
Diversification
After establishing themselves in the market, they ventured into lighting design services in 2014. “Lighting design is an important component in architecture and has become increasingly popular over the years. There are several takers for planning the specifics of lighting equipment while designing the interiors and exteriors of a building right from its planning stage,” Mr. Manohar says.
Besides having commenced a solar power plant division, the group also diversified to create a R&D consulting division. They were recently empanelled as one of the few channel partners by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to implement solar power plants.
e-crop
The R&D division had recently developed ‘e-crop’ for the Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) at Sreekaryam.
The device is equipped with multiple sensors for various purposes, including assessing soil parameters, solar radiation and predicting crop yield.
