Zoho, a part of Zoho Corporation, is investing $10 million in its data centre in India, to be ready by year-end, said its CEO Sridhar Vembu. Zoho offers cloud-based software spanning customer-relationship management and office productivity tools, with estimated annual revenue of about $300 million.
Currently, it employs 3,500 people and 500 more will be hired over the next few months. Zoho also has a software development centre in Tenkasi which employs 120 people.
Mr. Vembu also said the company would be investing Rs.3,000 crore in Tamil Nadu spread over five years. “We have invested nearly 20 per cent of the sum. The investment on the new data centre is about Rs.70 crore.”
Known to be vehemently against raising funds from external sources, Mr Vembu said, “We are making enough profits to fund our business plans,” adding that the company is seeing the highest growth in Mexico and in India.”We are self-funded. We do not want to raise money from private players as we do not want to burn someone’s funds.”
Zoho currently has 18 million users from over 122 countries and it hopes to reach 100 million in five years’ time.
Completing its second decade this year, the company has rolled out four new products in India — Zoho AppCreator, Notebook, Zoho Writer and Gamescope.
Mr Vembu said “India is the battleground of the future (for software giants).” He pointed out that the company is now additionally targeting the retail user market, saying, From the operating system for businesses, we are moving on to become the operating system for work.”
