Zoho launches Zoho for Startups program in Australia
Zoho Corporation, a leading global technology company, today announced the extension of Zoho for Startups to Australia. The Zoho for Startups program aims to empower startups in all verticals—from fintech, edtech and agritech, to healthtech, spacetech and beyond—with access to Zoho's suite of 55+ apps and Zoho Wallet credits to explore the paid versions of any of the apps for 360 days*.
Many startups overlook the importance of digitisation or automation until later in their journey. Only in hindsight do they understand the importance of implementing trustworthy, scalable, and affordable software. Through Zoho for Startups, Zoho is solving that by providing them with enterprise-grade technology that gives them financial flexibility and operational security, to experiment with the apps they want based on their goals and growth strategies.
In addition to Zoho’s 55+ applications and Wallet credits, Zoho for Startups provides eligible early-stage Australian startups with consultation and support and by hosting customised workshops, with the ultimate goal of empowering them with the applications they need to scale, evolve and succeed from day one.
Since its launch in 2017, Zoho for Startups has seen significant growth. In India, where the program was first launched, the program has reached 12,000 startups with over 100 collaborators, from incubators, accelerators and co-working spaces, to Government bodies and policymakers. In MEA, for example, 2,000 new users joined the program with a 50% conversion rate, along with over 20 collaborators. Zoho for Startups has been customised and personalised for the Australian market, where it launched today in conjunction with Zoho’s flagship user conference Zoholics Sydney.
“Australia has a thriving startup ecosystem, and being able to cater for that through the local launch of Zoho for Startups is incredibly exciting,” commented Kuppulakshmi Krishnamoorthy, Global Head, Zoho for Startups. “Zoho for Startups exists to solve one of the most common challenges early-stage startups encounter: not investing time in researching SaaS tools. By design, startups are built to scale quickly. When they evolve from an idea or concept to a functioning business, founders and decision makers are easily distracted by funding, infrastructure, mentors, hiring, go-to market strategy and more.
“However, Zoho for Startups is the foundation that underpins that, providing them with not only the software, but the agility, contingency and scalability that are vital in startup environments. Ultimately, SaaS adoption must be viewed as a long-term investment, through a lens of ‘can we scale using our software? And how do those solutions interact with each other?’. Through Zoho for Startups, we help founders and decision makers plan, optimise and develop a holistic view of their SaaS adoption.”
Zoho Celebrates 100 Million Users
The launch comes as Zoho celebrates becoming the first bootstrapped SaaS company to reach 100 million global users, just a year after reaching USD$1billion in annual revenue. In Australia, Zoho has experienced a 21% CAGR increase in the last five years.
Zoho is proud to have grown steadily and responsibly as, without ever taking external funding. This allows the company to preserve its long-term vision and culture without outside pressure or influence. It’s also what keeps the company centred on its values, such as debt-free growth and serving customers closer to where they are—a product of the company's transnational localism efforts.
As it looks to maintain that trajectory locally, Zoho for Startups will be a key focus for customer acquisition and for building a thriving community of users in the startup sector.
“Zoho for Startups has been customised and personalised to Australia, and as Zoho continues its sizeable growth in Australia, we intend to grow the Zoho for Startups program too,” added Krishnamoorthy. “Australia has a rapidly growing startup ecosystem, especially in cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane. The country offers a supportive environment for startups, with various government initiatives, incubators, accelerators, and funding opportunities available. Bringing Zoho for Startups to a country that wholeheartedly supports and champions entrepreneurship, endeavour and innovation is a proud moment for Zoho and a commitment we take very seriously.”
*Any startup that is a new user of Zoho is eligible for the Zoho for Startups program. For more information, visit: https://www.zoho.com/startups/
With 55+ apps in nearly every major business category, Zoho Corporation is one of the world's most prolific technology companies. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, with international headquarters in Chennai, India, Zoho is privately held and profitable with more than 15,000 employees. For more information, please visit: www.zoho.com
