In the ever-evolving realm of entrepreneurship, few narratives carry the same resonance as the story of Instamojo. Conceived with a vision to empower small businesses and individual entrepreneurs, Instamojo embarked on a transformative journey that has significantly reshaped the landscape of e-commerce and fintech in India.
Instamojo : Overview
In 2012, Harshad Sharma, Sampad Swain, Aditya Sengupta, and Akash Gehani collaboratively established Instamojo. Presently, Sampad Swain serves as the Chief Executive Officer, guiding the strategic direction of the company. It is noteworthy that Harshad Sharma, the co-founder, has since departed from the organization.
Headquartered in Bangalore, Instamojo operates as a distinguished digital payment portal and e-commerce platform. Specializing in facilitating the online sale of merchandise and the processing of digital transactions, the company plays a pivotal role in streamlining billing and distribution processes.
Instamojo’s inclusive approach allows individuals with a bank account to seamlessly participate in the digital marketplace, enabling them to both sell and purchase items online. Through its user-friendly interface, the platform extends support to a broad spectrum of users, underscoring its commitment to providing efficient and accessible services for digital commerce.
Instamojo Features:
Instamojo stands out as a user-friendly platform for various reasons, characterized by its seamless functionality and accessibility:
Effortless Setup: Instamojo boasts a quick and uncomplicated setup process. Opening an account incurs no charges, and there is no need for extensive documentation.
Diverse Payment Options: The platform facilitates transactions through major credit and debit cards, as well as net banking. Moreover, users can conveniently complete transactions via email, SMS, Whatsapp, and other electronic channels.
Versatility Across Businesses: Instamojo caters to a broad spectrum of businesses, accommodating diverse needs such as digital data, event passes, services, subscriptions, and physical goods.
Instamojo : Business Model
Instamojo has emerged as a prominent payment platform in India, distinguished by its innovative approach to transaction facilitation. In contrast to conventional business payment websites that often impose nominal fees on users for transactional activities, Instamojo stands out by providing its services entirely free of charge.
Functioning as a peer-to-peer (P2P) platform, Instamojo facilitates seamless buying and selling transactions, with payments processed almost instantaneously. The platform offers a straightforward installation process, requiring users to submit their address proof and ID proof for swift account approval. This user-friendly approach has made Instamojo a valuable resource for freelancers, individuals, and small business owners.
Upon successful account activation, users proceed to create personalized payment links that can be seamlessly integrated into websites, blogs, and various products. This streamlined process eliminates the need for sellers to navigate through cumbersome steps to receive payment.
Instamojo’s commitment to simplifying payment procedures is further evident in its efficient fund transfer mechanism. Sellers experience the reflection of buyer payments in their accounts within a span of three days. A nominal fee of approximately 2% is levied by the company, in addition to a modest tax, making Instamojo a cost-effective and user-centric solution for facilitating online transactions
Corporate Advancement at Instamojo
Instamojo proudly boasts a thriving user base exceeding one million satisfied registrants. Commencing its journey as a modest payment portal, the company has evolved to introduce its own flagship products.
Since its establishment in 2012, Instamojo has undergone substantial developmental initiatives, diligently addressing maintenance concerns. Notably, any identified errors and inconsistencies were promptly brought to the attention of the founders and expeditiously rectified, underscoring the company’s commitment to continual improvement and client satisfaction.
One of the noteworthy enhancements to the Instamojo platform is the incorporation of two distinct features, namely MojoXpress and MojoCapital. MojoXpress has been designed to cater to the logistical needs of small-scale industries, facilitating seamless and efficient product delivery.
On the other hand, MojoCapital is dedicated to offering credit loans to sellers, emphasizing financial support as a key aspect of the platform’s services. These additions underscore Instamojo’s commitment to providing comprehensive solutions for businesses, addressing both operational and financial aspects with a strategic and integrated approach.
Origins of Instamojo:
Phase 1: Sampad Swain’s Entrepreneurial Genesis
Instamojo’s inception can be traced back to Sampad Swain’s initial foray into entrepreneurship. Facing challenges in collecting funds for his blogging site, InStartup.com, Sampad conceptualized the idea that eventually evolved into Instamojo. The concept gained traction during discussions with the co-founders of DealsandYou, transforming from a mere side project into a fully-fledged enterprise.
Founding Date: Instamojo was officially founded in September 2012 by Sampad Swain and the co-founders of DealsandYou.
About Sampad Swain (Co-founder/CEO):
Sampad Swain, the Co-founder and CEO of Instamojo, brings a wealth of experience to the platform. A graduate with an MBA from IBS Hyderabad, Sampad initially worked with ITC before embarking on his entrepreneurial journey. His earlier venture, wanaMo.com, an e-commerce platform, laid the foundation for his entrepreneurial spirit. Despite facing challenges with wanaMo.com, Sampad transitioned to launching InStartup.com, a blogging platform where he conducted insightful interviews with entrepreneurs from across India. This diverse background has contributed to his leadership role in establishing and steering Instamojo to its current success.
Phase 2: Transformation into a Financial Services Provider
In its commitment to supporting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Instamojo has undergone a strategic repositioning, emerging as a comprehensive financial services provider. This strategic shift includes diversification into logistics and leasing options tailored specifically for MSMEs. By introducing innovative features such as ‘Priority KYC,’ ‘Sachet loans on Whatsapp,’ and ‘InstaCash,’ Instamojo has effectively empowered merchants to seamlessly transition to the online realm while facilitating immediate access to financial assistance.
Recognizing MSMEs as the cornerstone of India’s economy and a significant contributor to the nation’s GDP, Instamojo is poised to extend substantial benefits to these enterprises. Leveraging its robust payment solutions, market tools, and invaluable industry connections, Instamojo aims to facilitate the growth and transformation of MSMEs, positioning them as truly entrepreneurial entities. This strategic evolution underscores Instamojo’s dedication to fostering the success and sustainability of MSMEs in the dynamic landscape of the financial sector.
Instamojo’s Trajectory of Growth: A Comprehensive Overview
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Instamojo has demonstrated robust growth, evidenced by a noteworthy 25-30% surge in overall website traffic. Particularly striking is the surge in user engagement within the education sector, where Instamojo’s online presence and transactions have witnessed a substantial uptick of 66.58% since April.
The computer accessories and services segment has experienced a remarkable 95.4% increase in transactions, reflecting a burgeoning demand for such offerings. B2B businesses, on the other hand, have seen an astonishing surge of 117.54%, underscoring Instamojo’s pivotal role in facilitating their growth.
In the grocery retail and service market, Instamojo has played a pivotal role, contributing to an 86.12% boost in online sales. This attests to the platform’s adaptability and effectiveness in catering to diverse industry needs.
A standout achievement for Instamojo is the sixteen fold increase in travel volume, coupled with a threefold rise in transactions within travel companies. This underscores the platform’s versatility in facilitating transactions across varied sectors.
Looking ahead, Instamojo is poised for international expansion, aiming to extend its offerings beyond the Indian market. Currently boasting a workforce of 130 employees, the company is actively seeking to augment its talent pool with experts in technology, product development, and architecture. This strategic recruitment drive aligns with Instamojo’s vision for sustained innovation and excellence in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Instamojo : Mission
Instamojo is driven by a steadfast mission to empower both individuals and businesses, fostering their growth through the strategic utilization of the Internet.
Instamojo Challenges:
Phase 1: Overcoming Adversity
Every business encounters challenges, and Instamojo has navigated through its fair share of difficulties. Despite successfully raising over 30 crores from investors and catering to 3 lakh companies across India, the company faced the imminent threat of closure in 2017. The fundraising efforts, which had last taken place in 2014 with plans for a subsequent round in 2016, encountered hurdles. Following the demonetization of the Indian currency, investors withdrew their support, citing a lack of understanding of the market.
Phase 2: A Narrow Escape
Facing financial adversity, Instamojo sought assistance from Kalaari Capital, securing Rs. 1.6 crores, which sustained the company for the next six to eight months. However, by mid-2017, the financial lifeline had depleted, leaving Instamojo once again in a cash-strapped situation. In response, Swain and the team implemented cost-cutting measures within the organization, including the founders forgoing their salaries. In August 2017, a lifeline arrived in the form of a new round of funding from Japanese payments company AnyPay, allowing Instamojo to avert a potential shutdown. Having overcome this near-miss with the finish line, the company is now poised to expand its reach and introduce a host of new features to its growing market.
Conclusion
The Instamojo success story is a compelling journey of resilience, innovation, and strategic evolution, transforming from a startup to a market leader in the dynamic landscape of e-commerce and fintech in India. The company’s inception, led by Sampad Swain and his co-founders in 2012, aimed at empowering small businesses and individual entrepreneurs, and over the years, Instamojo has played a pivotal role in reshaping the digital commerce landscape.
