Zoho Launches Vikra App on ONDC and Unveils IoT Platform, Reports 31% Growth in India With pre-built vertical solutions for industries like manufacturing, smart buildings and energy management, Zoho IoT enables businesses to harness real-time data for operational efficiency.

Chennai-based global tech company Zoho Corp. today made two significant product announcements at its annual user conference, Zoholics India. The company launched Vikra, a seller app on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), and Zoho IoT, a low-code platform for developing and deploying custom Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. These launches come alongside growth figures, with Zoho reporting a 31 per cent increase in its Indian customer base in 2023. Sridhar Vembu, CEO and co-founder of Zoho Corp., emphasized the company's focus on research and development (R&D) to drive product innovation.

"We remain steadfast in our product R&D efforts, with a focus on effectively enhancing our platform through innovating and launching new products like Vikra and Zoho IoT while also integrating AI capabilities across the tech stack. We have steadily advanced on our contextual intelligence vision, applying AI technology to enhance customer experience and offer deeper insights," Vembu stated.

India, which has become Zoho's second-largest market, is seeing increasing demand for software solutions that deliver value without unnecessary complexity. The company is capitalizing on this trend as businesses seek efficient and scalable platforms.

Vikra

Vikra, Zoho's new seller app, is a game-changer for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) looking to tap into the e-Commerce space. Despite the growing e-Commerce market, SMEs account for just 7 per cent of India's retail sector, often deterred by high fees and technical hurdles in online marketplaces.

Vikra aims to bridge this gap by making it easier for small businesses to set up shop on the ONDC network, a government-backed initiative to promote open and accessible e-Commerce. With Vikra, businesses can create product catalogs, manage operations and sell via popular buyer apps like Paytm, Ola and Snapdeal. The app offers additional support for order fulfillment, integrating with delivery partners such as Delhivery and allowing sellers to manage payments and customer queries seamlessly.

"Vikra represents the kind of innovation that supports ONDC's mission to make e-Commerce accessible to all. By integrating such advanced solutions from Zoho, we are not just simplifying technology for businesses, we are also opening doors to a vast, inclusive digital economy. This is a step forward in democratizing e-Commerce in India, where even the smallest businesses can now thrive in the digital marketplace harnessing the power of Technology," said T Koshy, MD & CEO of ONDC. "With advanced tools like Vikra, even the smallest enterprises can access India's growing digital economy."

A Flexible, Low-Code IoT Solution

Zoho also unveiled its IoT platform, which allows businesses to easily develop, deploy and manage IoT solutions. With pre-built vertical solutions for industries like manufacturing, smart buildings and energy management, Zoho IoT enables businesses to harness real-time data for operational efficiency.

The platform's AI-driven insights help companies predict system outages, monitor machine productivity and optimize energy consumption.