Every now and then, a random show or conversation sneaks up on you — the kind that you start watching casually, only to find yourself unexpectedly moved or inspired by the people in it.
That’s exactly what happened when I stumbled upon Startup Singam a Tamil reality show I discovered through linkedin
But this one caught my attention for a different reason — the producer was Kumar Vembu
Everyone knows Sridhar Vembu, the co-founder of Zoho. But how many know his brother, Kumar Vembu, who founded Go Frugal and has quietly built an equally strong legacy in the tech and SME space?
We’ll talk more about him another day.
The show itself was straightforward — a team comes in to pitch a business idea seeking investment.
Their startup could be at any stage — idea, MVP, or already having paying customers.
The jury panel consisted of industry veterans and investors. Each pitch followed a familiar rhythm: a presentation, a tough round of questions, and, if impressed, one or more jury members would make an investment offer. Others would pass and wait for the next team.
You get the drift, right?
But let’s leave the show format aside.
What I really wanted to talk about is a particular episode that left a strong impression on me.
A group of four young men — probably in their early thirties — came on stage. They had started a robotics company in the name and style of Goat Robotics, focused on automating material handling processes in factories — essentially building robots to replace humans in repetitive, heavy-duty operations.
What struck me most was their passion and command over the subject matter. Their articulation, conviction, and purpose made it seem as though the very reason for their existence was to build this company.
All four were alumni of PSG Tech, with master’s degrees from places like BITS Pilani. Each had a clear and distinct role — one handled hardware production, another marketing and sales, another HR and operations, and the last one software and R&D.
The team leader, Muthu Vangaliappan, was particularly impressive — his clarity, composure, and business acumen stood out. He spoke not like a founder pitching for funds, but like a seasoned professional negotiating a ₹100 crore order.
By the end of the pitch, the team secured ₹1.25 crores at a ₹25 crore valuation — which, in my opinion, was on the lower side considering their depth and capability. But still, it was a great moment to watch.
I’ve often heard friends say that entrepreneurship is synonymous with Coimbatore, and every time I come across stories like this, I understand why.
At the risk of sounding like a boomer, it genuinely made me happy to see the next generation building such thoughtful, purpose-driven, world-class ventures from Tamil Nadu.