Introduction Chennai has long been known as India’s Detroit and a major IT services hub. Over the last decade it has also become one of the country’s strongest SaaS and product-startup ecosystems. Several globally recognised software companies were founded here, and a new wave of AI, fintech, deep-tech and vertical-software startups is following them. Most “top startup” lists online are auto-generated rankings that mix in large corporates and don’t explain why a company matters. This guide covers 10 established IT and tech startups from Chennai, what each one builds, and why it deserves your attention. We also feature one rising startup to watch: Lak Technology, an Avadi-based company building school and hospital management software. How we picked these startups Chennai roots: founded in Chennai or still significantly based here Product-led: building software or technology products, not just services Proven traction: notable customers, funding, or technical milestones Ecosystem impact: influence on Chennai’s talent pool and startup culture Rising pick: one early-stage startup chosen for its focus and local roots, not its scale Quick Comparison Startup Focus Founded Freshworks CRM, support & IT SaaS 2010 Chargebee Subscription billing 2011 Kissflow Low-code / workflow 2012 Uniphore Conversational AI 2008 M2P Fintech Banking-as-a-service 2014 Agnikul Cosmos Space tech 2017 Mad Street Den (Vue.ai) Retail AI 2013 Ideas2IT Product engineering 2009 Planys Technologies Underwater robotics 2015 GUVI Tech edtech 2014 Lak Technology (rising) School & hospital management software 2025 1. Freshworks Freshworks (originally Freshdesk) started in Chennai and became one of the first Indian SaaS companies to list on Nasdaq, in 2021. Its products cover customer support, CRM, IT service management and employee experience for businesses worldwide. Why it matters: it proved that a globally competitive SaaS company can be built from Chennai, and its alumni have gone on to found many other startups in the city. 2. Chargebee Chargebee builds subscription billing and revenue management software used by subscription businesses globally. It was founded in Chennai and is widely counted among India’s SaaS unicorns. Why it matters: it is a benchmark for Indian B2B SaaS going global, and a frequent employer for engineers and product managers in the city. 3. Kissflow Kissflow (which grew out of OrangeScape) offers a low-code platform for workflow automation and digital process management. Why it matters: it is a long-running, product-first company in the no-code and low-code space. 4. Uniphore Uniphore, which started in Chennai in 2008, builds conversational AI and automation for contact centres and enterprises, analysing voice, text and video interactions. Why it matters: it shows Chennai’s potential in enterprise AI, not just SaaS. 5. M2P Fintech M2P Fintech provides API-based infrastructure that lets banks, NBFCs and brands launch cards, payments, lending and neobanking products across India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Why it matters: it sits at the centre of India’s fintech boom and is one of Chennai’s fastest-growing B2B tech companies. 6. Agnikul Cosmos Born at IIT Madras, Agnikul builds small satellite launch vehicles. It is known for its 3D-printed, single-piece rocket engine and for a private launchpad at Sriharikota. Why it matters: it puts Chennai on the map for space-tech and shows how IIT Madras’s incubation ecosystem produces hard-tech companies. 7. Mad Street Den (Vue.ai) Mad Street Den builds computer vision and AI products for retail and e-commerce, including automated product tagging, personalisation and styling, under its Vue.ai brand. Why it matters: it is an early example of an Indian AI startup selling to global retailers. 8. Ideas2IT Ideas2IT is a product engineering and AI services firm with a start-up style culture, building software for scale-ups and enterprises. Why it matters: it is a strong option for developers who want product-style work rather than classic outsourcing. 9. Planys Technologies Another IIT Madras spin-off, Planys makes underwater robots and inspection systems for ports, dams, ships and offshore infrastructure. Why it matters: it blends robotics, AI and data in industrial use cases. 10. GUVI GUVI teaches coding and tech skills in regional Indian languages such as Tamil, Hindi and Telugu, and later became part of the HCLTech family. Why it matters: it widens access to tech careers beyond English-medium learners, helping feed Chennai’s talent pipeline. ⭐ Rising startup to watch: Lak Technology Private Limited Lak Technology Private Limited is a custom software development company in Chennai, founded in 2025 and based in Avadi. Instead of selling one generic product to everyone, it designs and builds software around how each client actually works, with a focus on two sectors: school management software and hospital management software. What Lak Technology builds ? Custom school management software: tailored systems for schools that replace paper registers, spreadsheets and manual follow-ups with one connected platform. Custom hospital management software: tailored systems for hospitals and clinics that reduce paperwork and repetitive front-desk and back-office tasks. Automation-first design: each system is built to automate up to 70% of routine administrative work, freeing staff for teaching, patient care and decision-making. How a custom software developer works differently? Off-the-shelf software forces an institution to change its processes to fit the product. A custom developer does the opposite: Understand the workflow: study how the school or hospital runs today and where time is lost. Design around it: build screens, rules and reports that match the institution’s way of working. Automate the repetitive work: target routine tasks first, which is where the 70% automation goal comes from. Deliver and support: roll out the software and keep refining it as the institution grows. Why it’s one to watch Vertical focus: schools and hospitals are large, underserved markets for well-built local software. Built for the client, not the template: custom development means the software fits each institution’s workflow. Local roots: it is building from Avadi rather than OMR or Guindy, a sign that Chennai’s software scene is spreading across the city. Growing the team: Lak Technology is hiring a Sales Executive to take its custom software solutions to schools and hospitals.   Lak Technology is an early-stage company and is not ranked alongside the established names above.