Towards the end of the 20th Century, a group of technologists recommended that the phrase ‘Free software’ should be replaced with ‘Open-Source Software’, which was a less ambiguous expression and more aligned to the corporate world. The transformation allowed software developers to publish their products with an open-source license and users to use it as per requirement. Since then, Open Source software has evolved into a value-added proposition in terms of security, affordability, transparency, permanence, interoperability, flexibility, and localization. Needless to say, the scenario presented exciting opportunities to explore in order to create something distinct. Amongst the many who shaped and unleashed the power of this technological treasure, is Tetra Information Services. Headquartered in New Delhi, the Company offers a dossier of Software development and infrastructure solutions based on open source technologies.
DRAWN UPON A STRONG VISION
Tetra Information was founded by three dedicated entrepreneurs, Mr Mukul Mahajan, Mr Biswajit Banerjee, and Ms Deepa Kapil Mahajan. They were all engineers from NITs. Additionally, Deepa holds an MBA from IIT. After their higher education, the trio started working at a technology firm and had zealous tenure. However, an underlying motivation to be different and have a distinct recognition rerouted them to entrepreneurship. At its inception, Tetra Information was merely a hardware vendor, providing Hardware support and services to clients. But then, the trio was fascinated by the emergence of Open Source software. The technology was to become a turnkey element in the software realm. It was supposed to be the easiest and most accessible way to resolve complex problems and exchange data in a collaborative fashion. In Mr Mahajan’s words, “Open Source is here to stay”.
Inspired by its cognizance, the trio started promoting Open Source through industry events at PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), EFY Group, etc. And eventually, structured Tetra Information into a professional Open Source partner for corporates and SMEs. The trio’s extensive technical background and ability to grasp opportunities paid off. In the following years, Tetra Information devised customized solutions for critical purposes like audit & consultancy, technology migration, corporate training, and much more. Even in the current scenario, Tetra Information has proved to be a critical business enabler, helping companies grow and evolve on the digital horizon.
A CUSTOMER-FIRST BUSINESS
Customer’s satisfaction is the core of Tetra Information’s operations that helps it create customized offerings. Over the last two decades, the centric model has resulted in a 98% customer retention rate. “Our priority and focus on meeting customer’s needs is our differentiating factor”, states Mr Mahajan (COO). But, it was quite enduring convincing people on the merits of open source. Moreover, they had to invest enough time and effort in persuading people to pay for it, as they assumed Open source was a completely free technology. But persistence and hard work paved the way! Steering clear of misconceptions, they instrumented solutions that were cost-effective and ensured good ROI. The sheer will and efforts rewarded partnerships with global magnates and created a client base of 500 + enterprises.
A TECH-SCOURED BUSINESS MODEL
Since technology is a constantly evolving landscape, it is essential to bring forth researched solutions and gradually innovate – to stay in the game. Comprehending the scenario, Tetra Information puts a lot of effort into R&D. Like every technology – Open Source has gone through a series of changes; therefore, Tetra Information examines the emerging innovations to stay abreast of the market. It has an in-house team in place that scours the market for potential innovations that can be added to the portfolio.
Tetra Information also seeks out OEM Partnerships to further diversify its offerings. “Through more OEM partnerships, we add more technologies in our Bouquet of Open source offerings”, opines Mr Bannerjee, Technology Director. The Company attains more than one OEM partnership every year, adding 1-2 or more technology in its stack. Last year, it commenced a partnership with VTiger for its Cloud-based CRM offering and Open-Source IAM (Identity & Access Management). As a part of its strategy, Tetra picks up Open source technologies and make them business-ready for deployment. Few of the innovations they worked on last year include Cloud Stack, Open Stack for deploying infrastructure solutions and Wazuh for Security Management Solution.
UNRIDDLED BY UNCERTAINTIES OR CHALLENGES
Whether it’s handling in-house obstacles or confronting novel monstrosities, like COVID-19, Tetra Information has muscled its way through. Having robust technologies and 2 decades of experience in complex scenarios, it wasn’t long the pandemic became an opportunity for it. The majority of the industry is digitized, and the complete digital saturation – by far – is not a long walk. Everyone is looking for a credible business enabler for business continuity, digital transformation, remote working etc. Therefore, Tetra Information presented itself as someone with the best plan to grow. To help enterprises navigate through the pandemic, Tetra Information maintained a flexible interaction and provided tailored solutions that were affordable and flexible to individual concerns.
It was actually quite similar to how it attends to its in-house challenges/uncertainties. Like every company, Tetra Information has to attend to day-to-day issues in sales, finances etc. But a streamlined interaction between different dept. ensures a smooth business. “Planning and having regular reviews/audits of the figures keep us grounded and helps in taking care of uncertainties,” adjoins Ms Deepa, Director, Software Development. The Communication and interactive channels also help in creating an engagement between employees on board.
A PLEDGE TO MAKE ‘AN OPEN SOURCE HUB’ IN INDIA
Tetra Information is one of the pioneer firms to unleash the potential of Open Source Software in the sub-continent. And now, the technology is embraced with open arms by the industry. This is evident from the wave of start-ups that have mushroomed over the years. Open Source has a prominent presence in the BFSI, Govt., Finance, Manufacturing etc. Most of the underlying software and cloud platforms – are based on Open Source. Even in education and research, it’s a mainstream technology. The industry is shifting to cloud and subscription models, making Open Source a common innovation in every vertical.
Seeing how it has revolutionized software technology, Tetra Information seeks to become ‘A hub of Open source solutions’ in India. “We wish to be a trusted Open source partner to companies, who wish to adopt it, but lacks the professional support”, shares Mr Mahajan. Tetra Information is a premier partner of tech titans like Red Hat and Zimbra and imparted critical deployments in India. Moreover, it is a prominent member of a consortium engaged in deploying online building plan management systems in India, with deployments done in multiple states. With such strong partnerships and robust background, Tetra Information’s vision to establish its distinct prominence is not too far off.
A PARTING NOTE FROM THE LEADERS
“Be focused, consistent, and manage your finances well. If you have the confidence and consistency, you will surely win”, Leadership Panel, Tetra Information.
