IIT Guwahati students develop mobile app to convert offline businesses to online mode

Guwahati: Students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) are at it again! Sahara, a hyperlocal-tech startup of the students of the institute has developed a mobile application that lets offline business owners transform to the online mode. The app is expected to help offline users create synergy with customers and potential business partners on a global platform with the power of digitalisation.

The initiative has been undertaken by a team of IIT Guwahati students comprising Sai Vara Prasad, Co-Founder & CEO, Sai Praneeth, Co-Founder & CEO, Rahul Nagurtha, Technical Advisor, Praveen Kumar, Business Advisor and Shiv Kumar, Operations Advisor.

The IIT Guwahati entrepreneurs seek to provide'Made in India' solutions by providing the best services to the people and encouraging existing offline businesses to convert to online business to have diverse opportunities. This has become especially essential in the post-COVID world, where most of the transactions are being done online.

As per reports, features on this app will also guarantee accurate navigating experience, especially to travellers, in the form of local language translation service, security for travellers by providing assistance in establishing contact with respective traveller's embassy in case of emergency, emergency and SOS service especially for women etc.

"It'll be the best app for the whole travel industry, where travellers can indulge in local cultures easily, travel enthusiasts can take their blogging to a whole new level, as they can post media, and can also share to other social media platforms, which will be visible to anyone who visits or search for that place. For the safety of travellers, we have added many features," says CEO Sai Vara Prasad.

Speaking about the idea behind the application, Sai Praneeth said, "A Neilsen report estimates about 12 million grocery stores in India, with a humongous 98% share of retail grocery market pumping billions worth of monetary transactions into the economy.

"Sadly, 98% of these establishments fall into unorganised sectors because they lack access to basic digital infrastructure secluding them from the outreach of potential customers. We are set out to revert this."

In the present scenario, where the pandemic has pushed the global economy into recession due to the lockdown, Sahara focusses on aiding the businesses by providing safe and extensive network operation from their home.

This strategic approach tackles the challenges imposed by the lockdown and extends the boundaries for profitable financial recovery. This approach will further strengthen the local economy of a country.

It enables businesses to register through their mobile application in simple and easy steps which includes submission of details related to the consumer/business product, phone-based verification and their respective geolocation.

The Sahara app has been launched by the IIT Guwahati students with a mission to convert every offline business to online, and is available on the Google Play store.

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