In Startup50 2016: For specialising in on-demand residential services including plumbing, electrical services, home cleaning, computer repairs, beautician at home and laundry services and attracting the attention of Amazon.com as an investor.

Founders: Sunil Goel, Arjun Kumar

Founded in January 2015, Housejoy is an online home services marketplace which connects home service professionals to customers. It offers a string of services such as maintenance and home repairs, quality plumbing, electrical services, home cleaning, computer repairs and beauty and in-house bridal make-up.

The company has so far raised US $27 million in two rounds of funding from six investors including Amazon, Matrix Partners and Vertex Ventures. With five lakh app downloads since founding, the company closed FY16 with Rs. 25 crore in revenues. It operates with an employee strength of 660 and currently has on board 3,000+ external partners.

Carving a Niche

Despite the market being crowded with similar players, it differentiates itself by focussing on the supply side. In other words, noting that service providers are often not well-trained or well-equipped for a task, it goes a step further in equipping them with the right skills before deploying them under its brand name.

More specifically, it banks on three innovative ideas inculcated into the company; firstly, enrolling beauty professionals on its pay rolls to deliver quality service. It adopted this strategy given the beauty segment is its most on-demand category, and is also among the fastest growing segments in terms of market size.

Secondly, offering only those services which are relevant to its customers, thus also tackling their pain points more efficiently. And thirdly, introducing relevant offers to customers based on insights collected on their buying and interest behaviour.

Encouraging Ownership

With 3,000+ external partners on board, Housejoy counts its services professionals as its key assets, and by adopting tactics such as enrolling them on the company rolls, it aims to create micro-entrepreneurship opportunities to help them live their dream.

Rs. 25 crore

(Revenues in FY16)

3,000+

(External Partners On The Platform)

US $27 million

(Funding raised by Housejoy over Two Rounds)