Zoho Corporation

Zoho Corporation is an Indian multinational technology company renowned for developing a vast suite of cloud-based business software products and services, primarily operating under the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. Founded in 1996, it transitioned from its initial focus on network management software (as AdventNet, Inc.) to becoming a major global player in business applications, eventually rebranding as Zoho Corporation in 2009.

Core Business and Product Portfolio

Zoho is famous for offering one of the most comprehensive and integrated suites of business applications globally, often marketed as an affordable alternative to competitors like Microsoft and Google.

Zoho One: The flagship offering, which bundles over 45 integrated applications into a single, comprehensive platform to run an entire business—from sales and marketing to finance, HR, and IT.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Zoho CRM is one of the company's best-known products, helping businesses manage customer relationships, automate sales processes, and capture leads.
Workplace and Collaboration: Products like Zoho Mail (email hosting), Zoho Writer (word processor), Zoho Sheet (spreadsheet), and Zoho Cliq (team chat) form the core of the Zoho Workplace suite.
Finance and Accounting: Includes Zoho Books (accounting software), Zoho Invoice, and Zoho Expense.
IT Management: The company also operates the ManageEngine division, which offers enterprise IT management, cybersecurity, and unified endpoint management software.
Privacy-First Browser: Zoho developed the Ulaa Browser, which is built on Chromium but focuses heavily on user privacy with built-in ad/tracker blocking and compartmentalized browsing modes.

Business Model and Philosophy

Zoho's corporate philosophy and business strategy stand out in the technology industry:

Bootstrapped Growth: The company has famously grown to a multinational scale without raising external venture capital funding, maintaining complete control over its long-term vision.
Affordability and Freemium: Zoho's products are known for their competitive pricing and freemium model, making them highly accessible to Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) globally.
Privacy Commitment: Zoho publicly commits to a strict no-tracking and no-ad-revenue policy for its cloud applications, emphasizing that they do not collect, sell, or share user data for advertising purposes.

Leadership and Headquarters

Founders: The company was co-founded by Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas. Sridhar Vembu is also noted for his social entrepreneurship, focusing on establishing rural offices in India.
Global Headquarters: While having a significant presence globally, including a US headquarters in Austin, Texas, Zoho’s primary international headquarters is located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Rural Initiative: Sridhar Vembu has championed a strategy of moving development and operational functions to rural areas, establishing offices in villages like Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu, to develop talent locally.