“I think the promise of digitizing retail In India is a large end goal and there is several years of work ahead of us to achieve that.”

Pricebaba is a location based search engine, helping the real world shoppers to search prices in their vicinity. It serves the Indian market where people research online but buy offline.

MO: What inspired you to launch your business?

Annkur: My friends. They asked me for so much advice on buying mobile phones, I made a product to help them.

MO: What issue does your core product help solve and how so?

Annkur: PriceBaba fills the gap between ecommerce and offline retail. Most Internet users In India research online but buy offline, we let internet users In India research online but buy offline. So to say, we bring the local retailer around you online and let you research the market like never before. Smartphones (specially Android) is booming In India and consumers are increasingly spending more money on mobile phones.

MO: What’s the most exciting thing on the horizon for you/your Company?

Annkur: I think the promise of digitizing retail In India is a large end goal and there is several years of work ahead of us to achieve that. We are taking baby steps towards it. The only thing that keeps us excited in the short run is the larger picture. On a more immediate basis, we have a major business release in July end that would change the way people research phones In India. We can’t wait to reveal that :)

MO: Where do you envision your company in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years?

Annkur: Retail In India would be a $750 billion market in 2015 with only 20% of it being controlled by organized retailers. The scope and challenge for PriceBaba is real. We want to be a major player in connecting retailers to consumers using the Internet. As a product research engine we see ourselves as a neutral platform that lets consumers choose the right products and purchase them. The need for PriceBaba would exist even after a decade.

MO:  Have you had any mentors or role models that have influenced you? Describe the impact.

Annkur: Our immediate role model are guys from this Japanese company WHILL. They are innovating in a space that hasn’t seen any major breakthrough since 1930s. With their support for the disabled, WHILL is challenging humanity. Imagine no negative stigma and limitations for wheelchair users? Even car owners would envy them now! That’s the next generation solution for humanity!

MO: How do your competitors view you?

Annkur: As friends :) We have a friendly neighborhood.

MO: What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs and business owners? What do you wish someone told you?

Annkur: Prepare for a success. If your mind is busy preparing for failure, you won’t succeed. So while you are at it, please keep the fear of failure at bay, it is real and in all probability you will fail. But the only way to succeed is to not have failure as an option. It is difficult and I know exactly what you feel. Please feel free to reach me anytime, I would make time for you.

MO: How did the co-founders meet?

Annkur: We met on a train journey from Bangalore to Mumbai. And the rest is history :)