The Culinary Pioneers Behind UrbanPiper: Anirban Majumdar and Manav Gupta

In the dynamic world of food technology, where innovation is the key to success, Anirban Majumdar and Manav Gupta have carved their niche with UrbanPiper. Their journey from a humble beginning to becoming a leading player in restaurant management software-as-a-service (SaaS) is a testament to their entrepreneurial spirit and adaptability. The story of UrbanPiper’s co-founders, Anirban Majumdar and Manav Gupta, begins with resilience and determination. Majumdar and Gupta didn’t follow the conventional path to entrepreneurship. While Majumdar pursued a degree in electrical engineering from a lesser-known institute in Maharashtra, Gupta found himself in a similar situation, unable to secure a job after completing his graduation.

Rejections from BPOs and corporate recruiters due to his English language skills could have been a stumbling block for Gupta, but he chose a different path. He decided to pursue higher studies and eventually completed his masters in electrical engineering from the University of South California. Gupta’s decision to further his education opened doors to a prosperous career in the US. For nearly a decade, he thrived in the fast-paced environment, enjoying a comfortable lifestyle. However, in 2012, destiny threw a curveball at him when he returned to India to care for his ailing father. Following a sabbatical, Gupta co-founded InfraEyes, a medical device startup, which eventually didn’t succeed.

Despite initial setbacks, Gupta’s relentless spirit led him to venture into the food business, co-founding UrbanPiper. The initial idea was to create a viral social app for businesses, but they soon realized that the real potential lay in becoming a B2B solution provider. UrbanPiper’s journey has been marked by a series of strategic pivots, reflecting the co-founders’ ability to adapt to changing market dynamics. Initially, the start-up aimed to offer a social tool for restaurants to boost their visibility. However, they soon discovered that most businesses were looking for a white-label solution without branding. Recognizing the shift in demand, UrbanPiper transitioned into a B2B player, providing the back-end technology for restaurants looking to streamline their operations and handle the surge in online orders.

With the emergence of food aggregators like Zomato and Swiggy, UrbanPiper found a new opportunity to become the technology partner for restaurants struggling to manage their operations and meet the demands of online food delivery platforms. Their point-of-sale (PoS) system, customer relationship management (CRM) tool, and inventory management system proved invaluable to restaurants, solving major operational challenges. As of 2022, UrbanPiper has achieved significant scale, processing an impressive 15 million orders per month, equating to approximately $800 million in annual order value. With a presence in over 30,000 restaurant locations across eight countries, UrbanPiper claims to handle more than 20 percent of all online food orders in India each month.

The company’s impressive growth has also been reflected in its financials. UrbanPiper has secured $31.5 million in funding from notable investors such as Axilor Ventures, Sequoia India, and Tiger Global. In terms of operational revenue, the company’s numbers have witnessed substantial growth, surging from Rs 4.34 crore in FY21 to Rs 15 crore in FY22. Gupta also revealed a revenue run-rate of Rs 40 crore. With the food delivery industry evolving rapidly and restaurants eager to embrace technology and digital channels, UrbanPiper is strategically positioned to connect digital players with food and beverage (F&B) merchants. The start-up plays a crucial role as an integration tool for F&B businesses, offering solutions like PoS systems, CRM tools, and inventory management.

Industry experts predict a bright future for UrbanPiper, as it stands ready to leverage the opportunities in the food delivery industry. The start-up’s role as a backend foodtech platform is indispensable for F&B players, making it an essential tool for streamlining operations. Despite its rapid growth, Anirban Majumdar and Manav Gupta emphasize the importance of prioritizing the quality of revenue over quantity and carefully choosing the right partners. They have learned that measured, sustainable growth is the key to long-term success, and this approach is guiding UrbanPiper’s path forward. UrbanPiper is now on a mission to become a global SaaS foodtech company, expanding its operations to more countries while continuing to enhance the efficiency of restaurants in the ever-evolving F&B landscape.