Copyright startuppedia
"It's early 2021, and India reels under the brutal second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cities grind to a halt, doom everywhere, yet in quiet corners across India, three engineer friends harbour an audacious spark.Advertisment Abhishek Shukla and Abhilekh Kumar Choudhary—first-time entrepreneurs rooted in the unyielding values of their Indian Army family backgrounds—decided it was now or never. They were later joined by Rajesh Sharma as a co-founder to further strengthen the venture. What begins as a whisper in the storm evolves into Tensech Solutions Private Limited, a Lucknow-based and Noida-headquartered tech services startup that's rewriting the rules of the Indian startup ecosystem. Abhishek, now 36, with a bachelor's in IT engineering and years in software trenches; Abhilekh, now 37, a computer science engineering grad; and Rajesh, now 35, holding a master's in computer science—first met in 2012 at a Pune-based travel-tech firm. Bonded by a shared passion for business and technology, and raised with the Indian Army ethos of hard work, honesty, and team spirit, their friendship deepened over the six years they worked together at a Pune-based travel-tech firm. By 2018, they together switched to a bootstrapped startup, but the pandemic scattered them like leaves in a gale. Abhishek Shukla and Abhilekh Kumar Choudhary The Origins: A Dream Takes Root Amid Chaos As COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdowns tightened, Abhishek bolted to a US-based fintech firm, Rajesh turned into an independent consultant, and Abhilekh stayed in Pune until mid-2022. Yet, the trio stayed connected, their old conversations reigniting an entrepreneurial fire. “We always had this dream of starting something of our own together that creates real value for enterprises and meaningful opportunities for the right talent,” recalls Abhishek Shukla, the founder of Tensech, during an exclusive interview with Startup Pedia. In March 2021, while still holding on to their day jobs, Abhishek and Abhilekh took a calculated risk by registering Tensech in Lucknow, a tier-2 Indian city. Set to test the waters in a highly competitive market during an exceptionally challenging period, they launched this IT startup with minimal investment, assembled a remote team of young talented professionals, and simultaneously took on the role of customer acquisition. The initial journey was a gauntlet of challenges for them: hiring developers amid remote isolation, stepping into sales with zero prior experience, and facing the sheer terror of staking everything on the uncertain ground of entrepreneurship. Amid those challenging early days, a breakthrough came when the founders secured the first project for Tensech through a common connection—a referral from one of their college seniors. It was a moment that validated their leap of faith and laid the foundation for everything that followed. Notably, landing their first US-based customer felt like cracking a vault—elusive, exhausting, but euphoric. As a service-based company, Tensech focused on delivering high-quality software product engineering, cloud engineering, and consulting services, promising scalable and secure tech to fuel digital transformations for its customers. Tensech"s third anniversary celebrations Read More: Done with juggling between Ola, Uber, Rapido for cheap rides, entrepreneurs from BLR built an app to compare & book rides in one place Overcoming the Odds: Stormy Skies and a Steely Resolve The first year, FY 2021-22, was truly a trial by fire. With just three customers and annual revenue barely crossing ₹50 lakhs, the company"s survival was hanging by a thread. By March 2022, Abhishek quit his job in the US, and Abhilekh and Rajesh followed soon after, injecting full-time energy into the business. "Building a team from Lucknow, in line with our founding vision to create opportunities in tier-2 cities—especially during the pandemic—felt like trying to complete a puzzle with half its pieces missing.," Rajesh Sharma, now the co-founder at Tensech, admits. However, things changed as they pivoted: from bootstrapped basics to international outreach. Showcasing at Dubai's GITEX GLOBAL in 2023—a whirlwind of networking opportunities and deal-making in the UAE—catapulted them into the global spotlight. Revenue surged to over ₹1 crore in FY 2022-23, then exploded to ₹4 crores in 2023-24 and crossed ₹7 crores in 2024-25. Tier-2 & 3 cities like Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, Dehradun, and Indore became Tensech"s secret weapon rather than a hindrance. By hiring talent from these often-overlooked regions, the company tapped into previously untapped potential, creating well-paying engineering and coding jobs in areas where such opportunities were once limited. Yet, new challenges have emerged. "In the age of AI, it"s increasingly difficult for service-based tech companies to survive as large platforms rapidly automate core services, drive prices down and intensify competition, making it harder for small startups like us to differentiate or maintain healthy profit margins," Abhilekh Kumar Choudhary, the founder of Tensech, shares with Startup Pedia. Abhishek Shukla and Abhilekh Kumar Choudhary with team Read More: Gurugram Startup Eliminates Stress From People"s Life By Running Errands On Their Behalf – Clocks Rs 4.8 Cr In FY25 Tensech"s Services in Detail: Conquering Through Innovation At its heart, this tech services startup thrives on innovation. Tensech specialises in developing secure, scalable, and cloud-native enterprise platforms that shape the future of work. With deep expertise in virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), identity and access management (IDAM), cloud automation, cross-platform mobile app development, and travel technology solutions, Tensech designs platforms that seamlessly integrate virtualisation, security, and orchestration across multi-cloud and on-premise environments. From enabling secure digital workspaces at scale to crafting intuitive cross-platform mobile experiences and building intelligent, user-centric travel technology platforms, Tensech combines cutting-edge engineering with deep domain knowledge to address complex enterprise challenges. However, what truly sets this global IT services company apart is its unique approach of taking end-to-end ownership of every project. "Our working model is fundamentally different from traditional staff augmentation that happens in the IT services sector. We invest deeply in understanding the customer"s unique business problem. Taking full accountability, we own the product development journey from ground zero—building it through the MVP stage, launching it live, and continuing to provide dedicated support thereafter. This end-to-end partnership ensures that we deliver solutions that truly solve problems and drive customer success," Abhishek Shukla explains in detail. Tensech"s customers come from diverse locations: 70% Indian, the rest from American and European markets. "The majority of our customers are companies operating in the travel-tech sector, DaaS providers, and authentication product companies," Abhilekh Kumar Choudhary shares. These companies benefit significantly from Tensech"s expertise in delivering custom software products, cloud engineering solutions, and secure mobile applications tailored to their unique business requirements. From scalable booking engines to identity management, Tensech empowers its customers through digital transformations with its modular and adaptable tech. Tensech"s headquarters in Noida Read More: Kerala Man Who Went To The USA To Become An Investment Banker Now Runs An AI-Trading Firm That Lets You Buy Real Estate In Fractions Scaling Up: Balancing Growth, Values, and Vision Today, Tensech's Noida headquarters buzzes with over 25 professionals—talented engineers, and dreamers—working under a hybrid model that breaks away from rigid desk routines. "Our hybrid work model is designed to give our team the flexibility to work from wherever they are most productive. We prioritise results and accountability over traditional notions of physical presence, empowering our employees to choose schedules that support their work-life balance while staying closely connected to their teams and projects," Rajesh Sharma comments. On the marketing front, Tensech"s strategy is purely organic and relationship-driven, relying primarily on word-of-mouth referrals and strong industry networking. The company avoids aggressive sales tactics, focusing instead on incremental growth built on the trust its customers place in its services. With over 15 customers served in its short journey, including seven active ones, Tensech has steadily built a strong reputation for reliability and innovation. Its growing portfolio reflects not just numbers, but long-term partnerships founded on trust, technical expertise, and consistent delivery. As a bootstrapped company seeking strategic investor-partners, it is developing in-house tech products—SaaS innovations that combine commercial impact with social good. "We are embarking on an exciting new chapter at Tensech by developing our own in-house tech products, while continuing to stay true to our core service-based philosophy. The market for cutting-edge products remains vast and full of opportunities. Our goal is to create products that not only deliver commercial gains but also possess significant social utility," Abhishek Shukla announces. Targets? ₹10 crores in FY 2025-26, expansion into the USA, Dubai, and Europe, all while amplifying employment in Tier-2 & 3 cities in India. Tensech"s fourth anniversary celebrations The Journey Ahead: Looking at the Horizon Tensech"s journey has had its share of challenges—the pandemic, financial constraints, and the rising influence of AI—but also plenty of triumphs. Guided by a strong entrepreneurial spirit and the values of the Indian Army, this IT startup embodies the true potential of India"s growing tech ecosystem. With India"s software exports projected to reach $197.76 billion by 2030, Tensech is building not just software, but futures. From a modest founding in a tier-2 city like Lucknow to global stages, these first-time entrepreneurs prove that innovation blooms where least expected. Their mission—to innovate, scale, and create employment—fuels a dream of inclusive growth. "As founders, we firmly believe that timing is everything—and right now, we are just beginning to make our mark in a vast and growing market of IT services," Abhilekh Kumar Choudhary concludes. Tensech Team Read More: Bihar Friends Clock Rs 1.5 Cr Monthly By Selling Flavoured & Raw Makhanas In Bulk To 41+ Indian & International Food Brands FAQ Q. What is Tensech? A. Tensech Solutions Private Limited is a Noida-headquartered IT services startup that provides end-to-end software product engineering, cloud engineering, and technical consulting solutions for customers in India and abroad. Q. Who are the founders of Tensech? A. Tensech was founded by three engineer friends and first-time entrepreneurs—Abhishek Shukla, Abhilekh Kumar Choudhary, and Rajesh Sharma. Q. When was Tensech founded? A. Tensech was founded in March 2021 in Lucknow, amid the challenging second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India. Q. What type of services and products does Tensech offer? A. Tensech offers its customers a full suite of IT services, including software product development, mobile app development, cloud and DevOps engineering, data analytics, and emerging technology solutions such as AI-driven and automation-based applications. "
