“Challenges are never permanent. As an entrepreneur, patience and persistence are the most important qualities to cultivate.” — Saravana Kumar

We are excited to welcome Saravana Kumar, Founder@ Kovai. Based in both the UK and India, Kovai is an award-winning enterprise SaaS company with over 200 employees, generating more than $10 million in annual revenue. Their latest flagship product, Document360, is a widely recognised online knowledge base solution. Kovai has been recognised as the “Bootstrapped SaaS Startup of the Year” by SaaSBoomi, a testament to its growth and resilience.

Let’s start by getting to know you. Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do?

I am the founder and CEO of Kovai, an enterprise solution and SaaS company that operates in both the UK and India. Our latest product, Document360, is an online knowledge base solution that helps companies manage technical documentation effectively.

Kovai is now a successful multi-product software company with more than 200 employees and over $10 million in annual revenue. Recently, Kovai.co was accredited with the prestigious award “Bootstrapped SaaS Startup of the Year” by SaaSBoomi. Before launching the business, I worked as a software consultant for organisations including Microsoft and Fidelity.

How did you start, and what made you change direction and launch your business?

After my higher studies, I moved to London for my first job. There, I worked for Fidelity and Microsoft as a software consultant before venturing into entrepreneurship. I specialised in a technology called BizTalk Server, where I spotted a major gap and decided to build a solution for it.

Initially, this started as a pastime project. About a year later, I presented a demo of my solution at a conference to friends and experts. Their positive feedback boosted my confidence, and after refining the product, I officially launched it.

What does your business do, and where is it based?

Kovai.co is a multi-product enterprise SaaS company specialising in enterprise integration and knowledge management. The company is headquartered in Coimbatore, India, with a strong presence in London, UK.

What led to your aha moment and eventual success?

When I first launched BizTalk360, I didn’t intend to turn it into a business. However, after receiving strong feedback from peers at a conference, I developed the final version of the product. To my surprise, the first client came from Hong Kong, without any referrals or introductions. That was my true “aha moment.” That very first client continues to work with us even after more than a decade.

What’s been your life’s biggest lesson so far?

In the early days, I relied too heavily on external advice. For instance, when I faced an employee issue, I would blindly follow the advice of mentors without providing them the full context. This led to losing an early employee. I learned that while advice can be valuable, it is ultimately better to trust your instincts and make decisions yourself.

Another important lesson is patience. Challenges never last forever, and as entrepreneurs, we need to ride through the storms with persistence and belief that things will improve.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to your younger self?

Many people influenced and inspired me positively throughout my journey. I never doubted myself, and nobody close to me doubted me either. I would advise my younger self to always keep a bird’s-eye view of business matters and make decisions with a long-term perspective. Even the best plans often require adjustments, so flexibility is crucial.

What three tools make your business run better?

• Microsoft Teams — Essential for handling both internal and external communications, especially in our hybrid model.
• Document360 — Our in-house product, used for all technical documentation across our portfolio of products.
• Third-party integrations — Document360 integrates seamlessly with tools such as MS Teams, Zapier, Freshdesk, Zendesk, and Slack, which makes it a powerful resource for hybrid work environments.

What do you know now that you wish you had known earlier?

I wish I had understood sooner that challenges are temporary. Every problem you face will eventually subside. The key is to remain patient and persistent, trusting that the situation will improve over time.

“Challenges are never permanent. As an entrepreneur, patience and persistence are the most important qualities to cultivate.”

What has been your proudest achievement so far?

There have been many milestones. From acquiring our very first client to successfully acquiring Cerebrata last year, each achievement has been special. Recently, we won the “Bootstrap Champ” award at The Economic Times Startup Awards. This recognition came as we celebrated our 10th year in the industry, boosting our team’s morale as we continue to aim higher.

What are your future goals?

We are planning further acquisitions and strategic investments over the next few years. Our long-term vision is clear: to become a SaaS unicorn by 2030.

If you could share one piece of advice to inspire others, what would it be?

Premature scaling is the most common mistake I see entrepreneurs make. Patience and persistence are vital. Build a strong product-market fit before scaling, whether that’s expanding your team or investing in new marketing channels.

Thank you Saravana, it has been great learning more about your leadership story and Kovai.

Want to connect with Saravana Kumar or learn more about Kovai?

Check out their channels below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saravanakumar

Website: https://www.kovai.co

Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kovai

Company X: https://twitter.com/kovai_co

Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kovai.co

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