Here are 10 real Indians who have made money using AI—along with insights on how you can follow in their footsteps. These stories span entrepreneurship, innovation, and practical application, showing that AI success is possible from diverse backgrounds and sectors.
| Name & Venture | How They Made Money with AI | How You Can Too |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Naren (Frshr Technologies) | Built multiple AI products, including AIRecognize (for posture/gait analysis) and NeuralDR (AI-based eye disease detection). His company has grown rapidly, launching 15+ products and winning national awards. | Identify a real-world problem and leverage open-source AI tools or platforms to build a solution. Start small, iterate, and seek government or industry support for impactful ideas. |
| 2. Rukesh Reddy (Deccan AI) | Founded Deccan AI, which develops generative AI solutions for automating processes across industries. Focused on combining human expertise with AI to improve efficiency for clients. | Offer AI consulting or automation services to local businesses. Use no-code AI platforms to build custom solutions for repetitive tasks in sectors like retail, logistics, or finance. |
| 3. Surya Midha & Adarsh Hiremath (Mercor) | Created Mercor, an AI-powered job marketplace. Their AI interviewer has vetted over 300,000 applicants, and the company is already profitable, raising $32 million in funding. | Use AI to solve hiring or HR bottlenecks. Build a niche job board, resume screening tool, or interview assistant using existing AI APIs. Monetize via subscriptions or per-use fees. |
| 4. Nikhil Cheerla (Nooks) | Co-founded Nooks, which started as a virtual office for remote teams and pivoted to an AI-powered sales automation tool. Raised $70 million and helps automate sales workflows. | Identify repetitive business processes (e.g., sales, customer service) and automate them with AI chatbots or workflow tools. Sell your solution to startups or SMEs. |
| 5. Nischal Nadhamuni (Klarity) | CTO and co-founder of Klarity, which uses AI to automate document review for large clients like OpenAI and Cloudflare. Klarity has secured $90 million in venture capital. | Develop AI tools for document processing, compliance, or analytics. Start by offering document automation as a service to local firms. |
| 6. Sneha Revanur (Encode Justice) | Leads a youth-driven organization advocating for ethical use of AI, influencing policy and industry standards globally. | Build expertise in AI ethics and policy. Start a blog, YouTube channel, or consulting service on responsible AI for businesses and schools. |
| 7. Vyom Bhardwaj (Muoro.io) | Founded Muoro.io, an AI-driven engineering consultancy. The company uses AI to match Indian engineering talent with global clients, growing to Rs 40 crore in annual revenue. | Use AI to match freelancers or professionals with clients. Launch a niche talent marketplace or agency using AI-powered matching algorithms. |
| 8. AI4Bharat (IIT Madras) | Built open-source AI models focused on Indian languages, enabling inclusive tech solutions and attracting government support. | Contribute to open-source AI projects or local language models. Offer AI localization services for regional businesses or NGOs. |
| 9. Sarvam AI | Developed large language models (LLMs) tailored for India’s multilingual landscape, receiving government and private backing. | Explore AI for local language content, translation, or customer support. Build tools or plugins that help businesses reach regional audiences. |
| 10. Krutrim AI Labs | Focused on building India’s own frontier LLMs, contributing to national AI development and public-private partnerships. | Join or collaborate with AI research labs, or start a community project around open-source AI models. Monetize through training, consulting, or SaaS tools. |
How You Can Succeed with AI—Even Without a Tech Background
- Start with a problem you understand. Many of these entrepreneurs began by solving issues in hiring, document review, or language barriers.
- Leverage ready-made AI tools. Platforms like OpenAI, Google Cloud AI, and no-code tools make it possible to build services without coding.
- Collaborate and network. Partner with techies, join AI communities, and seek mentorship from those already in the field.
- Focus on real value. Whether it’s automating a tedious process or making tech accessible in regional languages, the best AI businesses solve real problems.
- Stay updated and keep learning. The AI landscape evolves rapidly. Free courses, webinars, and online communities can help you stay ahead.
Conclusion:
The journeys of these 10 real Indians prove that you don’t need to be a Silicon Valley coder or a tech genius to make money with AI. From solving local problems to building global businesses, these innovators started with curiosity, a willingness to learn, and the drive to take action. They used AI not just as a buzzword, but as a practical tool to create value—whether for small businesses, job seekers, or entire communities.
What does this mean for you?
The barriers to entry have never been lower. With today’s no-code AI tools, open-source platforms, and supportive online communities, anyone can turn an idea into an income stream. You can start small—offering services, automating tasks, or building solutions for your neighborhood or network. As you grow, so do your opportunities.
The future belongs to those who adapt.
AI is not just the future of technology—it’s the future of work, business, and creativity. If you’re willing to experiment, learn, and solve real problems, you can carve out your own success story, just like these inspiring Indians.
So, don’t wait for the “perfect” time or skill set. Start exploring, start building, and who knows? The next Indian AI success story could be yours.
