They say you find opportunities even in dark times. The COVID-19 pandemic was one such event, where many around the world created a “new normal” in the face of uncertainty.
“Everybody was online, and so were small-time artists and artisans. They were selling products largely from their Instagram accounts. We realised that we could help these people with a professional space online.
Within the first few months, our startup amassed over 10,000 artisans as part of our clientele,” says Trilochan Parida, the Co-founder and CTO of Typof.
—founded in 2021 by 34-year-old Parida and 24-year-old Divya Mallick (Co-founder and CEO)—works on a B2B SaaS model, helping artisans and small businesses set up their websites without the need to use too many third-party tools, which can be a complicated and expensive affair.
“A website is difficult to build if you’re not a tech person. One can easily build their ecommerce website using Typof in about 30 minutes,” Parida, a resident of Bengaluru, says.
Typof charges Rs 1,499 per month for its services, but is currently selling at a 50% discounted rate of Rs 749. The startup has nearly 2,500 recurring customers, some of whom have subscribed to a lifetime deal plan. It aims to double that number by the end of 2025.
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A holistic approach to building an online business
According to an Ernst & Young report, small businesses that adopt digital technologies “expect four times better revenues than other small businesses operating in a similar business environment”.
Typof’s services don’t just end with developing a client’s website. It helps with other facets, such as selling their product and delivering to the buyer’s address.
“It is completely integrated with marketing tools and multiple payment gateways with no added cost. We offer solutions for inventory management, warehouse management, and anything else the average business owner of a D2C brand might require. We also build custom templates, features, and tools, as per their requirements. A customer doesn’t need to pay more,” he explains.
Beyond artisans, Typof also helps local businesses like kirana stores have an online presence, helping them sustain their business in this virtual world.
As the company expands its business, it is catering to more established brands, including fashion D2C brands like Ucchal Fashion and Singh Styled. “The biggest brands obviously already have a sturdy online presence. But you’d be surprised how many brands with a monthly revenue of over Rs 2-3 lakh lack a website. We have helped such companies,” he says.
Headquartered in Bengaluru with operations in Bhubaneswar, Typof has a total of 13 employees. Anyone globally can avail the startup’s services, and it already has some paying customers from South Africa and Singapore.
Tech-friendly and SMEPay
With time, everyone evolves and adapts, and Typof has ridden every tech wave. “We are now completely integrated with ChatGPT and Grok. AI has become very crucial in the ecommerce industry as it helps companies generate item descriptions and similar things,” the co-founder says.
Typof automates content through AI that comes out pre-optimised for SEO. “For instance, once a customer puts the name of their product in, all the content will be generated automatically using Chat GPT and Grok AI,” Parida explains.
Logging into Typof gives users two options: to manually design the website and upload products, or let AI do it for them. Additionally, the company is developing omnichannel services for products, which will help manage all orders from different marketplaces, including Amazon and Flipkart.
“We are in the middle of building a whole tech stack, which includes the omnichannel aspect. We are hoping that it will be live in 2026,” Parida says.
Typof has also launched its own UPI-based payment gateway, SMEPay, to cater to small and medium-sized enterprises. “What separates SMEPay from others is that we don’t charge any commission or flat fee, making it more affordable,” he explains.
Launched in May 2025, SMEPay has clocked over 30,000 transactions, with a gross transaction value of over Rs 90 lakh. More than 100 Typof clients currently use SMEPay as their preferred mode of payment.
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Funding and growth
Typof competes with Ottawa-based Shopify, Bengaluru-based Dukaan, and San Francisco-based WooCommerce. However, it positions itself as a more small business-friendly option as it’s cheaper and involves no extra spending after payment of the registration fee.
Bootstrapped with an initial investment of Rs 1 crore, Typof now has an annual recurring revenue of Rs 3 crore, and is yet to be profitable. The startup plans on raising a seed round for SMEPay.
“We are hoping to raise funding of Rs 35 crore by September 2025. Most of that will be invested in SMEPay,” he says.
Edited by Suman Singh
