!['If you don't invest in R&D, you won't have long-term growth'](https://cdn.magzter.com/Business Today/1683791015/articles/-MIcJNu6I1683804167449/IF-YOU-DONT-INVEST-IN-RD-YOU-WONT-HAVE-LONGTERM-GROWTH.jpg)
Sridhar Vembu, the CEO and Co-founder of SaaS player Zoho Corporation, made the unusual trek from Silicon Valley to a village in the Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu much before working from home became a thing. That’s not the only thing that sets his digital company apart from its peers. Zoho, a globally successful player, has never raised mind-boggling sums of money—in fact it has never raised funding. Vembu, who is the ultimate bootstrapped billionaire, has no interest in valuations, he tells Business Today’s Global Business Editor Udayan Mukherjee in a freewheeling interview. The Zoho CEO explains why the company will stay private, why it is important to nurture talent and why it is difficult to define moonlighting. Edited excerpts:
Q: You’ve always stayed away from venture capital funding and private equity funding, much before the difficult times arrived. What made you stay away?
A: From the early days, I wanted to avoid venture capital [funding] because I wanted to build a company for the long haul, with a focus on our freedom to be ourselves. I felt that if we took venture capital [funds], we would have to provide an exit eventually. This could be an acquisition, which would mean we would lose our independence; or go public, in which case, we would, again, lose our independence. I felt that being private would give us the freedom to invest for the very long term. A lot of the things we do are focussed on the long term… which is very difficult to do when you have venture capital or public markets breathing down your neck— because quarter to quarter profitability becomes very important. That’s why we decided to stay private.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 28, 2023 من Business Today India.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 28, 2023 من Business Today India.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
![DE-RISKING THE BOOKS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/161/1725442/jESmNTPWP1717765655679/DERISKING-THE-BOOKS.jpg)
DE-RISKING THE BOOKS
INDIAN BANKS ARE BEGINNING TO TAKE BABY STEPS TOWARDS ADDRESSING CLIMATE-RELATED FINANCIAL RISKS IN THEIR BOOKS. BUT THEY MUST PUT THEIR FOOT ON THE PEDAL AND ENHANCE PREPAREDNESS
![PAYING FOR CHANGE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/161/1725442/oAPvDB_t71717765380982/PAYING-FOR-CHANGE.jpg)
PAYING FOR CHANGE
WITH EXTREME WEATHER INCREASINGLY PUTTING THE COUNTRY AND ITS ECONOMY AT RISK, INDIA SHOULD EXPLORE CLIMATE FINANCE PATHWAYS TO FUND ITS NET-ZERO JOURNEY TOWARDS A GREENER FUTURE
![BEYOND THE BLIP](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/161/1725442/tzIsAwjfd1717764881447/BEYOND-THE-BLIP.jpg)
BEYOND THE BLIP
ESG HAS BEEN UNDER SCRUTINY GLOBALLY AMID ALLEGATIONS OF GREENWASHING AND RECORD REDEMPTIONS FROM ESG FUNDS. BUT THAT MAY JUST BE ONE SIDE OF THE STORY, SINCE SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES HAVE BECOME CORE COMPONENTS OF COMPANIES' STRATEGIES
![BANDHAN AT A CROSSROADS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/161/1725442/rs8PWsWlw1717761427398/BANDHAN-AT-A-CROSSROADS.jpg)
BANDHAN AT A CROSSROADS
THE BELEAGUERED LENDER, LED BY CHANDRA SHEKHAR GHOSH, HAS FACED A HOST OF CHALLENGES IN RECENT TIMES. IT HAS READIED A BLUEPRINT TO DEAL WITH THEM. BUT WILL IT SUCCEED WITHOUT GHOSH AT THE HELM?
![RESULT AND REPERCUSSIONS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/161/1725442/kUbxBouy21717761103172/RESULT-AND-REPERCUSSIONS.jpg)
RESULT AND REPERCUSSIONS
After the verdict, the Street has turned cautious with analysts expecting the new government to reassess some of its policy priorities
![D-STREET ANGELS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/161/1725442/cELHT8wm_1717759457537/DSTREET-ANGELS.jpg)
D-STREET ANGELS
FACED WITH A DEARTH OF PURE-PLAY THEMES IN THE SECONDARY MARKETS, SEASONED INVESTORS LIKE VIJAY KEDIA, MUKUL MAHAVIR AGRAWAL, AND THE JHUNJHUNWALAS HAVE TRAINED THEIR SIGHTS ON THE START-UP
![A Man of Multitudes](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/161/1725442/O-5AS37q81717767719958/A-MAN-OF-MULTITUDES.jpg)
A Man of Multitudes
IN A NEW BOOK, CAPTAINS OF INDIA INC. AND OTHERS PAY TRIBUTE TO RAHUL BAJAJ, THE TITAN OF INDIAN INDUSTRY
![HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/161/1725442/BFI5VM4lG1717767254941/HOUSE-OF-THE-RISING-SUN.jpg)
HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN
WITH THE GOVERNMENT OFFERING SUBSIDIES UNDER THE PM SURYA GHAR MUFT BIJLI YOJANA, MANY HOUSEHOLDS HAVE TAKEN A SHINE TO SOLAR ROOFTOP PANELS. BUT HOW MUCH DO THEY COST?
![FROM GREY TO GREEN](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/161/1725442/Js4WF2MIA1717766932516/FROM-GREY-TO-GREEN.jpg)
FROM GREY TO GREEN
WITH THE CLIMATE CRISIS BECOMING MORE ACUTE, GREEN HYDROGEN COULD BE AN IMPORTANT SOLUTION
![ECO CHAMBER](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/161/1725442/yjblZGQUF1717766583387/ECO-CHAMBER.jpg)
ECO CHAMBER
DATA CENTRES ARE A VERY VITAL PART OF THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION THAT IS UNDERWAY, BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM: THEY CONSUME TOO MUCH ENERGY. AS DEMAND FOR SUCH CENTRES INCREASES IN INDIA, IT HAS NO OPTION BUT TO EMBRACE GREEN SOLUTIONS