If you’ve ever run a salon, gym, or café in India, you know the pain. You’re great at your craft, but when it comes to digital marketing? It’s like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded. Agencies are expensive, freelancers ghost you, and DIY tools feel like rocket science.
Enter Grexa AI, a Thane-based startup that’s giving small businesses the tech glow-up they deserve. Founded in 2024 by the OG Testbook team, Ashutosh Kumar, Ayush Varshney, Arpit Oswal, and Narendra Agrawal, Grexa is building India’s first plug-and-play AI marketing platform for SMBs. And they just raised ₹15.5 crore to take things to the next level.
Let’s unpack how this squad went from edtech legends to local biz saviors.
The Founders: From Testbook to Techbook
Before Grexa AI, these four IIT grads were busy building Testbook, an edtech platform that helped over 8 crore students prep for government exams. They scaled it to ₹200 crore in revenue, 1,000+ employees, and a successful acquisition by Classplus.
Now they’re channeling that same energy into solving a new problem: helping India’s 6 crore+ small businesses grow online.
Meet the crew:
- Ashutosh Kumar (CEO) – IIT Bombay alum, fundraising ninja, and the guy who turned Testbook into a household name.
- Narendra Agrawal (CMO) – IIT Bombay, scaled Testbook’s revenue from ₹0 to $30 million ARR. Marketing wizard.
- Ayush Varshney (CTO) – IIT Kanpur, led 100+ techies at Testbook and Classplus. Code whisperer.
- Arpit Oswal (CPO) – IIT Bombay, built the Testbook app with 10 million+ downloads. Product guy with serious UX game.
Together, they’re now building Grexa, a platform that makes marketing as easy as sending a WhatsApp message.
The Problem: Why SMBs Are Losing the Digital Game
India’s small businesses are the backbone of the economy. But when it comes to marketing, they’re stuck in 2005.
Here’s what’s holding them back:
- No marketing skills – They’re great at running their business, but SEO and ad targeting? Not so much.
- High agency costs – Good agencies charge ₹2–8 lakh/month. That’s rent money.
- Unreliable freelancers – They vanish mid-project or deliver Canva posters with Comic Sans.
- Complex tools – Most platforms are built for big teams, not solo hustlers juggling 10 things at once.
Grexa saw this gap and said, “Let’s fix it.”
The Solution: Grexa’s AI-Powered Marketing Genie
Grexa is like having a full-stack marketing team in your pocket. No jargon, no dashboards that look like airplane cockpits, just results.
What it does:
- Local SEO – Helps you rank on Google without knowing what a meta tag is.
- Social media – Posts, captions, hashtags—all handled.
- Digital ads – Runs targeted campaigns that actually convert.
- Website optimization – Turns your site from a brochure into a lead magnet.
- WhatsApp campaigns – Because that’s where your customers hang out.
And the best part? After a 7-day onboarding, Grexa’s AI agents take over. You chill. They hustle.
Real Results, Real Businesses
Grexa isn’t just theory. It’s already helping 21,600+ businesses, from salons and clinics to gyms and travel agencies.
Some glow-ups:
- Peacock Salon – Saw a 60% jump in footfall and 20–25 weekly client calls after Grexa optimized their Google profile.
- Tressez Clinic – Doubled revenue in 3 months with a new website and product store built by Grexa.
- ISC Mumbai – Went from 2–3 leads a month to 20+ weekly leads. Their site now ranks on page one for “Calisthenics classes in Mumbai.”
Basically, Grexa turns your business into a digital magnet, without you lifting a finger.
The Funding: ₹15.5 Cr to Fuel the Fire
In July 2025, Grexa raised ₹15.5 crore (~$1.85 million) in seed funding. The round was led by Utsav Somani (Offline Club, iSeed) and backed by:
- DeVC (Z47’s seed fund)
- Bharat Founders Fund
- Vernalis Capital
- Angel investors like Revant Bhate (Mosaic Wellness), Vaibhav Domkundwar (Better Capital), Ramakant Sharma (Livspace), and Sumit Gupta (CoinDCX)
The money will be used to:
- Boost AI capabilities
- Expand into tier-2 and tier-3 cities
- Hire more tech and support teams
- Make marketing even more idiot-proof
Why Grexa Works: Built for WhatsApp, Not Whiteboards
Grexa’s genius lies in its simplicity. If you can use WhatsApp, you can use Grexa.
Key features:
- 7-day onboarding – No long forms or tech headaches.
- Autonomous campaigns – AI agents run everything.
- Real-time insights – See what’s working, without needing a data science degree.
- Repeat sales engine – Smart re-engagement to bring customers back.
It’s not just automation. It’s autonomy. You focus on your craft. Grexa handles the growth.
The Vision: Democratizing Digital Marketing for India
Grexa isn’t trying to be the next HubSpot. It’s trying to be the first India-first marketing platform that actually understands local businesses.
Their goal?
“To empower every chaiwala, salon owner, and yoga instructor with the same marketing firepower as a unicorn startup.”
And they’re well on their way.
Final Thoughts: Grexa Is the Glow-Up SMBs Deserve
Grexa AI isn’t just a startup. It’s a movement. One that’s:
- Built by founders who’ve scaled before
- Backed by investors who get grassroots India
- Loved by businesses who finally feel seen
- Designed for simplicity, speed, and actual revenue
So if you’re a small business owner tired of guessing your way through marketing, Grexa’s got your back. No stress. No jargon. Just growth.
And the next time someone says AI is only for big brands, show them your WhatsApp-powered campaign. Then drop the mic. 🎤
