Inside the mind of Nishith Rastogi, Co-Founder & CEO, Locus

The Neon Show

In this episode, we chat with Nishith Rastogi, Founder of Locus.sh; a startup that uses technology and proprietary algorithms to provide smart logistics solutions to businesses such as route optimisation, real-time tracking, insights, and analytics, vehicle allocation, and utilisation.

In 2015, Nishith along with his former AWS-colleague Geet Garg, built RideSafe, a real-time route deviation detection, for passenger safety in cabs. However, they eventually realised the potential of this concept in logistics & supply chain, which led to pivoting to Locus.

Apart from India, Locus.sh is present in Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh, San Francisco, and the East Coast.

For anyone looking to explore horizontal pivot or growth strategy, this conversation can add great value. From identifying the problem statement to creating customer-focused solutions, by leveraging a committed team & inward focus for efficiency, this podcast will guide you through it all.

Notes -

01:55 - Graduating from BITS Pilani, joining Amazon

03:11 - Creating RideSafe, a geo-tracking app for women’s safety

04:26 - Identifying the problem statement in supply chain & logistics

05:53 - Early adopters of Locus.sh

09:30 - Having more PhD’s in the team than engineers early-on

11:58 - Onboarding experience with Unilever; as first enterprise customer

17:56 - Scale up journey from India to 20+ countries

22:15 - Clarity of purpose both as a startup & founder

30:40 - Inward focus on efficiency in terms of capital

31:20 - Cultural shift with the growth of Locus.sh

31:35 - Focus while hiring: Ambition, Commitment & Integrity

36:48 - Concept of “Yes process, but no policy”.

39:21 - Implementation & Ideation OKRs

42:01 - Helpful books & resources