Taproot

What Taproot does

Taproot is an India-based creative collective founded in 2021 and headquartered in Auroville, Tamil Nadu, that delivers integrated hospitality consulting and architecture/interior design services. The firm is led by three principals — Kandarp Mehta (hospitality operations), Akanksha Bansal (architecture), and Aakash Goliyan (building performance/sustainable construction) — supported by a team of approximately six people. Its service catalogue covers the full hospitality project lifecycle: market assessment, property discovery, legalities, concept development, architecture, interior design, project execution, landscaping, procurement, licensing, branding, OTA listing, software integration, staffing, and ongoing operational support. The firm also serves institutional (community centres, schools), commercial, and residential clients.

Taproot's core technology stack is architectural rather than digital: it employs sustainable construction techniques including Jack arch and Filler Slab roofing, vernacular materials such as Achukal bricks, flyash bricks, kota stone, and sandstone, integrated renewable energy (rooftop solar, solar water heaters), and Eco STP water management systems — reported to reduce carbon footprint by 20% on Filler Slab applications. Demonstrated projects include OSTEL.IN, Taproot's own premium backpacker hostel brand in Pondicherry (65 PAX, launched July 2022, posting 50% first-year occupancy, 43% net margins, and 4.6/5.0 ratings); the PRIDE Complex community centre in Agra (86,000 sqft built-up, government client); and consulting/audit engagements for LAHE by Loka boutique resort and Zostel Goa. Operating geographies span Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Goa, Agra, and New Delhi.

Taproot's business model is sales-led, project-based professional services. Revenue streams derive from hospitality consulting engagements and architecture/interior design fees, with no publicly disclosed pricing, no SaaS or subscription offering, no disclosed funding, and no external institutional investors. The firm markets through its website portfolio, LinkedIn, and Instagram, and engages clients directly via project inquiries — with Ostel.in functioning simultaneously as a showcase project, an in-house brand, and a recurring revenue asset. Customer concentration is high given the small team and limited named engagements, and the firm's growth is constrained by founder bandwidth rather than capital availability.

Name

Taproot

Legal name

Taproot

Website

https://taprootco.in

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Taproot is an Auroville-based creative collective of six that provides integrated hospitality consulting and architecture/interior design services for boutique stays, institutional, commercial, and residential clients across India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Auroville

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Hospitality Consulting Services: Comprehensive consulting engagements covering market assessment, hotel operations, sales and marketing, property discovery, F&B operations, licensing, concept development, revenue management, project execution, and branding and positioning for hospitality properties.
2. Architecture and Interior Design Services: Architectural services from conceptual design to construction oversight, interior design including space planning, furniture detailing, lighting design, and finishes for hospitality, institutional, commercial, and residential projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Taproot provides end-to-end hospitality consulting and architecture & interior design services for boutique hotels, hostels, resorts, community centers, and residential projects. Services cover the full project lifecycle: market assessment, property discovery, concept development, architecture, interior design, project execution, licensing, staffing & training, and operational readiness. The firm also operates its own backpacker hostel brand, OSTEL.IN, in Pondicherry, applying its hospitality and design expertise in-house.

Product overview

Taproot is a creative collective offering hospitality consulting and architecture & interior design services. The company provides multi-stage solutions including market assessment, hotel operations, architecture, sales & marketing, property discovery, F&B operations, interior design, licensing, concept development, revenue management, and project execution. Their portfolio includes their own boutique hostel brand OSTEL.IN in Pondicherry and completed projects like the PRIDE Complex community center in Agra. They also provide consulting services for external properties including boutique resorts and backpacker hostels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hospitality Consulting Comprehensive hospitality consulting services for boutique hotels, hostels, resorts, bed & breakfasts, homestays, and villas. Covers market assessment, hotel operations, sales and marketing, property discovery, F&B operations, licensing, concept development, revenue management, staffing & training, and ongoing operational readiness.
• Architecture & Interior Design Architectural and interior design services for hospitality, institutional, commercial, and residential projects. Includes conceptual design, space planning, furniture detailing, lighting design, finishes, and construction oversight.
• OSTEL.IN Premium Backpackers Hostel Taproot's own-brand premium backpackers hostel in Pondicherry featuring courtyard cafe, community spaces, private rooms, dormitories, and custom-designed furniture. Site area 18,500 sqft with 22,000 sqft built-up area; integrates sustainability features such as eco-STP, solar water heaters, and water filters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ostel.in achieved 50% occupancy (first year avg.), 2000 Rs. ADR, 225L revenue, 43% net profit margins, 1.8 months breakeven, 15-20% YOY growth
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ola Hotels / Townhouse (now part of OYO): Large-scale Indian budget hospitality platform with design and operations capabilities for boutique and budget properties. Comparable to Taproot as a much larger incumbent operating in adjacent boutique/budget hospitality space.

Direct peers

• CGH Earth: Boutique hospitality chain in India emphasizing experiential, locally-rooted stays. Comparable to Taproot on the boutique Indian hospitality segment and sustainability-led brand positioning.
• Tree of Life Resorts & Hotels: Boutique resort operator in India with a similar ethos of design-forward, sustainability-focused properties. Overlaps with Taproot on boutique hospitality design, operations, and brand positioning for independent stays.
• Morphogenesis: India's leading sustainable architecture firm with deep expertise in energy-efficient building design. Comparable to Taproot on the sustainability-led design philosophy applied to hospitality and institutional projects.
• Zostel: India's largest backpacker hostel brand and a Taproot client (Zostel Goa audit). Both target the same budget experiential traveler segment and operate within the Indian boutique/hostel hospitality market.
• Studio Lotus: India-based architecture and interior design practice working across hospitality, cultural, and residential projects. Comparable to Taproot on multi-disciplinary design for boutique hospitality and institutional clients.
• SJK Architects: Indian architecture and interior design practice covering residential, hospitality, and commercial projects. Comparable to Taproot on integrated architecture and interior design for boutique hospitality.
• Design Plus Architecture: Hospitality-focused architecture firm in India designing hotels, resorts, and restaurants. Comparable to Taproot on hospitality-centric architectural services and project execution.
• Elephant Country (Barefoot Hospitality): Indian boutique hospitality group with design-led properties in Goa and Auroville region. Overlaps with Taproot on Auroville geography and design-forward boutique hospitality positioning.
• HVS India (Hospitality Valuation Services): Global hospitality consulting firm with India operations covering feasibility, operations audits, and asset management. Comparable to Taproot on the hospitality consulting and audit side of the practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/taprootcoin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Taproot