Disrupting Supply Chains
Tongadive, a ground-breaking software business helmed by forward-thinking founder and CEO Anubha Dixit, has emerged as a disruptive force in the industry in its drive to revolutionise supply chain traceability and combat counterfeiting.
Tongadive's inception in 2019 was driven by Dixit’s passion for technology. A former hardcore technologist, she identified the need for a unique identification system to track products' journeys seamlessly throughout the supply chain.
Talking about her journey, Dixit says, “I think from 2010-2011, it was about counterfeiting supply chain issues, circularity, sustainability and I was following that landscape. In 2018, I was doing my Oxford course, my research paper was on blockchain, IoT, and supply chain. That's when I realized that this is the right time where the technology ecosystem for any product will succeed.” This realisation laid the foundation for Tongadive's remarkable journey.
Innovative Traceability
At the core of Tongadive's product lies a revolutionary concept which is a unique and globally identifiable product ID, much like a passport number. The ID allows for the creation of a digital supply chain twin, enabling real-time monitoring and end-to-end traceability for every product. Dixit explained, “Any product which enters into the supply chain has a unique product ID which is globally unique, just not in that market. So whatever product is taking the physical journey, you've got an ID, you can create a digital supply chain.” By leveraging technologies like blockchain, IoT, and AI, Tongadive empowers businesses to tackle challenges related to counterfeiting, circularity, sustainability, and compliance effectively.
Challenges
The journey, however, was not without challenges. As a woman entrepreneur in a predominantly male-dominated pharmaceutical sector, Dixit faced hurdles. Moreover, she stated the concern of end-to-end traceability stating, “You need to have a network supply chain as there'll be different stakeholders in the supply chain. To know where our product is, in the pharmaceutical domain, it's something that we are diverting to adjacencies as well. We have stakeholders like manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and pharmacists, everyone has their key agendas which they need to cater to, giving all of them onto the same platform. This is where I would say the product challenges technological advancement.”
With a strong focus on the pharmaceutical domain initially and endorsed by industry experts and government bodies alike, Tongadive earned trust and credibility, setting a solid foundation for future growth.
Tech as a Driving Force
With technology as its driving force, Tongadive is positioned to disrupt and revolutionize global supply chains. On technology playing a pivotal role in the company’s establishment, Dixit said, “For any product, whether any new product or old, you need to have the tools to get it ready and that's where technology like Blockchain, IoT, and AI is there. They will help to solidify the supply chain well.”
The Next Phase
Dixit’s visionary leadership steered the company towards significant milestones, launching an enterprise product offering six months into making. Building on this success, Dixit shares, “We are now aiming to expand into adjacent industries such as medical devices and agrochemicals. An exciting area of exploration lies in the fashion industry because of the growing demand for sustainability, consumer requirement, and circularity in supply chains”
The company's future looks promising as it forges strategic collaborations with leading universities in the fashion domain, paving the way for pioneering advancements in supply chain traceability within the fashion industry.
