Ankit Goel and Radhey R Sharma – The visionary duo behind the fastest-growing tele-infra company in India which is helping millions everyday with better mobile connectivity. They worked together to develop Neutral Network Infra solutions (Inbuilding solutions – DAS, Neutral Network Fibre Infrastructure – FTTx) that deliver the high-speed and supreme quality connectivity that the world needs – now and in the decades to come.

Ankit Goel, the Co-founder and Managing Director of SpaceWorld Group, is a first-generation entrepreneur, who has enabled better mobile connectivity to millions of people. His father being a businessman himself, entrepreneurship was ingrained in Ankit’s DNA. The strong urge of proving himself bolstered by the belief that ubiquitous connectivity and telecommunications were his true north, Mr. Goel decided to try his luck and engineering acumen in the field of telecom by establishing Space Group. A couple of years later, he was joined by his college friend Mr. Radhey R Sharma, who is also a first-generation entrepreneur, is co-founder and director of SpaceWorld Group of companies.

It is their vision, passion, and indefatigable energy which has been instrumental in bringing the Group to commendable success in a very short span of time. Owing to their passion and achievements the duo has been recognized with prestigious business awards like “Most Promising Business Leaders of Asia” by Economic Times (consecutively three times in a row – Year 2020, 2021 & 2022), “Business Icons of India” by Zee Business and, “Entrepreneur of the year” by CMO ASIA 2022.

About SpaceWorld Group

SpaceWorld Group (‘Group’) has several start-ups in the sectors of Telecom, Chemicals, Optical Fibre, RF Components and Equipments manufacturing, etc. These companies are outperforming the market in terms of technology, product innovation, customer experience, scale, etc. The flagship company, STIPL was incorporated in midst of a 4G data-led telecom revolution, which led to its entry into the niche space of providing In-building Telecom Infrastructure Solutions (IBS). Within a few years of its launch, STIPL became the market leader in its domain with >50% market share. The Group has recently spun off STIPL, which has been acquired by Brookfield for a consideration of Rs. 900 Crores. The focus of founders now is to grow other companies under their Umbrella and make them a market leader.

In a quick Q & A round with Mr. Goel and Mr.Sharma, we got to know about him and his business in detail. This session is really going to give inspiration to millions!

What have been the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome?

Business is all about turning challenges into opportunities. During the pandemic, the surge in voice & data demand was skewed towards residential, hospital & suburban/rural areas. Indoor consumption of data at 80% was led by high data usage, which touched 12 GB – 16 GB per month for the customers of all leading Telecom Operators. Hospitals witnessed high footfalls while online gaming, OTT, and WFH led to a surge in demand from residences. While we didn’t add any new sites/tenancies during the earlier part of the pandemic, we have ensured great uptime for all our clients on our existing sites. By the month of October 2020, the metros and airports also became operative, and the SpaceWorld team ensured a seamless transition to normalcy across all these locations.

What does revolution mean to you?

We believe that for us to be truly revolutionary, we must take risks. We must innovate. It is only by maintaining a strong sense of innovation that we can bring about change and improve the lives of our customers. We are constantly searching for ways to improve every aspect of our business, from internal processes to new technologies to better customer service.

How has the industry changed over the years?

The telecom industry has been in constant change for the last decade. The 4G data-led revolution along with aggressive pricing by telecom players have boosted data consumption and its demand across the country. Similarly, the COVID-led lockdowns have resulted in higher consumption of data as well as the demand for high-speed data in residential places and small towns. For us, every disruption is an opportunity that we to grasp.

Tell us about the client base.

We work very closely with all the telecom companies as well as leading Real Estate developers. These are the consumers of the infrastructure we lay. We also are a reputed connectivity solution provider for various Govt. projects and we have executed some of the most innovative small cell telecom projects in Metro, Airports, Hospitals, Tunnels, etc. 

HPP is a chemical manufacturing company whose products are economical and practical and is an essential input material for Indian footwear manufacturers.

When it comes to the company, what are you most proud of?

“Being Ahead of Time”. We provide solutions to our customers that are future-ready. Our solutions are innovative, and we take a lot of effort in educating and advising our clients regarding the best solution possible. For e.g. for a builder, RaNext provides a ‘fit & forget’ model in terms of building connectivity and saves them from future CAPEX.

We saw tremendous opportunity in the chemical sector and started a manufacturing unit named Horizon Performance Polyurethane (HPP). This unit research, develops and manufactures innovative products made of biodegradable polyurethane (polyester and polyether). HPP is one of the few companies in India that develop biodegradable polyurethane and help India to rely less on foreign countries for the import of costlier finished products.

What do you see as the most difficult task in being in your Industry?

Apart from the size, scale, and quality of solutions one provides, the relationship and trust of clients is a major entry barrier. It takes a lot of effort and time to prove the quality of your service and gain the confidence of your clients. Well, if you have put your heart and soul to the same, it’s not difficult, and we have been doing it for years. 

What are the most important decisions you make as a leader of your organization?

We believe in an open culture and taking collective decisions, but as a leader we make sure that the company is exploring all the new strategic opportunities and is moving at the right pace, keeping the spirits high of the entire organization.

How do you encourage creative thinking within your organization?

Hiring the best possible talent, giving them enough liberty and headroom to grow and prove themselves, helps the organization to cut the clutter.

What are some of your future endeavors?

Anything that helps the citizens of India and the nation in any shape and manner.

What is the best advice you can give to our readers?

For us, devotion is the key to success, whatever you do, give your 100% to it, else don’t take it

To know more visit https://spaceworld.in/

Key Person Name: Mr. Ankit Goel, Mr. Radhey R Sharma

Designation: Founders

Key Person LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankit-goel-18700248/

LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-teleinfra-private-limited/