KOCHI: Founded in 2016 by Narayan Subramaniam and Niraj Rajmohan, Ultraviolette Automotive is an innovator in sustainable mobility and energy infrastructure. The company was born out of a vision to create top-of-the-line mobility solutions driven by innovative design and energy-efficient technology. Their high-performance EV superbikes have attracted global attention in the sector.
Speaking to TNIE, Narayan Subramaniam said, “Ultraviolette Automotive is developing India’s first ecosystem of high-performance electric vehicles and future-ready energy infrastructure.” Both founders come from engineering backgrounds: Narayan in mechanical engineering and Niraj in computer science. The two are childhood friends.
“We had always been competing with each other during school, trying to outdo each other in ranks,” says Narayan. Their camaraderie continued into their college days. “We went to the same engineering college in Bengaluru. Over four years, we participated in various creative engineering competitions, which helped us understand how different technologies can be integrated to solve problems,” he adds.
The duo won about 40 competitions during their time in college. On why they chose EVs, Narayan explains, “Towards the end of 2014, Niraj and I were discussing our future plans. Niraj had quit his job at Yahoo and started a drone-related startup, but he put that on hold to pursue an MBA at AIM in Manila, Philippines.
He had just returned to India.” Both were at a crossroads in their careers. “Whenever we met, we began bouncing off ideas. We felt it was the right time to work together on something in the mobility space, and we were clear that electric was the way forward,” says Narayan.
The company started with Narayan and Niraj handling design, engineering, and electronics. “We were in sync with what needed to be done, but we realised we needed more experts to drive things towards production. We brought in a third person to handle 3D design,” says Narayan. The team soon expanded to include experts in prototyping, software, and power electronics. “These areas formed the core of our first team, which grew from 10-12 people to 60,” he adds.
As for investment, Narayan says, “The first to invest in us was Vishesh Rajaram of Speciale Invest. Dulquer Salman, an associate of Vishesh, also came on board. Dulquer, being an automobile connoisseur, was excited about our plans and decided to invest even though, when we met him, we only had a bare skeleton with a battery inside.”
Ultraviolette is dreaming big. “We plan to go global, which is why we have brought on board global investors like Exor Capital and Volcom Ventures. They were attracted by the fact that all this tech is being built in India, from imagination to design to construction. It’s all Make in India!” In addition to global funding, the company secured a Series C investment of USD 15 million from TVS Motor Company and Zoho Corporation in 2022, alongside investments from GoFrugal Technologies.
Investors
TVS Motor Company, EXOR Capital, Qualcomm Ventures, Zoho, GoFrugal Tech, and Speciale Invest
Global Expansion
Ultraviolette plans to expand into key European markets, including Turkey, Germany, and Spain, through strategic partnerships and brand-owned stores, positioning India as a leader in global design and engineering