Tohands'' AI calculator promises game-changer for small shopkeepers

Bengaluru, Apr 16 (PTI) Praveen Mishra, Founder and CEO of Tohands, who started the company with Satyam Sahu and Shanmuga Vadivel in 2017, said the AI integrated into their smart calculators can help small shopkeepers manage inventory more efficiently.

According to Mishra, the calculator tracks sales and expenses, manages payments and inventory, integrates with barcode scanners and printers, and offers remote access, allowing shopkeepers to view records and reports even when they’re away from the store.

"Between the calculator and the app, we are able to provide them with a personal assistant—AI, for instance, will inform shopkeepers which items are selling more and which are selling less, enabling them to make informed decisions," Mishra told PTI.

The Tohands Smart Calculator V5 Silver, priced at Rs 3,999, is the most advanced version of the smart calculator, which has already seen three previous iterations.

Although the calculator was ready in 2022, the product’s commercial launch was delayed due to supply constraints caused by in-house production, he said.

The USP of the calculator—a hardware-first approach that bridges the gap between high-tech solutions and real-world retail conditions—addressed a need often unmet by software-led Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and Point of Sale (POS) apps dominating urban markets. However, this approach also made the manufacturing process more complicated, Mishra explained.

"We lacked both capital and manufacturing expertise," he added.

But things started adding up for the startup after it gained national attention through its appearance on Shark Tank India.

With investors like Radhika Gupta, CEO of Edelweiss Asset Management Ltd, and Varun Dua, Founder and CEO of Acko General Insurance, coming on board, Tohands raised Rs 3.5 crore from Shark Tank investors and Turbostart, along with an additional Rs 50 lakh from the Startup India Seed Fund.

Now, Mishra, who began the journey by onboarding just seven retailers, aims to digitise one million grocery stores within a year.

"The calculator has clear market relevance," Mishra pointed out, adding that onboarding shopkeepers will not be a challenge.

"We already have nearly 10,000 people who have pre-registered. We’re also leveraging social media to create greater awareness of the product," he said. PTI JR SSK ADB