Manufacturing depends on global supply chains, opening up opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses to sell materials and components to customers all around the world. But dealing with the compliance demands of those customers is challenging: in a marketplace where regulation is increasing, standards are proliferating, and scrutiny of sustainability is ever more intense, smaller manaufacturers are struggling to cope.
Enter BPR Hub, a Californian-based start-up that believes technology can help these businesses compete on a level playing field with their larger rivals. BPR Hub, which is today announcing that it has raised $2.6 million of seed funding, hopes to “democratise world-class compliance capabilities for manufacturers of all sizes”, explains co-founder and CEO Teja Edara.
BPR Hub has developed a technology platform that enables manufacturers to automate around 80% of the compliance work they are currently required to undertake. The solution plugs into manufacturers’ existing systems to automate collection and collation of the quality, compliance and governance data required to secure certifications and regulatory approvals.
“Manufacturers have always been burdened by complex regulatory requirements imposed on them by their clients and regulatory bodies,” says Edara, who launched the business last year with co-founders Milanjeet Singh and Vinodh Peddi (now chief operating officer and chief technology officer respectively). “We go beyond compliance to enhance manufacturing excellence by integrating quality assurance, production control, batch review, inventory management and asset management, all within one platform.”
Larger manufacturers will have invested significant resources in many of these areas or built their own technology solutions in-house. That puts smaller manufacturers lacking this level of resources at a significant disadvantage. Many are wasting tens of thousands of dollars each year on inefficient, manual processes; delivering compliance is a non-negotiable, but the cost of doing so can often make it difficult for these organisations to compete.
It’s early days for BPR Hub, but the company has already signed up a handful of customers as part of its development process. Edara sees manufacturing sub-sectors such as pharmaceuticals, medicines, and food and drink as a particular focus for the business, given the high levels of regulation in these areas. “We’re also getting inquiries from customers in areas such as electronics and aerospace, where the compliance burden is also especially significant,” he adds.
Early customers are already seeing good results, Edara says. He points to an advanced manufacturing customer that has used the platform to introduce a more rigorous design and development framework, complying with ISO 9001 and ISO 13485. Another manufacturer is using BPR Hub to unify its processes across its corporate office and processing plant, applying ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 standards.
On average, customers are reporting a 40% reduction in the time it takes them to secure certification. “BPR Hub has the potential to transform how we handle compliance and data security within our operations,” says Devika Mathur, commercial director at agricultural manufacturer Naq Global. “The platform’s comprehensive compliance mapping eliminates audit challenges ensuring seamless audits.”
The business sees itself as in competition with businesses such as the US company Signify, though the latter’s focus is more at the enterprise level. But Edara believes there is plenty of market to go round. “This is a large opportunity in a huge space that is currently underserved,” he argues.
Certainly, investors are excited about the potential size of the market. Today’s round is co-led by Accel and Kae Capital, with participation from a number of angel investors in the manufacturing sector. The additional funding will be used for further product development, recruitment and a focus on go-to-market activity, particularly in North America.
“The manufacturing sector is experiencing remarkable growth, fuelled by rising global demand for diversified supply chains, India’s position as a hub for IP-driven, high-quality production, and the potential of AI technologies” argues Prayank Swaroop, a partner at Accel. “This growth coincides with a period of heightened regulatory complexity and an urgent need for operational agility – compliance is no longer just a box to check; it’s a competitive advantage when managed well.”
At Kae Capital, general partner Abhishek Srivastava adds that in “transforming compliance, quality, and governance management in manufacturing”, BPR Hub is “tackling a critical industry challenge by streamlining compliance processes”.
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