QBurst reflects Kerala’s rising tech success

Businesses from second-tier cities like Trivandrum often struggle to scale up, as limited resources and the lack of an ecosystem stymie their expansion plans. Yet digital product engineering company QBurst has defied such odds to build a global presence.

Founded in 2004 by three graduates of the College of Engineering, Trivandrum – Prathapan Sethu, Binu Dasappan and Ansar Shihabudeen – it has grown from a local company into a global tech service provider with over 3,000 employees and offices in 21 cities across 11 countries.

So when QBurst announced on 6 February 2025 that Mumbai-based Multiples Alternate Asset Management was acquiring a controlling stake with an investment worth 200 million US dollars, it came as no surprise to those following its trajectory.

Yet more than the acquisition itself, QBurst’s real success lies in proving that a Trivandrum-based firm can scale globally while remaining deeply rooted in Kerala, where most of its workforce is based.

College Mates

The seeds of the company were sown when the co-founders found themselves working under the same roof at Ushus Technology in Trivandrum Technopark. After graduation, they had gone their separate ways – Prathapan ended up in the US, Binu in the Middle East, and Ansar dabbled in manufacturing for a few years before switching to software around 2000, when the Y2K issue was raging.

When Ushus Technology was acquired in 2003, the trio decided to strike out on their own. It began with projects from a handful of clients in the United States, as internet businesses were regaining momentum after the dotcom crash.

As web-based businesses grew globally, outsourcing became the norm, and companies turned to India for backend support. The trio began picking up projects on a small scale, gradually building a portfolio that led to the founding of QBurst.

“Even when we started off, all three co-founders placed utmost importance on quality and delivery – and that worked very well for us. We didn’t believe in flashy campaigns or other profile-building tricks. We decided to let our work speak for itself,” says Ansar. “That was our core strength, and QBurst remains true to that even after two decades.”

Organic Growth

As the founders were adept at programming and kept pace with tech developments, work soon started flowing their way. “As experienced programmers working at a level that demanded excellence, we were able to mould our team to deliver high-quality results. It wasn’t easy, but we managed to create a work culture that focused on innovation and quality delivery,” says Ansar.

He says those principles remains his message for anyone starting a business, whether you are in IT or another profession.

“If you need a plumber to fix something at your home, you may consider different options initially. Once you identify a good one, you will keep returning to him even if he charges more. It’s the same with any business. You are not going to hire someone because he wears a jacket or has a good social media presence. It is the work that counts.” 

This work philosophy started bringing in results for QBurst as they stood out among other similar companies in India. Their customers not only returned with more work, but also started bringing in other customers.

Portfolio Expansion

One of the larger clients that came their way early on was Free Patents Online, a platform that helped users navigate regulations and conduct research before filing applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. QBurst began servicing Free Patents Online with a small team, but as the US company gained traction, the team grew to over 30 members. Now, QBurst has three offices in the US and a growing list of clients.

That pattern repeated elsewhere as QBurst would engage with a client by forming a small team. The clients would return with more work, leading to an increase in staff. As the work expanded, QBurst opened offices in Cochin, Koratty and Calicut, aiming to broaden their talent pool across the state.

“That was a time when fresh graduates were all looking to Bangalore for dream jobs in firms like UST or Infosys, as these companies hadn’t set up base in Kerala initially. So, we offered them that opportunity, along with comparable salaries.”

“Our idea was to spend less on unnecessary splurges, like flashy offices or similar expenses, and pass on the savings to the employees. Moreover, as most of our clients were outside India, it made no difference to them where we operated from, as long as our performance met their expectations,” says Ansar.

Shifting Base

As the QBurst team grew along with their business, they moved from their first office to a new building in Kesavadasapuram, starting with one floor and eventually occupying all three floors. By 2008, they relocated to Technopark as their staff number crossed 120.

“Technopark offered a good work environment as it was a secluded campus with security and solid infrastructure. It also helped when overseas clients visited, as the presence of multiple IT companies impressed them. Though we didn’t gain business purely by virtue of being located in Technopark, the social status of many of our employees increased,” says Ansar with a laugh.

He notes there are many misconceptions about running a business in Kerala, but they were not affected by them. “We kept our heads down and focused on doing what we were good at. But there are people who believe that having the right connections with the government or an address in Technopark is all you need to attract business. That’s not a sustainable model, and that mindset needs to change.”

Lean Management

Even without such props, good work brings benefits. He cites the example of their relationship with a major Japanese client that has a global footprint. In 2015, when they faced a technical problem, they sent a cold email to QBurst inquiring about a solution.

That initial engagement began with a two-member team at QBurst and grew into a 500-strong division handling the bulk of the company’s backend work.

The company adopted the lean management principles that many Silicon Valley firms have implemented, placing the responsibility for ensuring quality and timely delivery in the hands of the employees. Many large companies take a different approach, employing multiple audit levels to ensure product quality. “Such companies can churn out good products, but they won’t be able to create the best ones,” points out Ansar.

This approach helped QBurst retain the best talent, who enjoyed the challenges and were eager to keep abreast of new technologies as they emerged.

Looking Ahead

After starting with web applications in 2004, QBurst embraced mobile apps as soon as Apple unveiled its App Store in 2008. The company was one of the first Indian firms to release an app on the platform. This trend of staying ahead of emerging technologies continued when IoT, blockchain and cloud computing arrived. That DNA has helped them adopt new AI tools quickly, and the company has already integrated it into their services.

Ansar says quality and innovation remain their calling card, with their list of loyal customers backing that claim. However, he admits that the same model may not work for all enterprises, as marketing is a crucial factor in today’s business world.

He cites this as a reason for QBurst’s acquisition.

“The way we were going, we could have achieved 2x growth in a year or two. Multiples are much more professional in marketing, and given our strengths, they can raise it to 4x or 5x,” he says. The co-founders will guide the new team but gradually take a step back over the year. However, they assure that QBurst will continue to stay on the path they defined.

New problem haunts pilots

Pilots flying over war zones are increasingly facing a new threat: spoofing of GPS and satellite signals. Originally developed as an anti-drone defence, this cyberattack feeds false signals to an aircraft’s system, making it believe it is on course while actually diverting it towards another destination. The latest such incident was reported by the Indian Air Force while flying to Myanmar with relief supplies for earthquake victims. Fortunately, the pilots recognised the danger, switched to their internal navigation system, and landed safely. No details were available about the nature of the attack or who was behind it.

Commercial airline pilots are also encountering GPS spoofing more frequently as they fly over conflict zones in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, where drones are playing a key role in the fighting. As security firms race to find a defence against this menace, Australian quantum computing firm Q-CTRL says it has developed a tracking system that does not rely on GPS and cannot be jammed. According to Interesting Engineering, it operates by reading the Earth’s magnetic field, which varies slightly by location – like a magnetic fingerprint or map. The company says the system uses AI to filter out interference and can be installed in drones or cars.

Indian bike hits European roads

It’s encouraging to see Indian two-wheeler manufacturers eyeing markets beyond domestic borders. Bangalore-based electric motorcycle maker Ultraviolette has announced a deal with Motomondo, an import, distribution and marketing group headquartered in the Netherlands. The initial launch will feature Ultraviolette’s flagship F77 Mach 2 Recon. Motomondo will be the exclusive distributor and importer for the brand across the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The announcement has stirred some enthusiasm among European bikers, but the price tag could prove to be a drag, according to Visor Down.

Marathon shows China’s lead

Humanoid robots are still more than an hour behind humans – as last week’s half marathon in Beijing clearly showed. The winning machine, Tiangong Ultra, completed the 21-km race in 2 hours and 40 minutes, while the men’s winner clocked 1 hour and 2 minutes. Despite the time gap – and comical visuals of humanoids toppling over – the performance by these machines was more than impressive as six of the 21 robots completed the race. The very fact that several bipedal robots managed to complete the distance is a jaw-dropper in itself. The winning robot came from the newly established Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre, a consortium formed by major robotics firms. This innovation centre established two years ago with Beijing's funding and support is another example of Chinese foresight.

An electrifying dessert

Here’s a tasty little morsel – quite literally. A team of European scientists, food technologists and pastry chefs have joined forces to bake what might be the most high-tech dessert ever: a wedding cake topped with dancing gummy bears, glowing edible lights, and batteries made of dark chocolate. Yes, batteries you can snack on. The creation was unveiled via videos and images at the Swiss Pavilion of Expo 2025 Osaka, as part of RoboFood – a 3.5 million euros, four-year EU-funded research project. Their mission? To boldly go where no snack has gone before: edible robots for humans and animals, and biodegradable batteries.