Store Buddy by Kintsugi Business Labs: The New Digital Backbone for India’s Kirana Stores
Store Buddy by Kintsugi Business Labs is transforming India’s Kirana stores into digitally empowered retail hubs. Discover how this innovative platform streamlines operations, enhances customer engagement, and strengthens the backbone of small businesses across the country.
Muskaan Harbhajanka 
In India’s retail landscape, Kirana stores are more than just shops—they are a culture, a habit, a daily routine for millions. These neighbourhood stores form the core of a USD 600 billion grocery retail industry, contributing more than 70% of the market with over 12.79 million stores across the country.
But despite their importance, Kiranas face a silent struggle. Corporate-backed supermarkets, with their sleek systems, bulk pricing, and modern customer experience, are gradually pulling customers away. Kintsugi Business Labs, an emerging startup from Ujjain, recognized this widening gap—and decided to build a solution that empowers local stores to compete on equal grounds.
Their answer is Store Buddy.
The Challenge: Why India’s Kiranas Need a Digital Upgrade
Through extensive research and ground-level surveys, Kintsugi Business Labs discovered several recurring challenges:
- Technology Gap
Many store owners hesitate to adopt digital tools because they find existing systems expensive, confusing, or difficult to maintain.
- 58% still operate purely using pen-and-paper
- Only 42% use any form of software
- Growing Pressure from Big Retail
Large grocery chains influence customer expectations.
- 70% of Kirana owners believe they are strongly influenced by big stores, losing customers to better discounts, structured billing, and modern experiences.
- Operational Limitations
Kirana stores often face:
- Limited negotiation power
- Lower purchase volumes
- Little room for discounts
- No proper customer insights
- Struggle to manage inventory efficiently
All of this creates an urgent need for a smart yet simple solution designed specifically for Indian Kirana owners.
Store Buddy: Designed to Transform the Small Store Experience
Store Buddy is a cloud-based, machine learning-backed store management system that brings modern retail capabilities to the smallest shops—without overwhelming them.
What Store Buddy Offers:
- Easy billing system for faster checkouts
- Smart inventory management
- ML-powered insights for pricing, demand trends, and customer behaviour
- Beautiful, intuitive, and clutter-free UI
- No heavy hardware required—just a smartphone or basic device
- Affordable subscription model designed for micro-businesses
It is built for store owners who cater to 60+ customers daily, deal with a wide product range, and aspire to offer a better shopping experience.
How It Stands Out from Competitors
While the market has existing players like Marg ERP, Fund Care, Vyapar, and basic Excel setups, Store Buddy differentiates itself by focusing on:
✔ Zero infrastructure burden
No servers, no expensive equipment.
✔ Advanced yet simple insights
ML-driven analytics that are easy to understand.
✔ Visual beauty + simplicity
A clean design that even non-tech store owners can use confidently.
✔ Human-centered approach
Everything is built around real Kirana behaviours, not corporate workflows.
The Startup Behind the Innovation
Kintsugi Business Labs is an innovative, DPIIT-recognised startup built in the historical city of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
The startup is being strengthened and mentored by:
Together, these bodies are helping the team refine the product, access new markets, and prepare for large-scale deployment.
Meet the Founder: Vaibhav Sharma
At 28, Vaibhav Sharma brings strong technical roots and national-level exposure to Kintsugi Business Labs.
His academic journey includes:
- NIT Jalandhar
- National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology, Calicut
- SRM University, Kattankulathur
He has worked with units under the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Railways, and took part in the Young Innovators Program by the Government of Kerala.
His mission: making high-end technology accessible to the smallest retail businesses in India.
A Vision Rooted in Impact
Store Buddy is not just a product—it's a movement to uplift millions of Kirana stores by giving them modern tools, digital confidence, and business intelligence that was once reserved only for large retailers.
From the heart of Ujjain, supported by a strong incubation ecosystem, Kintsugi Business Labs is building a future where every local store—no matter how small—can run with the efficiency and intelligence of a modern retail chain.
Most importantly, this solution contributes directly to the vision of Viksit Bharat, where technology reaches every corner, every business, and every aspiring entrepreneur.
