13 Best Business Ideas in Chennai [High Profit]

Ellorukkam Vanakkam! Your search for the best business ideas in Chennai ends here as we bring you a list of the top 13 businesses that you can start.

Click this blue button below and keep this personal manager with yourself if you are planning to start a business in Chennai.

Chennai is the sixth most populous metropolitan city in the country and is the capital of Tamil Nadu. This is an economic powerhouse where there is a huge scope for new businesses to mushroom. 

With several ports located along Chennai’s large coastline, the city is also known as the industrial hub. As per FICCI, Chennai ranked fourth in overall tax collection at INR 74,000 crore between 2018 and 2019.

It further stated that the automobile, electronic hardware, information technology, and information technology-enabled services (IT-ITeS) sectors are the three pillars of Chennai’s economy.

With a revenue of over USD 18.51 billion, the IT-ITeS sector has generated direct employment for over 4,00,000 people in Chennai. The city also attracts close to 45% of the health tourists coming to India and is known as the “Health Capital of India.”

Chennai has done extremely well and has grown across sectors in the past few decades which has further resulted in many business opportunities for anyone who wants to start their own business.

Doing Business in Chennai

Chennai is famous for a lot of things. From Chettinad cuisine to art and culture and travel, the state is always bustling with people.

Apart from this, the city is also known as the leading industrial hub and has ranked 14th in the 2019 state-level list of ease of doing business in India, as per the department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Government of India.

The factors that make Chennai a business-friendly city in India are:

SEZ Policy

The special economic zones (SEZ) policies in Tamil Nadu are one of the key performance areas for the city as it ranks high on the parameters listed by export-focused businesses due to its business-friendly policies.

The single-window clearance mechanism backed by other simple procedures makes Chennai a favourite city for businesses.

Infrastructure

Chennai has airports, metros, ports, and a well-developed road network and these are all the factors that are required to drive industrial growth available in Chennai. The strong infrastructure has been able to position the city among the best industrial hubs in India.

Talent Pool

There is a wide availability of talented resources in Chennai as there is a large number of educational institutions that have been established near its coastline over the years.

The workforce available in Chennai is 10% to 30% cheaper compared to other metropolitan cities such as Bengaluru, Pune, or Delhi NCR.

Government Support

The state government has been supportive of businesses over the years. The mechanism and laws required to set up and manage businesses are simpler in Chennai compared to other cities.

Business Ideas in Chennai

Franchise Model

One of the best ways to get into a business is to sell different products and services in the franchise model business.

Approach a big brand that has multiple chains and you can buy their franchise to open one of your own outlets. From national to international brands, you can work with some of the biggest names in the business. 

Even though this is a competitive industry, you will get to make a lot of money. One of the most profitable and popular franchise business models in the food business can be costly at the initial stage. This is definitely one of the best business ideas in Chennai.

Cafe 

Being a metropolitan city, the people of Chennai are always looking for a nice cafe where they can just hang out and enjoy some delicious food with their friends and family.

There are multiple cafes in the city at the moment that are doing exceedingly well and that’s why it is one of the best ideas in Chennai to work on. You too can get into the industry and have something of your own. Pick a nice place at a prime location.

Do nice interiors and focus on great staff and a mindblowing menu that caters to all kinds of cravings that people have. You can also offer home deliveries, and pick-ups and build a strong social media presence to get more and more customers.

Travel and Tour Agency

There is a lot to see and explore in and around Chennai. From visiting some of the most popular heritage places to having a great time shopping some traditional fabrics and items and feasting on authentic local food, people come to Chennai for kinds of reasons. You can check Lio’s Templates for handling your taxi and transport business.

You can decide to get into this industry one way or the other. You can either be a tour guide who sells well-curated tours based on various interests of people and sell them to companies and tourists or be a travel agent who manages bookings, reservations and other important things. This is definitely an interesting industry where you have the chance to meet a lot of people. 

Event Management

Make the most of your talent by getting into an event management business. If you like organising parties, decorating places and managing things, then this is definitely the business for you.

Today, people are interested in celebrating even the smallest of days and events in a big fancy way. You can initially start small with birthday parties, anniversaries and dinners and slowly move on to big events like weddings and corporate events. 

Or maybe choose a niche for yourself and stick to that. For example, if weddings are your thing then you can get into it since there is a lot to manage in weddings and it consists of multiple events.

The event management industry is definitely one of the most booming ones where people do not hold themselves in spending A LOT! Hence this makes for an industry that is highly profitable.

Local Food Business

Opening a local food stall or restaurant is one of the most popular business ideas in India, especially in the South. From the various types of dosas and idlis, and biryanis to the spicy Chettinad food, this is a food haven. Hence tourists are always on the lookout to try and find out the place with the most authentic food. 

If you are good at cooking delicious local food, then you can start your own kitchen either from home or get a place for rent.

Or you can get a talented chef who makes the most delicious local food and give the people what they are looking for. Remember to make the whole experience of dining truly local and authentic.

Photography Business

Today it is all about getting a nicely done photoshoot on almost every occasion. Whether it is birthdays, weddings, pre-weddings, baby showers, pregnancy, family portraits etc, there is always a demand for a good photographer who can capture these beautiful moments in the rawest and most real ways. 

So get your camera and start looking for clients online or get in touch with various event management companies and you can work in collaboration with them. This is definitely one of the most profitable small business ideas in Chennai.

Vacation Rental

Today people are always looking for authentic experiences that give them a taste of the local culture. If you have a beautiful house or an empty home, then you can turn it into a BnB and open it up for tourists visiting Chennai.

Today people are looking for more authentic experiences that would give them the taste of the local culture of the place hence BnB’s are one of the most common places where people want to stay. If you do not have an empty house, you can list one room from your current house as a BnB and invite people to stay.

Since there is a big footfall of tourists in the state, this is your best bet to get into the industry and make good money. It does not require a lot of work and you can make all the decisions about who stays and who does not.

House Help Services

With people being busy with their work and not having enough time to take care of their houses, they are always looking for a good house helper who can help them in managing their homes.

With a big shortage to find efficient, good and reliable house helps, the need of people is not being met. You can get into the business of starting a house help service where you can provide people with the kind of help they are looking for. This helping service and making people smile make this concept on the list of our top business ideas in Chennai.

From cooking to cleaning and doing daily house chores, you can provide people with various facilities. 

For this, the most important thing that you need to do is get your local network strong to get people who are looking for similar jobs, train them well make them professionals and then spread the word and earn some money. To do this in Chennai, you definitely need to speak the local language. 

Pet Shop and Services

People love keeping pets and south Indian people are really fond of animals and keep pets which makes this industry a clear opportunity for one of the business ideas in Chennai for you.

You can open a pet store and cater to all kinds of pets like dogs, cats, birds, fish, etc. From their food to toys, clothes, and treats, this is a big industry where people are willing to spend big moolah. 

If you wish to expand your business, you can get professionals who can also groom these furry babies and pamper them well. To start the business you would require a food license if you want to sell pet food. Create a website online and sell products anywhere. You would also want to have a social media presence where you can market your business.

Another option is for you to have a mobile truck that gives grooming services for pets and you can drive that around to colonies and post on your social media platform where you are today so that people can bring their fur babies to you.

Social Media Strategist

Today, one of the major things that a company can do to get customers and grow is getting on to social media. There are several social media platforms and each one has its own rules.

To grow, companies are desperately in need of someone who can handle their social media and plan a nice marketing plan for them and this is your chance to get into this business.

You do not have to work for this company but start your own social media strategist business or a digital marketing agency and offer them the services. 

To get started, this is definitely not a business model that you can just put money into and start working; you need to know all about digital marketing and social media and should be thorough with it because only if you show results you will be able to retain a customer, get new ones and grow your business. You can offer packages that cover various aspects of marketing and the type of content and growth in a certain amount of time.

Sell Spices

It is a fact that south India is known and very popular for its spices. People visiting this part of the country are always taking back bags of spices with them for their homes or even as gifts for their friends and relatives.

Spices do make a good business and hence it is a good idea to start a business selling them. You can have a physical store in a popular area where you can sell organic spices or even ready-made spice masala of various dishes. You can also have a shop online through which you can sell your products all over the country and outside.

Food Delivery

Food delivery services are very popular in almost all parts of the country but especially in the big cities where they are used by the young professionals or students who do not have time to cook food for themselves and who depend on food from outside to be delivered to them.

You can start your own food delivery services where you can add restaurants, food stalls, and cafes of all kinds and prices to your inventory so that people can order from your app and you can deliver it. You can also add food cooked by local women from their homes and deliver that.

Start Tea Stall

Tea stalls are one of the most profitable businesses and are always in demand. They also require really low investment. You can do it in two ways, you can either make tea at some other place and sell it at prime locations or you can make tea at the main locations of the stall.

Make sure that your stall is located where there is a big footfall of customers like near a college, office space, taxi or bus stand, train station, etc. You can also sell light snacks to go with your tea like biscuits, nankeen and other local snacks.

Government Schemes In Chennai For New Businesses

Tamil Nadu is the largest contributor to our country’s GDP and is the second most industrialized state. Chennai is a great city to start your own business as the government offers various schemes to support the businesses. The state government has announced various schemes to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and boost domestic investment.

Scheme Name	Details
Capital Subsidy	All Micro Manufacturing units set up anywhere in Tamil Nadu and investing in capital assets (plant and machinery) are eligible to receive a capital subsidy of 15% on eligible plant and machinery, subject to a maximum of Rs.30 lakhs.
Employment Intensive Business Subsidy	Businesses set up in Backward Blocks of industrial estates promoted by the Government, an additional capital subsidy of 5% subject to a maximum of Rs.5 lakhs will be granted if at least 25 workers have been employed for a minimum period of 3 years within the first five years from the date of commencement of production.
Agriculture Subsidy	Capital subsidy and Employment Intensive Business subsidy are available for the agricultural business for setting up the agricultural business in all 385 blocks in Tamil Nadu state.
New Entrepreneur Enterprise Development Schemes [NEEDS] Scheme	NEEDS scheme is to assist the educated youth of Tamil Nadu to become first-generation entrepreneurs. Educated youth with any Degree, Diploma, ITI, or Vocational Training from a recognised institution and in the age group of 21 to 35 years under General Category and 21 to 45 years under Special Category aspiring to become entrepreneurs would be eligible for assistance under this scheme.  The project cost shall not exceed Rs. 1 crore. Capital subsidy of 25% of the project cost up to a maximum of Rs. 25 lakhs.

The government of Chennai, as well as the government of the state of Tamil Nadu, have implemented several policies to support and encourage business growth in the city. Some of the favorable policies for business owners in Chennai include:

1. Tax Incentives: Businesses may be eligible for tax incentives, such as reduced corporate tax rates and exemptions from certain taxes, to encourage investment and growth.
2. Subsidies: Small businesses may be eligible for subsidies, such as financial assistance for infrastructure development, to support their growth and development.
3. Single Window Clearance: The government has established a single-window clearance system for obtaining licenses and permits, making it easier for businesses to start and operate in Chennai.
4. Business Incubators and Accelerators: The government provides support to business incubators and accelerators, which provide resources and support to start-ups and small businesses.
5. Special Economic Zones: Chennai has several Special Economic Zones (SEZs), which offer tax and other incentives to businesses operating within the zone.
6. Skill Development Programs: The government provides support for skill development programs, which help businesses access a well-trained and skilled workforce.
7. Infrastructural Development: The government has implemented a number of projects to improve the infrastructure in Chennai, including the development of transportation networks and the expansion of power supply.

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How Lio Can Help you in Starting a Business in Chennai

If you are planning to start a business of your own, it is a given that you would be surrounded by a lot of numbers, people, data, information, lists, tables, and more.

It would be super important for you to keep track of all this data and you would be needing and working on it at all times. But how do you manage to do so and carry this data with the constant travel that this new venture would make you do? Enters Lio. 

Lio is the one app that is here to make your life easier and a lot more organized. Offering you templates based on all needs and requirements, you can use the application to make the task of organizing data hassle-free. If it is tracking money and transactions, adding photos, or maintaining any kind of record, you can use it for all purposes.

#LioKaroAageBadho

Step 1: Select the Language you want to work on | Lio for Android

Step 2: Create your account using your Phone Number or Email Id.

Verify the OTP and you are good to go.

Step 3: Select a template in which you want to add your data.

Add your Data with our Free Cloud Storage.

Step 4: All Done? Share and Collaborate with your contacts.

How Lio Automation Can Help You Business Process

Automation surely does make a difference in running a business whether small or large. It can be tricky and overwhelming at first to switch all the business processes to automation but not with Lio. 

Lio Automation gives you many amazing features that make your work super simple and effective. There are very many features that will help you and your business in various aspects. From connecting and staying in touch with your customers, to working together as a team, and everything in between, Lio Automation will truly make your business run smoothly and make it reach new heights of success.

If you are using Lio Automation for your business processes consider all your data safe and secure all the time. Not only is the data saved in the cloud, but it also offers a data versioning feature in which you can actually see the many changes the document or file has gone through and who has made those changes. You can save the version of the file as required by you. 

Another great feature that Lio Automation offers is colour formatting the sheet. Colour formatting can help bring information and more clarity to the audience. Applying colours to different parts of any data will let you narrate a more effective story that easily catches one’s attention as well.

You can create dashboards for each file which would give you clear details of your company’s operations, marketing campaigns, sales and other analytics. This is one useful feature that would truly make a difference to your business and help your see all the processes clearly so that you can make well-informed decisions.

Lio Automation also makes working in teams very easy with their Task feature. you can not just assign tasks to your team efficiently. You can set the priority of each task along with the due date. Your team will get a notification about the task automatically, even on Whatsapp, they can see their assigned tasks in the app, mark them complete, and you will get a notification on Whatsapp! 

Not just this, Team management and work allocation are made super easy with Lio Automation. You can also work with teams in real-time and see all the changes happening.

You can share invoices and receipts with your customers while also sharing the payment links with them to make the whole transaction process smoother and absolutely hassle-free for everyone. 

Lio also makes collecting valuable reviews from customers very easy with its automation process. Along with this, you can also manage leads very easily with the help of automation. Now no lead would be missed and can be responded to the minute you receive them. 

There are several other amazing Lio automation features that are made so that you and your business can benefit from them. Excited to know more about it? Start with your Lio automation process for your brand and start your journey to success. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

Chennai really does have a lot to do and explore when it comes to business. With all these business ideas, you can explore what is your interest and start exploring and doing thorough research on that particular field. have a business and plan and build a foundation for the business that you want to get into.

In my opinion, Chennai is definitely one of the best cities in India to start a business. There are several business opportunities for all budding entrepreneurs in Chennai and one can really run a successful business.