Founder Anil Kumar is beautifying playgrounds and rooftops in India using… artificial grass. By becoming an exclusive licensee of FieldTurf Tarkett, he traded the glory of inventing something new for the triumph of introducing a product that didn’t exist in India.
FieldTurf artificial grass is a maintenance free, long-lasting, soft alternative to natural grass. Great Sports Infra has completed 2200 installations to date since incorporating in 2004; 90% of these were installed on rooftops in Indian urban areas. Founder Anil Kumar, incorporated the business in 2004 after securing an exclusive licensing agreement with FieldTurf Inc., a Tarkett company.
Of all the businesses you could start, how did you decide to become an artificial grass licensee?
I had spent a number of years working and studying in the US. When I was ready to move back to India, I knew it was time to start something of my own but I wasn’t sure what to do.
My criteria were simple:
- The product would have to be unique. I am a first-time entrepreneur and I don’t come from a dynasty family like Tata or Birla. I knew the product had to be special for me to stand a chance
- I didn’t want to manufacture anything new. I would be financing this venture through friends and family so I wanted to avoid up-front investment
- There should be some barriers to entry. Ideally my product wouldn’t be copied over night on the streets of Bombay
Once I had established these filters, I started researching companies that had won export awards to draw some inspiration. I figured this would give me a sense of the products that were successful in international markets. I went through 400 companies; using my criteria I narrowed the list down to 35 and found that 30 of these products already existed in India. Of those left, FieldTurf met all of my criteria.
What gave you the confidence to move forward and launch the business?
From the start in September 2003, I knew that with artificial grass we could create a new market both in India and for FieldTurf itself. FieldTurf artificial grass is used traditionally for sports facilities—soccer, baseball, and football stadiums. The opportunity I saw was in landscaping.
Until we opened in India, the existing offering was short-pile grass which was hard and abrasive, similar to a door mat. I grew up going to schools in India with hard playgrounds—I had so many scrapes and bruises on my knees and elbows in proof of that. Improved artificial grass could create an entirely new environment for school playgrounds.
Further, corporate campuses, and residences have started to prioritize aesthetics. Open land is a premium in urban India, so people want to maximize the space they have. People want to transform their rooftops and balconies into relaxation and entertainment areas.
I convinced FieldTurf that I would be able to develop this market by personally investing in a customized marketing campaign specific to the Indian audience and landscaping sector. After nearly six months of pitching my ideas, I won an exclusive licensing agreement with the parent company, which allowed me to purchase FieldTurf product and set my own selling price. In May of 2004, I moved back to India and by July 2004 we had incorporated.
Your artificial grass is greening the rooftops of some of India’s most influential companies. Any good stories?
While rooftops have indeed become our bread and butter, the installations we’re most happy about are our FIFA approved soccer fields at Chowgule College, Goa and Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata. It’s exciting because it demonstrates our ability to scale and enter the sports market. These stadiums required installations of 80,000 sq feet and 90,000 sq feet respectively—compared to our typical project in a home or office of 400 sq feet.
Why not equip cricket stadiums?
FieldTurf’s existing product is warmer than ambient temperature. Cricket matches can go on for hours in the afternoon and if the ground is too hot, players won’t be able to perform. But we’re working with FieldTurf to develop something custom designed for cricket stadiums. The company now understands that we are an important, fast growing market. They have already developed a few specialized products for India based on local preferences.
Who would you love to have as an advisor to Great Sports Infra?
Bill Gates. My background is in IT so of course I’ve admired him for a long time. It’s incredible that he was able to create a product that now comes pre-installed to any PC. That’s my dream: for every apartment or office building in India to come with FieldTurf pre-installed on the roof.
Visit Great Sports Infra: www.fieldturfindia.com
