Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) contribute nearly 30% of India’s GDP, proving that even small businesses can be profitable.
But let’s be real—most people don’t put up a business because of one big reason: money. The fear of investing lakhs and not getting returns is enough to stop anyone from even trying. But what if you could start a business under one lakh rupees or even zero rupees and still make a good profit?
10
8
7
6
9
1
4
5
2
3
In this blog, we’ll explore 10 small investment business ideas that work in India.
Follow us
Become a part of us
Together with Borzo, your business will be on a new level of delivery. Become our business partner and entrust us with logistics to achieve great results in India.
Top 10 Small Business Ideas In Demand For 2025
Online Coaching Services
Estimated Capital: ₹5,000 - ₹20,000
Potential Profit: ₹25,000 - ₹50,000 per month
Potential Profit: ₹25,000 - ₹50,000 per month
Do you have expertise in music, finance, or fitness? If so, you can start an online coaching business and teach others from the comfort of your home. All you need is a computer, a stable internet connection, and a willingness to share your knowledge in a certain field.
As an example, let’s talk about the story of Andy Griffiths, founder of Expert PT. With just $500, he built a successful online personal training business that specialises in fast-tracking body transformations. His company’s unique one-on-one coaching model combines bespoke training and nutrition plans with personalised weekly video feedback. By keeping overhead costs low, Andy created a scalable business that serves a global clientele without being tied to a single location. Today, his online coaching business generates $108,000 per year, proving that expertise and strategy can turn a small investment into a highly profitable venture.
How to Start an Online Coaching Business
Dropshipping
Estimated Capital: ₹10,000 - ₹20,000
Potential Profit: ₹30,000 per month
Potential Profit: ₹30,000 per month
Dropshipping is an online business model where you sell products without keeping inventory. When a customer places an order, you purchase the item from a supplier, who then ships it directly to them. This saves you the cost of stocking products and allows you to focus on marketing and customer service.
You can launch your dropshipping business on Amazon just like Tavleen Arora, who started her brand called French Daina Lingerie with just 80 products. Realising that one marketplace wasn’t enough, she created her own website. In three years, her brand grew to 92,000 customers, expanded its product range, and increased revenue from ₹4.8 lakh to ₹12.2 lakh per month.
How to Start a Dropshipping Business
-
- Choose a niche (fashion, gadgets, home decor, etc.).
- Partner with reliable dropshipping suppliers like Snazzyway, GlowRoad, or AliDropship.
- Create an online store using Shopify, WooCommerce, or Amazon India.
- Register your dropshipping store as a legal business
- Market your store through social media and paid ads.
- Provide excellent customer service to build trust and get repeat buyers.
For more info on dropshipping in India, check our in-depth blog tutorial here.
Homemade Food Items
Estimated Capital: ₹20,000
Potential Profit: ₹40,000 - ₹60,000 per month
Potential Profit: ₹40,000 - ₹60,000 per month
Selling homemade food is a profitable and flexible business that allows you to earn from your cooking skills. From snacks and sweets to full meals, you can sell your food items online, at local markets, or even from home. With a steady demand for fresh, homemade, and preservative-free food, this business has great potential.
Let’s take Baker’s Treat as your business inspiration. In 2014, Mariam Mohuideen noticed a growing demand for Western-style baked goods in Mangaluru, so she decided to leverage her baking skills and build her small business.
“It was a small, 200-square-foot space from where we made and sold baked goods,” said Mariam to SMBStory.
Within three years, her business grew into a full-fledged café. By 2017, she was able to turn it into a 90-seater restaurant, attracting 150 customers daily.
How to Start a Food Business
-
- Choose a speciality (baked goods, sweets, tiffin services, snacks, etc.).
- Ensure you follow the regulations of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and obtain an FSSAI licence.
- Sell through WhatsApp, Instagram, Zomato, Swiggy, or a personal website.
- Promote through local word of mouth and social media posts.
- Provide high-quality and unique recipes to build a loyal customer base.
Photography and Videography
Estimated Capital: ₹30,000 - ₹80,000
Potential Profit: ₹50,000 - ₹1,00,000 per month
Potential Profit: ₹50,000 - ₹1,00,000 per month
With just a basic camera and editing skills, you can work on weddings, events, portraits, or commercial projects. Social media and digital marketing have increased the demand for quality visual content, making photography and videography a profitable venture.
One great example for this kind of business is Anshumaan Singh’s story. Singh, the co-founder of Chocolate Box Photography, recalls, “When my friends saw the photographs I used to click, they often asked me which DSLR model I had used. But they would be taken aback when I revealed that I had used a Nokia N73 phone camera.” This passion for photography led him and Mohit Wadhwa to establish their business in 2012. What started as a freelance venture has grown into a 20-member team, covering 150+ weddings in India and abroad.
How to Start a Photography and Videography Business
-
- Start with basic equipment (DSLR, lenses, lighting, editing software).
- Specialise in a niche (weddings, portraits, commercial shoots, social media content).
- Build a portfolio using social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
- Offer services on freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr.
- Invest in photo and video editing skills to enhance the final output.
Social Media Marketing
Estimated Capital: ₹40,000 - ₹80,000
Potential Profit: ₹50,000 - ₹1,00,000 per month
Potential Profit: ₹50,000 - ₹1,00,000 per month
With India's active internet user base surpassing 600 million, the demand for social media marketing is undeniable. To take advantage of this, it's key to learn how to make content that grabs attention and understand how social media algorithms work. Once you know how to create content that connects with people, you can start offering services like social media management, content creation, and paid ad campaigns.
Trevor Longino, founder and CEO of CrowdTamers, started as a freelancer before realising the increasing need for marketing. By helping startups with go-to-market strategies, he scaled his agency from 2 employees to 5, generating $600,000 in annual revenue. His success stemmed from answering founders' questions in Facebook groups and sharing thought leadership content, which attracted and retained clients.
How to Start a Marketing Agency
-
- Master social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok).
- Learn paid advertising strategies to maximise reach and conversions.
- Offer services like content creation, influencer marketing, and ad management.
- Build a portfolio with case studies and testimonials.
- Find clients through freelancing platforms, networking, and cold outreach.
Graphic Design
Estimated Capital: ₹10,000 - ₹50,000
Potential Profit: ₹40,000 - ₹1,00,000 per month
Potential Profit: ₹40,000 - ₹1,00,000 per month
Graphic design is a versatile field that spans branding, print media, digital illustration, and UI/UX design. Businesses, publishers, and content creators constantly need logos, product packaging, brochures, and custom illustrations. With a strong grasp of design principles, typography, and colour theory, you can work on corporate identity projects, book covers, infographics, and even animation assets.
Would you believe that you could launch this business with no money if you already had your laptop? Mike Moloney, the founder of FilterGrade, started his business in 2013 with only a $1K startup cost. He started by selling Photoshop Actions in 2013 before expanding into a marketplace for digital assets like presets, Lookup Tables (LUTs), and video templates. Through strategic content marketing and partnerships, FilterGrade has grown to attract 450,000+ monthly users, generating $360,000 in annual revenue with a small team of just two people.
How to Start a Graphic Design Agency
-
- Master design software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Figma.
- Choose a niche (branding, print media, UI/UX, digital illustrations, motion graphics).
- Create a portfolio showcasing your best work.
- Offer services on freelancing platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and 99Designs.
- Sell digital assets such as templates, fonts, and design bundles on marketplaces.
Clothing or Apparel
Estimated Capital: ₹50,000 - ₹5,00,000
Potential Profit: ₹60,000 - ₹3,00,000 per month
Potential Profit: ₹60,000 - ₹3,00,000 per month
India's apparel market size was worth $115.70 billion in 2024, showing its large number of customers and changing fashion trends. The market for second-hand clothes is growing as well, thanks to people becoming more eco-conscious and looking for affordable options. Whether you're selling custom designs, ready-made clothes, or reselling used fashion, the clothing industry is one of the best startup ideas in India.
Kamal Khushlani, founder of Mufti, started his fashion journey in 1998 with just ₹10,000 borrowed from his aunt. With no formal design training, he built Mufti into one of India’s top fashion brands, offering 500+ brand-new clothes per season. Today, Mufti operates across exclusive brand outlets, multi-brand stores, and large-format retailers.
How to Start a Clothing Business
-
- Choose a niche—custom apparel, streetwear, formal wear, or second-hand fashion. You may eventually expand your market once your business grows.
- Source quality materials or partner with manufacturers for production.
- Sell via online marketplaces, social media, or local boutiques.
- Explore eco-friendly and sustainable fashion, a growing trend in the industry.
Ghostwriting Services
Estimated Capital: ₹0 - ₹20,000
Potential Profit: ₹50,000 - ₹2,00,000 per month
Potential Profit: ₹50,000 - ₹2,00,000 per month
Ghostwriting involves creating content on behalf of clients without receiving public credit. This can range from books, articles, blog posts, and speeches to social media content and business reports. Many entrepreneurs, executives, and authors rely on ghostwriters to refine their ideas into compelling narratives. Strong research skills, adaptability in writing styles, and the ability to meet deadlines are key to thriving in this field.
Laura Mikkelsen, founder of Publishing Services, started by writing book descriptions for self-published authors in 2019. As demand grew, she expanded into author biographies, book outlines, and email marketing services. From zero investment, her business now generates $864,000 per year, with a team of 41 writers handling client projects.
How to Start a Writing Business
-
- Develop expertise in different writing styles and tones.
- Build a portfolio with sample work in various formats (books, blogs, scripts).
- Offer services on platforms like Upwork, Reedsy, and Fiverr.
- Network with authors, businesses, and public figures who may need writing support.
- Learn the publishing process to provide additional value (formatting, editing, SEO).
Web Development
Estimated Capital: ₹1,500 - ₹10,000
Potential Profit: ₹6,50,000+ per month
Potential Profit: ₹6,50,000+ per month
Web development remains one of the most profitable and scalable online businesses. From building websites, developing custom applications, and selling UI components, there’s constant demand for digital solutions. Low startup costs make it an accessible option, while expertise in coding and design can lead to high-paying contracts or product-based revenue streams.
Manu, the founder of Aceternity UI, turned his passion for creating web components into a thriving business. Instead of writing explanatory blogs, he noticed developers preferred ready-to-use code. By rapidly launching and improving his Aceternity UI Pro, he reached $80,000 in revenue within two months. With just two employees, the business scaled quickly, leveraging Twitter and Product Hunt for visibility.
How to Start a Web Development Company
-
- Choose a specialisation—custom websites, e-commerce platforms, UI design, or SaaS development.
- Learn popular frameworks like React, Next.js, or WordPress.
- Build a portfolio website to showcase your work.
- Use freelance platforms or social media to look for clients.
- Consider selling digital products like templates, plugins, or UI kits for passive income.
Selling Digital Products
Estimated Capital: ₹800 - ₹5,000
Potential Profit: ₹10,00,000+ per year
Potential Profit: ₹10,00,000+ per year
Digital products are intangible goods delivered online, such as e-books, music, digital art, software, online courses, and in-game virtual items. They offer businesses a cost-effective, high-profit way to generate revenue without inventory or shipping.
There was a woman named Emily McDermott, who started her business, Pretty Arrow, to sell digital products after quitting her full-time job. She identified a market need and began selling budgeting templates on Etsy. Since launching in 2021, she has sold 29,000+ spreadsheets and grown her business through email marketing and Facebook ads, now earning $125,000 per year with just $10 in startup costs.
How to Sell Digital Products
-
- Determine which digital products are appropriate for your target market. You can provide stickers and t-shirt designs if your customers enjoy art. Courses and e-books could be a perfect fit for you if your market prefers educational products.
- Use platforms like Etsy, Gumroad, Teachable, Udemy, or Shopify to sell your products.
- Optimise your product listings using SEO and keyword research.
- Promote through email marketing, social media, and paid ads.
- Offer bundles and upsells to increase revenue.
How to Start a Small Business in India
Now that you have some business ideas, how do you start? Here’s everything you need to know about the key stages that will help you launch your business.
Conducting market research. This helps you figure out whether your business idea will succeed or fail. Think about your target audience, check out your competitors, and assess the demand for your product or service. Don’t skip this step—it’ll save you time and money down the line.
Developing a business plan. A business plan is where you’ll outline your business goals, marketing strategies, financial projections, and operational plan. You’ll also want to include details about how much money you’ll need and where it’ll come from. If you’re looking for investors or loans, this document will be crucial.
- Understanding the legal requirements. While licence requirements vary by business structure, the following are some common licences you may need to request.
- Trade Licence. This is a local licence issued by your municipality.
- GST Registration. This is mandatory if your turnover exceeds the set limit.
- Professional Tax Licence. This is required by the state government in some regions.
- Import Export Code (IEC). If you plan to import or export goods, you’ll need this.
- FSSAI Licence. If you’re in the food industry, you’ll need this to ensure safety standards.
You’ll also need to comply with the appropriate authorities. Registering with the Registrar of Companies (RoC) is required if you are launching a company or limited liability partnership. If you have a physical store, you may also need to register under the Shop and Establishment Act.
Secure funding. You can apply for a business loan, look for angel investors, or explore venture capital options. The government also offers grants and schemes to help small businesses, so make sure you check those out.
Building your online presence. Set up a professional website and active social media profiles. This will help you attract customers, build brand awareness, and create an online identity for your business.
Launching your business. Now it’s time to launch! Make sure you’ve set up everything, including your operations, marketing strategies, and any team members you need. A well-executed launch will get you off to a strong start.
For a more in-depth tutorial about launching your own business, check out How to Start a Business: A Step-by-Step Guide.
Low-Investment Businesses in India FAQ
How can I market my low-investment business?
There are many ways to market a low-investment business. Some effective marketing strategies include social media marketing, content marketing, and email marketing. You can also leverage your personal network and build relationships with potential customers. Read our full blog on the Top 5 Marketing Strategies: A Basic Guide for Small Business Owners to learn more about effective marketing!
Are there any government schemes or programs that can support my low-investment business?
Yes, the Indian government offers several schemes and programs to support small businesses, including low-investment businesses. Some of these schemes include the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (up to ₹20 lakh loan limit), Stand-Up India Scheme, and Atal Innovation Mission.
Efficiency and reliability
Our values are your success. Find out how Borzo provides quality delivery services and place your order now.
About us
Stay in touch with Borzo on social media
Social links
Become a business client
Fill out the form to set up your business account and your personal manager will get in touch shortly
