From Idea to Industry Leader
In 2013, Forum Parekh, along with Mihir Parekh and Nirav Patel, walked away from the comfort of corporate careers to launch a venture with little more than conviction, engineering grit, and INR 1.5 lakh in hand.
Eleven years later, their company, Solids and Automation Technologies (SAT India), stands tall as a USD 10 million powerhouse in bulk solids handling and turnkey automation solutions—on track to double its revenue to USD 20 million by 2027.
“It was an idea truly inspired by Make in India, even before the government officially launched it,” Parekh recalls. “We saw the widespread dependency on European technology and realized there was room for an Indian solution—global quality at local rates.”
Finding the Gap: Global Quality for Local Needs
Parekh’s engineering instincts were sharpened by a simple but profound observation:
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Villages in Europe enjoyed advanced automation
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India lagged not due to lack of need, but because of cost and mindset barriers
“The belief that ‘machines replace man’ and that ‘foreign machines outweigh Indian machines’ were two major challenges we fought to change,” she explains.
Rather than focus only on big industrial players, SAT India chose to serve everyone—from multinational snack brands to what Parekh calls “small town hustlers.”
By designing cost-effective conveying, batching, weighing, dust collection, and storage systems, SAT India positioned itself as a “glocal” solution provider bringing world-class engineering to Indian pockets.
From Startup Struggles to Breakthrough Moments
No founder’s journey is without hurdles, and Forum Parekh story is no exception.
“Finding the right place of production, the right talent, and aligning diverse mindsets—it felt like a new challenge at every step,” she says.
The turning point came when a major snack industry brand approached SAT India for silos. Delivering on that order marked their entry into a new league.
Since then, SAT India has become a trusted name across food processing, plastics, cement, spices, sugar, and pigment industries, delivering solutions for everything from powder to pellets.
The Multi-Venture Mindset: Art, Apps, and Automation
Parekh’s entrepreneurial drive extends beyond industrial automation.
She is also the founder of Forums Creation – Artistry in Every Stroke, where her contemporary luxury paintings fuse spiritual devotion with engineering precision. Specializing in Pichwai, Warli, and line art, she works on canvas, wood, and mixed media to create divine, meditative pieces.
“The same meticulous attention to detail that built my business success shapes every stroke of my art.”
Her portfolio also includes:
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TeleNotes – an app to organize notes and tasks efficiently
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Cookfood – an Android application that suggests recipes based on available ingredients
A Strong Foundation of Education and Skills
Parekh’s impressive academic background has shaped her leadership. She holds:
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A postgraduate degree in Banking, Corporate, Finance, and Securities Law from Symbiosis Law School, Pune
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A Master of Public Administration from IGNOU
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A Management Development Programme certification from IIM Lucknow
Her skill set spans management, lean operations, communication, and systems design, bridging the worlds of business, law, and engineering.
Looking Ahead: From India to the World
With USD 10 million in revenue and a vision to double in five years, Parekh is not slowing down. SAT India is actively exploring foreign collaborations and global branding initiatives.
The goal: to export world-class Indian automation systems and make advanced technology accessible even at the farmer level.
“We want to modernize the agro industry so that every farmer can benefit from efficient systems and uninterrupted services.”
Lessons from the Founder’s Journey
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Challenges are training grounds, not roadblocks
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Serve both giants and grassroots customers to ensure resilience
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Mindset matters as much as money – changing perceptions around Indian engineering is key
The Human Side of Entrepreneurship
Despite managing multiple ventures, Parekh grounds herself through her art.
Her paintings invoke peace and divinity amidst the hustle of life, balancing precision and spirituality.
She sees entrepreneurship not just as wealth creation, but as building ecosystems of opportunity for employees, clients, and society.
“It’s about engineering solutions that truly make lives better.”
A Call to Action: Follow Forum Parekh’s Journey
Forum Parekh story proves that bold vision, relentless execution, and uncompromising quality can turn a modest startup into a global contender.
As SAT India expands its global footprint, Parekh continues to inspire a new generation of founders to build solutions that matter.
Learn more and connect:
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Website: www.satindia.co.in
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LinkedIn: Forum Parekh
