Malayali Entrepreneur Shows Failure Fuels AI Innovation

Published Date : 4/10/2025 

Joel Immanuel, a 36-year-old founder from Bengaluru, is set to launch Webenoid, an AI startup that aims to revolutionize education and business automation in India with affordable solutions. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is often seen as a domain dominated by giants like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. However, in Bengaluru, a lean startup is preparing to make its mark. Meet Webenoid, founded by 36-year-old Joel Immanuel, a Malayali entrepreneur with roots in Alappuzha, Kerala. Joel, fluent in Malayalam, has spent nearly a decade working towards building AI models that address problems often overlooked by global giants.

Joel’s journey has been marked by resilience and determination. His last corporate role was with IBM, which he left in 2010 to pursue his vision. Over the years, Webenoid folded seven times, each failure pushing him into contract work to keep the dream alive. His personal investment? Nearly Rs 10 crore in savings. “Every collapse was a chance to rebuild smarter,” Joel reflects.

Now, with a 33-member team and a January 2026 launch in sight, Webenoid is ready to roll with the punches. At its core lies a deceptively simple idea: a single line of code that transforms any website into an intelligent hub. Once embedded, the site can answer queries, qualify leads, schedule appointments, and offer 24/7 support. “This isn’t about sticking a chatbot on to your website,” Joel explains. “It’s about creating AI staff, digital teammates that handle routine tasks and free up humans for strategy and creativity.”

Joel’s boldest bet is in education. He noticed students racing ahead with AI while teachers risked losing relevance. The problem wasn’t knowledge, but the lack of training in “speaking AI.” Webenoid addresses this with AI-driven batches. Teachers upload curriculum and student lists; Webenoid creates batches, sends invites, and ensures curriculum-aligned answers. Students progress evenly, while higher-level insights are introduced when peers ask tougher questions. “It’s like a tutor that never tires, but with the teacher always in control,” Joel says. And it’s priced for Indian classrooms: Rs 25-50 a month, compared to ChatGPT’s Rs 300.

The same model works for enterprises. Companies can create batches for employees linked to a shared knowledge base. Staff get consistent, company-aligned answers, while managers see knowledge gaps instantly. Unlike general-purpose large language models, Webenoid focuses on specialized excellence in business automation and intelligence.

Can an Indian startup thrive in the crowded AI race? Joel is confident. “India is not that bad,” he says with a smile. It’s not bravado, but conviction. He believes India’s edge lies in scaling at lower costs, solving practical problems, and proving that innovation doesn’t always need billion-dollar backing.

Joel isn’t claiming that Webenoid will topple OpenAI. Instead, he’s carving a different path. “The narrative that only billion-dollar funding wins in AI is wrong. Global players are great at general-purpose tasks. We’re building AI that does business automation well.” This focus powers Webenoid’s proprietary models — Elara, tuned for conversational intelligence, and AetherMind, built for enterprise workflows. Together, they form what Joel calls a “reliable digital teammate.”

Proudly homegrown and trained on Indian data, Webenoid is independent of foreign tech. As a Meta Business Partner, it integrates with WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. “Make in India isn’t just a slogan — it’s how we’ve built Webenoid,” Joel emphasizes. The mobile app is ready but deliberately put on hold. Joel wants one big bang, not a slow rollout. By launching simultaneously for classrooms and businesses, he hopes to spark scale from day one.

From seven shutdowns to a focused comeback, Webenoid is proof that India’s AI story is being written not just by large global players but also by trailblazers from Bengaluru who refuse to quit. Webenoid’s solutions for education and businesses are set to democratize AI, making it accessible and affordable for all. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is Webenoid?

A: Webenoid is an AI startup founded by Joel Immanuel, aimed at revolutionizing education and business automation in India with affordable solutions.

Q: How does Webenoid differ from other AI models like ChatGPT?

A: Webenoid focuses on specialized excellence in business automation and education, offering a single line of code that transforms websites into intelligent hubs, while ChatGPT is a general-purpose large language model.

Q: What is the pricing model for Webenoid in Indian classrooms?

A: Webenoid is priced at Rs 25-50 per month for Indian classrooms, making it much more affordable compared to ChatGPT’s Rs 300 per month.

Q: What are the key features of Webenoid for education?

A: Webenoid creates AI-driven batches for teachers, ensuring curriculum-aligned answers and even student progress, while introducing higher-level insights when peers ask tougher questions.

Q: How does Webenoid support businesses?

A: Webenoid allows companies to create batches for employees linked to a shared knowledge base, providing consistent, company-aligned answers and helping managers identify knowledge gaps. 

More Related Topics :