Founded in 2021 by Ranchu Nair, Santhosh Mahalingam, Mohan Mathew, Jaishankar Seetharaman, and Shyam Kumar, Mikro Grafeio was conceived from personal experience. Each founder had previously relocated from smaller towns to major metropolitan cities for career opportunities. These migrations highlighted a critical question—would such movement have been necessary if similar opportunities were available locally?
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic offered clarity. As remote work became normalized, it proved that many professional roles could be performed outside traditional office settings. This insight became the foundation of Mikro Grafeio: a company aimed at enabling businesses to operate seamlessly from India’s Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
The name "Mikro Grafeio," derived from Greek meaning "small office," reflects the company's core service—helping organizations set up distributed offices in smaller urban centers. Rather than just providing office space, the company offers end-to-end solutions, including workspace setup, regional recruitment, and operational management.
Mikro Grafeio focuses on creating localized ecosystems that allow organizations to expand while contributing to regional economic development.
The company's mission aligns with the principle of inclusive growth—encouraging economic development beyond metro cities. Establishing offices in emerging cities opens access to local talent pools and helps reduce the pressure on overburdened metros.
These offices also stimulate surrounding economies. Demand increases for transport, housing, food services, and more, creating an economic ripple effect. In this way, Mikro Grafeio supports the business operations of its clients and also broader community development.
Early challenges included doubts about the infrastructure and workforce availability in smaller cities. To overcome this, Mikro Grafeio conducted location studies and demonstrated feasibility through successful client implementations.
As demand for hybrid and distributed work environments grew, the company expanded from supporting small teams to building scalable facilities for larger enterprises—all without compromising on workspace quality or operational consistency.
Smaller cities offer multiple advantages: reduced costs, talent from regional educational institutions, and steadily improving infrastructure. Many professionals from these regions move to metro cities in search of jobs; enabling businesses to set up locally helps retain this workforce.
These cities also offer a better quality of life—with shorter commutes and a cleaner environment—which has become an important consideration for many employees.
Businesses considering expansion into non-metro areas often face concerns around infrastructure reliability, talent readiness, and administrative complexity. Mikro Grafeio provides an integrated service model to mitigate these challenges.
Its single-contract solution includes real estate setup, workforce acquisition, and operational support. Properties are upgraded as needed, and talent is sourced through partnerships with local institutions and agencies.
In Coimbatore, a global energy company required a sustainable office solution. Mikro Grafeio delivered a tailored workspace that aligned with the client's specific requirements. In another example, the company partnered with a global IT provider to develop a 35,000 sq. ft. facility for 800 seats, completed within 75 days while adhering to multi-client compliance standards.
The company’s regional model has been recognized with several awards, including the TiE 50, Forbes India DGEMS Select 200, and the FICCI TNIE Deep Social Impact Award over multiple years. These acknowledgments reflect its operational practices and measurable contributions to job creation.
Mikro Grafeio now operates 45 centers across 23 cities and serves over 130 clients. This expansion reflects the growing acceptance of distributed work and the increasing relevance of non-metro markets in business planning.
Managed workspaces have become an essential component of modern hybrid work models. Mikro Grafeio continues to support this shift by offering scalable, cost-effective solutions that allow companies to operate closer to where talent resides.
By focusing on Tier 2 and 3 cities and offering integrated workspace solutions, Mikro Grafeio aims to support economic development across more regions—where growth is not limited by geography.