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Anyone who has held a typical office job knows how sitting for long hours affects the body in the long run. 

To address these problems, Nihar Lohiya, an IIT Guwahati graduate, launched SuperErgo in 2023. The idea for the D2C work-tech brand SuperErgo emerged after Lohiya faced severe health challenges due to the nature of his job. 

According to Lohiya, for a chair to be considered ergonomic, it must satisfy the following criteria: first, users should be able to use it 12 hours a day with minimal discomfort, second, it needs to reduce musculoskeletal disorders caused by prolonged sitting. And third, it should improve productivity.

“Foreign brands like Herman Miller and Steelcase have well-designed products but are extremely expensive for the Indian market making them inaccessible to 99.9% of working professionals. And the local brands currently available in India are selling cheap quality products that do more harm to your back than good. That is exactly where SuperErgo comes in,” he explains.

Lohiya is a seasoned professional with half a decade of experience working at consumer companies like Ola, GetMega and CoinDCX and comes from a family background with 31 years of experience in the offline retail industry. 

Everything ergonomics

Lohiya says that Mumbai-based SuperErgo wants to be a one-stop-shop for everything ergonomics that makes a modern workspace healthy. This includes chairs, height-adjustable standing desks, workspace accessories like footrests, desk mats, laptop stands, and standing mats. 

After working in stealth mode for over six months, SuperErgo did a soft launch in May this year. Currently, it has three models of ergonomic office chairs starting with Rs 13,000 for the base model The Novice, Rs 19,000 for the mid-range model The Specialist, and Rs 29,000 for the flagship model The Chief. 

Each model comes with essential ergonomic features and unique colours options required for comfort and suitability of individuals of any shape and size. 

Next month, the startup has lined up several launches, including three variants of height-adjustable standing desks. It also plans to evaluate B2B or global expansion in the future, says Lohiya.

The startup works with local and overseas contract manufacturers for its product and plans to backward integrate within the next five years. This will help it reduce the cost and have more control over the product design.

Market opportunities and revenue

In India, the revenue generated in the Home Office Furniture market in 2024 amounts to $215.60 million. It is projected that the market will experience an annual growth rate of 4.46% by 2029, according to Statista.

SuperErgo has seen close to eleven lakh in total sales organically with zero marketing spends, says Lohiya. The startup currently sells via its website, ecommerce platform Amazon as well as through its family’s offline stores. 

“We want to provide all the benefits of well-designed chairs but at a much more affordable price and are committed to making your workspace healthier by promoting better environments and behaviours, ensuring everything in your workspace supports your well-being,” adds Lohiya.

The startup’s primary competitor is ErgoSmart by the Sleep Company. Green Soul is also another player operating in the same space.

For now, the company is bootstrapped with a Rs 5 lakh investment from Lohiya’s father. For the next six months, the startup will focus on scaling online distribution, funding, and expanding the product line.