Modulus Housing, a groundbreaking startup founded by P. Gobinath and Shree Ram Ravichandran in 2018, is transforming the way buildings are constructed and used.
The company specializes in modular, portable, and affordable infrastructure, offering customizable solutions that can be built in just 90 days and repurposed for a wide range of applications across different sectors.
From homes and schools to hospitals and factories, Modulus Housing is addressing the global construction industry’s growing challenges.
Solving the Housing and Infrastructure Crisis
The construction industry is facing an unprecedented crisis, a predicted shortage of 35.7 million buildings by 2050, compounded by traditional construction methods that are slow, expensive, and resource-heavy.
Modulus Housing is stepping in with a bold solution: rapid, reusable, and tech-driven modular structures that can be deployed anywhere in the world within 90 days.
The company’s buildings serve various sectors, including healthcare (portable hospitals), education (modular classrooms), agriculture (micro-factories and storage), and business (on-site offices).
These units, known as MediCab, EduCab, AgriCab, WorkCab, and WeCab, are thoughtfully designed to provide unparalleled flexibility, enabling clients to effortlessly relocate and adapt the structures to meet evolving requirements.
A Journey from Dorm Rooms to Global Impact
The story of Modulus Housing began several years ago when its founders, Ravichandran and Gobinath, were students at IIT Madras.
During this time, they volunteered for the organization “Engineers Without Borders” to assist during the devastating 2015 Chennai floods.
They saw the pressing need for temporary housing for displaced individuals and envisioned a solution: portable, foldable, modular houses that could be quickly deployed during crises.
Their first prototype, a telescopic, foldable shelter that could expand from a 6ft by 6ft box to a 20ft by 20ft unit, was created in their dorm room.
With the prototype, the duo went on to participate in IIT Madras’s Center for Innovation’s Open House event, where they connected with over 60 attendees.
The prototype gained momentum, leading to valuable interactions with mentors, one of whom was an IIT alumnus, and generating a lead from a potential customer who wanted to set up a modular room on his terrace.
Despite challenges in securing funding for hardware startups, Gobinath and Ravichandran persisted, winning competitions and reinvesting their earnings into refining their product.
Impactful Pilots and Rapid Growth
Modulus Housing’s first significant breakthrough came in 2019 when they piloted modular housing for construction workers at L&T’s sites, providing workers with much-needed housing.
The company also partnered with SELCO India to provide portable healthcare infrastructure, launching the first modular portable hospital in India.
The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the company’s growth.
With the government’s urgent need for healthcare infrastructure, Modulus Housing developed the “modHeal” portable hospital, certified by India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).
This product played a pivotal role in the national response to the pandemic, helping provide quick relief during the health crisis.
Expanding Across India and Beyond
As the pandemic subsided, The company expanded into the rural and educational sectors, building AgriCab units to support agro-entrepreneurship and EduCab units to serve the Anganwadi program in Telangana.
In December 2022, Modulus Housing launched a pilot for social housing in both India and Malawi, East Africa, in collaboration with NGOs like Habitat for Humanity.
With over 100 projects across 20 states, more than 990 modular cabins delivered, and 475,000+ square feet built, Modulus Housing is scaling rapidly. Their products are designed for the future, emphasizing sustainability, portability, and flexibility.
Changing the Industry Forever
Looking ahead, Modulus Housing is on a mission to further disrupt the construction and housing industry by offering scalable, sustainable, and affordable solutions for individuals, businesses, governments, and NGOs.
Their tech-enabled modular cabins can be deployed quickly and are certified for use, eliminating the long approval processes typical in traditional construction.
The company’s founders, Gobinath and Ravichandran, believe that the future of construction is in modularity, a principle that allows buildings to be more adaptable, sustainable, and cost-effective.
Modulus Housing’s journey is one of perseverance, innovation, and social impact. As they continue to expand globally, the company is positioning itself to reshape how we build, live, and work in the 21st century.
