R. Chandra: Nitesh, it’s great to have you here today. To start, could you tell us a bit about yourself and how Medront came into existence? What was your thought process behind starting the company, and can you share a bit about your journey?
Nitesh Singh: Sure, I’d love to. My journey has been deeply influenced by my upbringing. My dad worked at BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre), and I grew up in a colony dedicated to BARC employees. This environment instilled in me a strong scientific mindset, seeing how science and technology power the nation and community. From a young age, I knew I wanted to work in science and technology.
I was fortunate to be part of the Olympiads, representing India in the Astronomical Olympiad and Junior Science Olympiad, which only strengthened my conviction that this was the right path for me. My parents were instrumental in providing an environment focused on learning, curiosity, and education, which shaped my student career. I ended up at IIT Bombay, where I studied electrical engineering. But while I was excited about engineering, I found myself more drawn to data and modelling, even back when data science was not mainstream.
After IIT, I joined Citibank, where I honed my data modelling skills. I worked on models that were presented to the Federal Reserve and helped Citibank continue operating during tough times. But I soon realized that while the work was high-quality, it wasn’t high-impact at a personal level. I wanted to be part of something that had a more direct positive impact on people’s lives, so I decided to join the startup ecosystem.
I joined Creditmate in 2017, working with an impressive team. We pivoted from building a lending platform to a data-driven collections platform, which was eventually acquired by Paytm. That experience validated my belief in the power of data and the impact it can have on people’s lives.
R. Chandra: That’s quite an inspiring journey. So how did Medront come into being, and what is the mission and vision behind it?
Nitesh Singh: As I went through my journey, I observed two things: the capabilities big companies have with data and their cavalier attitude toward users’ data. They don’t care about how your data is used because you, as a user, don’t have much say in it. This disparity between their capabilities and their lack of concern creates a huge risk for users, and that’s what we want to eliminate with Medront.
Our mission is to give users the ability to manage their data, bringing big tech companies and brands to the table on the user’s terms, not their own. We focus on three aspects: enhanced security, utility, and creating a data portfolio.
R. Chandra: Could you elaborate on how Medront benefits users and how you’re educating them about it?
Nitesh Singh: Absolutely. We offer users three main benefits when they install our app. First, we enhance security by warning users about apps that have breached data in the past and are misusing permissions. For instance, if an app is using your microphone without being open, that’s a red flag, and we alert the user.
Second, we provide utility by using users’ data—like SMS, notifications, and even Twitter or Spotify data—to offer insights. For example, our AI-powered Money Manager gives users a clear view of their spending, and we filter out spam from notifications, highlighting only useful information.
Finally, we’re creating a data portfolio, a digital storage for all your data. This data is not held by the companies like Twitter or Facebook; it’s held by you. So, if you ever want to move to another platform, you can do so with your data intact.
R. Chandra: That sounds like a game-changer for users. How does Medront plan to sustain itself financially if it’s free for users?
Nitesh Singh: We’re committed to keeping Medront free for users. We believe that user data is valuable, and we can create value from it, which we’ll then share with the users. Currently, our revenue comes from affiliate partnerships—when a user purchases a product through us, we share the revenue with them.
Our bigger vision is to create an ecosystem where all user data is stored on their data pod. Brands won’t store your data; they’ll access it through our data APIs, and once a transaction is complete, that data will be pulled from the brand. This way, your data is only stored by you, and brands access it only when necessary.
R. Chandra: With all the data-related scams happening nowadays, do you see Medront as a tool to help mitigate these risks and give users more control over their data?
Nitesh Singh: Absolutely. Right now, the issue is that as a user, you don’t know who the second party (the entity holding your data) is sharing it with, and that third party could be someone using it for scams. Our goal with Medront is to ensure that users, the first party, share their data only with the second party, and that the second party has no rights to share it further.
R. Chandra: Data has become incredibly important for every business, especially when it comes to reaching the right customers. Having accurate data directly impacts sales. How does Medront help businesses and users manage this?
Nitesh Singh: You’re right, data is crucial. If a brand can’t offer me something within a couple of minutes of browsing their page, they’re out of the game. If their inventory is large, they’ll struggle without the right data to showcase what’s relevant to them. Medront helps by giving users control over their data while enabling brands to access necessary data at the right moment, but only when needed.
R. Chandra: How are you reaching out to your target audience and educating them about the importance of data protection through Medront?
Nitesh Singh: It’s a journey, and it can happen in two ways. First, we rely on organic discovery through content on platforms like Medium, Twitter, and Instagram. Users who find us this way usually have some understanding of what we do and are ready to engage with our features. The second approach is through marketing—ads on Google and Facebook. Here, the challenge is to capture attention quickly with an image, text, or a short video. Once a user installs the app, that’s when we begin the education process, showing them all the features and benefits.
R. Chandra: That makes sense. It sounds like you’re tailoring your approach depending on the user’s needs. So, how many users do you currently have?
Nitesh Singh: We have almost 20,000 installs right now.
R. Chandra: That’s impressive growth! Medront is making strides in giving users more control over their data while benefiting businesses. Thanks for sharing your journey and insights, Nitesh.
Nitesh Singh: Thank you, R. Chandra. It was a pleasure talking with you. We’re excited about the road ahead and how Medront can continue to empower users in the digital age.
