Salem, Tamil Nadu, July 2025. Karthik Raja Karnan, an innovative entrepreneur, is changing food automation in India through his company, MADique Technologies OPC Private Limited. At just 31, Karthik has already helped over 3,000 food entrepreneurs, including homemakers and differently-abled individuals, by providing affordable and efficient food processing machines.
His achievements include developing the world’s smallest automatic idiyappam machine, which made it into Kalam’s Book of World Records. He has built a global customer base in over 30 countries. Karthik’s mission is to make food automation accessible to micro and small businesses in India and beyond.
Karthik was born into a humble weaver family in Salem, Tamil Nadu. He started his early innovations with scraps and imagination. After graduating with a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, he turned down a job offer from Titan and launched his startup from a small car shed. Today, MADique Technologies is a well-known name in the food machinery industry.
Karthik’s work has received significant recognition. In 2024 and 2025, he earned over 20 prestigious awards, including India’s Top SME 100 Award, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam National Star Award, Business Leader Award, and International Achievers Award. OXFAA University in Trichy also granted him an Honorary Doctorate.
Beyond his business efforts, Karthik co-founded the Smiles of India Foundation. The foundation donates ₹500 from each machine sold to social causes like education, health, and rural development. It has provided water purifiers to village schools, distributed over 10,000 seed balls, and gifted over 1,000 copies of Dr. Kalam’s biography to inspire young people.
“Every machine we create is not just a tool for business; it’s a tool for social change,” says Karthik.
Looking ahead to 2030, Karthik aims to empower over 10,000 global entrepreneurs. He plans to establish a training academy for food businesses and expand innovations in green technology and sustainability.
Karthik Raja Karnan’s story illustrates that innovation, driven by purpose, can lead to real change in industries and communities.
Read More About him on Knowlepedia – https://knowlepedia.org/wiki/Karthik_Raja_Karnan
