Visitor attraction venues such as museums, art galleries, monuments, and sound and light show places have, of late emerged into a segment of their own in the country- thanks to a sudden spread of technology environment fondly called “experiential.”
This experiential concept owes its genesis- largely to a person the industry has seen as Anshuman Dubey. A veteran of audio guide technology deployment in the country – officiating it all from his profile at Sennheiser – Anshuman is now a ‘boss of his own,’ having turned an entrepreneur with his venture Stapes India.
SI Asia caught up with Anshuman to know on what all it means to Indian AV. Excerpts:
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SI Asia: Having had so much successful career as the Head of Technical Department in Business Communication division at Sennheiser, what made you set up your own concern?
ANSHUMAN: Many reasons, simply said. My entrepreneurial ambitions to come first. I had nurtured a strong desire to be my own boss and create something unique. I developed a strong passion for Indian museum industry and wanted to explore it independently in the aftermath of Sennheiser’s discontinuation of GuidePort product range way back in 2015.
Entrepreneurship does bring challenges, and I always thrived on the challenge of building something from the ground up. Starting a new business in Audio Guide domain was always intellectually and emotionally stimulating for me.
Working for a large corporation, individuals will have to follow existing processes and guidelines, which can limit their creative freedom. However, having an own business allows one for greater creative and strategic control. Also, I believe entrepreneurship brings greater financial rewards and equity ownership, which might not be that easy as an employee. It also offers more flexibility in terms of work hours and location, allowing a better balance between professional and personal life.
More, I had identified opportunities, if not gaps, in the market that my former employer was not pursuing. That also played a critical motivator.
To summarize, it is a pursuit of vision. I had culled out a vision and mission from my profession, to bring them to life independently. This might involve developing products or services that align more closely with my personal values and goals.
SI Asia: What lacunae did you see and want to fill out in the industry spectrum?
ANSHUMAN: I saw certain areas where technology or solutions are lacking and wanted to fill those gaps with novel solutions. With 16 years at Sennheiser, I identified gaps or inefficiencies from first-hand experience in the domain of visitor attraction venues, factory tours, or even corporate communications. I noticed problems that people had been experiencing and wanted to develop solutions that could address those issues while providing experiential environment. I also spotted areas where audio guides demand was growing or consumer behavior was changing.
More importantly, perhaps, was the weaknesses in existing competitors to fill out those gaps, and I took it all as an opportunity to improve existing processes and provide better and faster solutions. That I studied them all so much thoroughly, I believed I can provide superior products or services with my expertise, and effort.
SI Asia: So, what all does the Stapes India do?
ANSHUMAN: Our core focus is to provide audio guide solutions for museums. These audio guides are typically used to provide visitors with informative and engaging content about exhibits, artworks, historical artefacts, or other points of interest within the museum.
Stapes also provides solutions for production of light and sound shows at historic or cultural sites combining audio and visual elements for immersive experiences for audiences. That apart, Stapes provides audio solutions tailored for conference systems. This includes a range of audio equipment and technologies designed to enhance communication and collaboration in corporate and government settings.
We position ourselves as a value-added partner in the audio technology industry. Our objective is to offer more than just products; we provide additional expertise and experiences to clients and partners. We will have a team of experts who can advise on the best and right audio solutions for specific needs.
On one hand, we work closely with many audio equipment manufacturers, which can result in access to a wider range of products and solutions, and on the other, we offer all these possibilities to system integrators and consultants.
Our services also include installation, maintenance, and training. The objective is simple- to ensure that the clients got the most out of their audio solutions.
SI Asia: Does Stapes India have any foreign partner for technology support?
ANSHUMAN: Yes, Stapes is associated with “Look2innovate,” a Luxembourg-based audio guide system provider brand. Look2innovate specializes in providing customized audio guide solutions that enhance the visitor experience in venues like museums, historical sites, and other cultural or tourist destinations.
Having a foreign technology partner like Look2innovate can bring several advantages for Stapes India. Look2innovate has a team of experts with deep experience in developing and implementing audio guide systems, which is very valuable for Stapes India when it comes to understanding best practices, technology trends, and effective solutions. Through this collaboration, Stapes India stands to benefit from a broader perspective on the global audio guide market and expand its reach beyond the local market.
SI Asia: How big is your team right now? and how do you intend to build it further?
ANSHUMAN: Stapes is currently a small company with six employees, including me. We’re supported by our OEM partners for technical guidance, and good rapport with various AV Consultants and AVSIs in India.
We might consider hiring more human talent for roles such as technical support, customer service, or marketing in coming years. We’re keen to collaborate with more Partners to expand our network of partners.
SI Asia: What industry segments are your prime target areas? How do you intend to reach out to them?
ANSHUMAN: Museums, art galleries, historical sites, and cultural institutions are often prime customers for audio guide services. They seek to enhance the visitor experience with informative and engaging audio content.
Tourism industry, including hotels, tour operators, and tourist attractions, often benefit from audio guide services to provide educational and immersive experiences for visitors.
That apart, Corporate and Government offices, academic institutions, sound and light show producers also make our targets.
SI Asia: What’s your road map for the near term and long term?
ANSHUMAN: For the immediate future, and near term, we want to conduct in-depth research to understand current market condition, trends, and needs of our target segments even as we identify emerging technologies and customer preferences.
For the long term, we will want to explore newer opportunities to diversify our services to new markets or industries. We will invest in R&D to stay abreast with global audio technology trends. Consider emerging trends like AI-powered audio solutions and virtual reality. We will also want to collaborate with more strategic partners strategic partners to leverage complementary expertise and resources for mutual growth.
