In a bid to encourage inter-generational friendships, Industrialist Ratan Tata has launched India’s first companionship startup for senior citizens called Goodfellows. The startup appoints young graduates, who help in assisting the senior citizens and provide companionship, similar to what a grandkid would do.
The business model of Goodfellows is a freemium subscription model. The first month is free with the goal of making the senior citizen experience the service. From the second month onwards, a small subscription fee has been decided based on the limited affordability of pensioners.
General Manager at Tata’s office Shantanu Naidu founded the Goodfellows startup. At the launch of Goodfellows, Ratan Tata said, “You do not know what it is like to be lonely until you spend time alone wishing for companionship.”
Ratan Tata further said, “The bonds between the two generations created by Goodfellows are very meaningful and are helping to address an important social issue In India. I hope the investment helps the young team at Goodfellows grow.”
Shantanu Naidu said, “The start-up emphasises that companionship means different things to different people. To some, it may mean watching a movie, narrating stories from the past, going on a walk or having quiet company sitting around doing nothing together, and we are here to accommodate it all. In its beta phase, we discovered how organically the Grandpals bonded with the Goodfellows. Mr Tata’s investment in our venture further is a huge source of encouragement to our dedication to this concept.”
Goodfellows plans to offer travel companions for seniors holding back from making trips due to lack of security or company, and also plans to extend its services to people with a disability facing similar or more challenges.
