Inside Noise: Amit Khatri on Building a Top Smartwatch Brand in India

In a recent CXO session at Masters’ Union, Gurgaon campus, Amit Khatri, co-founder of Noise, shared the remarkable journey of his company, from selling phone covers to building one of India’s leading smartwatch brands. Noise smartwatch has evolved from a niche electronics startup to a global contender, reshaping India’s wearable tech ecosystem with consumer-first innovation, resilience, and sustainable growth strategies.

Khatri’s insights offered students, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts a blueprint for navigating India’s fast-evolving consumer electronics and wearable technology markets.

A Leap from Fashion to Tech

Amit Khatri’s background in fashion management gave him a unique perspective on consumer behaviour, trends, and lifestyle preferences. This understanding proved crucial when Noise made the strategic pivot from fashion accessories to wearable technology.

Challenge: Transitioning from phone covers to high-tech products with limited prior experience.
Solution: Conducted thorough consumer research and trend analysis to guide product design.
Outcome: Noise smartwatch became a trusted brand, aligning with India’s rising interest in wearable technology and smart devices.

By anticipating the early demand for smartwatches in India, Noise positioned itself ahead of competitors and captured a growing segment of tech-savvy, health-conscious, and lifestyle-oriented consumers.

Turning Failures Into Insights

Early-stage challenges tested Noise’s team. Supply chain inefficiencies, design setbacks, and market skepticism could have slowed growth. Khatri turned these hurdles into lessons for long-term success.

Lessons for Entrepreneurs:

• Listen to consumers consistently: Regular feedback shaped product iterations

• Align offerings to real needs: Features tailored to lifestyle, fitness, and tech-savy users

• Maintain agility: Fast adjustments in production and design ensured market relevance

By turning setbacks into actionable insights, Noise was able to iterate quickly, creating products that resonated with Indian consumers.

Building a Profitable Brand from Day One

Unlike many startups chasing rapid funding rounds, Noise opted to bootstrap. This ensured the company maintained a profitable foundation from the start.

How Noise Achieved Early Profitability:

• Strategy: Focus on sustainable growth rather than external funding

• Execution: Lean operations, efficient teams, and uncompromising product quality

• Result: Early profitability provided stability and set the stage for scalable expansion

Khatri emphasised that financial discipline is vital for electronics startups in India to balance growth with operational and product quality.

A Consumer-First Approach

Noise’s success is rooted in its consumer-first mindset. The team leverages data analytics, behavioural insights, and iterative feedback to refine products.

Consumer-Centric Strategies:

• Direct engagement: Feedback via social media, retail touchpoints, and surveys

• Product adaptation: Tailored features for fitness, health, and AI-enabled functionality

• Brand loyalty: Reliability and innovation have cemented Noise smartwatch as a trusted choice

This methodology positioned Noise among India’s top 10 smartwatch brands, setting a standard for quality and consumer satisfaction.

Going Global, Staying Innovative

With a strong domestic presence, Noise is now expanding internationally. Khatri emphasised that global ambitions should not compromise innovation or consumer focus.

Global Expansion Approach:

• Market strategy: Enter emerging international markets while maintaining domestic leadership

• Innovation focus: AI integration, personalised analytics, and advanced health monitoring features

• Sustainability: Ethical and efficient manufacturing meeting global standards

Noise smartwatch continues to evolve, leveraging technology to remain competitive in the global electronics market.

Insights From Amit Khatri’s Journey

Noise’s journey offers actionable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs and tech startups in India:

• Consumer insight drives innovation: Understand your customers deeply

• Resilience is critical: Early failures inform long-term success

• Sustainable growth over hype: Efficiently manage funds to maintain stability

• Global vision: Expand internationally without compromising product quality

• Continuous innovation: Integrate AI, analytics, and health features to stay relevant

These insights provide a roadmap for building successful brands in India’s competitive consumer electronics industry.

Impact on India’s Wearable Tech Market

Noise smartwatch has been pivotal in shaping India’s wearable tech ecosystem:

• Market penetration: Promoting awareness and adoption of smart wearable devices

• Consumer trust: Building a reliable, user-centric electronics brand

• Technology integration: AI-powered fitness and health monitoring features

• Global footprint: Showcasing Indian consumer electronics on international stages

By combining fashion, technology, and functionality, Noise has created a model for startups navigating India’s consumer electronics sector.

The Future of Noise

Amit Khatri’s journey, from phone accessories to AI-enabled smartwatches, demonstrates how consumer insight, resilience, and sustainable growth can convert a niche startup into a global contender.

Future Plans:

• Integrating advanced AI analytics for smarter wearable devices

• Expanding global distribution and entering new international markets

• Continuing product innovation focused on lifestyle, fitness, and health monitoring

Noise remains a benchmark for innovation, quality, and entrepreneurial excellence as India’s wearable tech market grows rapidly.

FAQs

1. Who is Amit Khatri?
Amit Khatri is the co-founder of Noise, the Indian consumer electronics startup known for smartwatches and wearable devices.

2. What products does Noise offer?
Noise smartwatch products include fitness trackers, AI-enabled health wearables, and lifestyle-focused smart devices.

3. How did Noise transition from phone covers to smartwatches?
Through consumer insights, trend analysis, and a data-driven strategy, Noise pivoted successfully from fashion accessories to smart wearables.

4. What makes Noise a top smartwatch brand in India?
A combination of consumer-centric design, AI integration, health features, reliability, and global vision.

5. How is Noise contributing to India’s wearable tech ecosystem?
Noise drives adoption, trust, and innovation in wearable devices, serving as a model for Indian consumer electronics startups.

6. What is Amit Khatri’s approach to sustainable growth?
By bootstrapping and focusing on operational efficiency, Noise achieved early profitability while building a scalable brand.