How Nia.one Is Fixing India’s Gig Economics By Giving Workers A Home Away From Home

by · Inc42

SUMMARY

  • Nia.One offers accommodation, meals, and upskilling to migrant workers, setting up an infrastructure around India’s $455 Bn gig economy
  • On the worker side, Nia makes margin on rent, food, grocery and eventually financial products. On the enterprise side, it charges a 5% commission on staffing placements and collects rent from cloud kitchen operators
  • The Bengaluru-based startup plans to add 500,000 members across approximately 3,000 centres — a 50-fold jump from the 10,000 members now
  • Added to Saved Stories in Login

If the COVID pandemic had left a deep scar in the lives of migrant labourers, then six years on, the West Asian crisis inflicted fresh bruises with choked LPG supply pushing them homeward yet again into an uncertainty of livelihood. 

More than 600 Mn people, making up 42% of the Indian populace, returned home as of 2025, clocking a substantial increase from the 2011 census of 450 Mn gig workers employed overseas. As industries evolve, gig work is expected to account for a growing share of employment.

From plumbers to electricians and construction workers to assembly line operators – India’s blue-collar workforce stands at a staggering 450 Mn at home, while reports said nearly 70% of the 90 Mn jobs expected to be created by 2030 will be labour-intensive in nature. 

For this workforce to sustain the urban migration, the unit economics needs work in its favour. Workers should be able to save and send money back home after covering their basic living costs. This is where Nia.one comes in.

“Migrant workers typically move to cities with the goal of sending ₹8,000-10,000 back home each month. In their villages, they might earn ₹4,000-5,000 working on farms. So, migration is driven by the opportunity to earn an additional ₹3,000-4,000. That incremental income often doubles their savings. Our goal is to ensure that every worker on our platform can consistently send at least ₹8,000 home every month,” said Sachin Chhabra, who cofounded Nia with Lt Col Pushkar Raj in 2024.