While studying at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, Shamik Guha and his fellow student co-founders lost a close college friend in a tragic two-wheeler accident. The heartbreaking tragedy revealed a stark reality: India accounts for 11% of all global road accident deaths, with two-wheeler riders representing the vast majority of fatalities—often simply because medical trauma assistance does not reach crash sites in time.
In 2018, Guha, Muhammad Bilal Shakil, Sayan Tapadar, and Anirban Gupta formed Altor. Altor engineered smart, lightweight motorcycle helmets embedded with accelerometer sensors, microcontrollers, GPS, and Bluetooth connectivity. When an impact is detected, the helmet automatically transmits crash coordinates to emergency response teams and family members within seconds.
On Shark Tank India Season 1, Guha's mission-driven hardware pitch won a ₹50 Lakh deal for 7% equity from Aman Gupta and Namita Thapar. Altor subsequently partnered with major food delivery fleets including Zomato and Swiggy to equip delivery riders with connected life-saving safety gear.
