Rases Changoiwala: The Entrepreneur Who Redefined Corporate Gifting in India With TapWell

Rases Changoiwala’s journey with TapWell is a story of vision, resilience, and smart execution. From a modest start in Mumbai to serving over 1000 clients across India, he has turned TapWell into a leading name in corporate gifting.

India is one of the fastest-growing markets for corporate gifting. But just a few years ago, most organizations were not focused on building strong employee or client gifting programs. Gifting was often treated as an afterthought, with little attention to quality, personalization, or brand impact.

In the last few years, that mindset has shifted. Companies now see gifting as a powerful way to build relationships, boost retention, and leave a lasting impression. And one company that was ahead of this shift is TapWell.

TapWell made corporate gifting easy, impactful, and scalable. It combined custom branding, fast delivery, and a wide range of high-quality products to meet the needs of modern businesses. It also helped HR, marketing, and procurement teams across India simplify their gifting workflows.

Today, we bring you the story of Rases Changoiwala, the entrepreneur behind TapWell. From the initial idea to the early struggles and the growth journey, here’s how he built one of India’s most trusted names in corporate gifting.

The Foundation Years That Shaped His Vision

Rases Changoiwala comes from a humble background in Mumbai. From a young age, he was clear that he wanted to build something of his own. While still in college, he launched his first business, an eCommerce store at the age of 21. 

It was his first hands-on experience with running a business, and he managed it successfully. Just a year later, at 22, he teamed up with Ashima Kothari, who is now his wife, to start selling custom T-shirts for college festivals.

This small step laid the foundation for something much bigger. During this time, the duo built strong relationships with suppliers, manufacturers, and a growing network of clients. They understood the demand for quality, branding, and timely delivery and started thinking beyond T-shirts. 

Over the next few years, this experience evolved into what is now TapWell, a full-service corporate gifting company in India with over 4000 products across 30 categories.

Starting Small and Thinking Big from Day One

While the idea behind TapWell was promising, turning it into a full-fledged business required investment, planning, and a long-term mindset. Selling T-shirts during college festivals was low-cost and manageable, but corporate gifting was a different game. 

To get started, Rases received a modest investment of Rs 40,000 from his parents. This initial support helped him set up the basics of the business and allowed him to focus on a broader range of promotional and gifting items for companies.

A few early clients came from their existing network and past references, but the real challenge was building a steady pipeline of leads. 

Rases applied the marketing skills he had picked up while running his earlier eCommerce store and began working on building TapWell’s visibility. He focused on organic marketing channels, which slowly started showing results. As more orders came in, they began expanding their product catalog and strengthening vendor partnerships, turning early struggles into strong pillars for growth.

Turning Setbacks into Stepping Stones for Growth

Back in 2015, corporate gifting was still a highly unorganised sector in India and in many ways, it still is. From supply chain issues to unclear processes, the industry lacked structure. But Rases knew exactly what he wanted to fix. 

Along with Ashima, he set up clear SOPs, defined workflows, and built a streamlined operations plan. Their goal was not just to deliver gifts but to change how companies viewed the entire gifting process. Their efforts helped reduce turnaround time for customisation, improved vendor coordination, and brought consistency to project timelines.

But like every growing business, TapWell faced its share of hurdles. One of their early high-value orders got cancelled unexpectedly. A large portion of their inventory was stuck, and it was a tough financial hit. Still, Rases and his team chose not to slow down. 

Instead, they focused on recovery, reached out to more clients, and soon after, secured an even bigger order. That moment became a turning point, not just in revenue, but in belief. From that point on, TapWell’s growth picked up pace, and they never looked back.

"Entrepreneurship is not about having the perfect plan, it's about moving forward with clarity and learning fast. At TapWell, we built our foundation on execution and trust. In the coming years, I see TapWell becoming the go-to platform for every business in India that wants to make gifting smarter, faster, and more meaningful."

— Rases Changoiwala, Founder & CEO, TapWell

TapWell Today Is More Than Just a Gifting Company

TapWell didn’t become a known name in the corporate gifting space just by offering products. They became a complete solution for businesses across India. Today, TapWell is more than just a gifting company. Their platform offers over 4000 carefully selected products across 30 plus categories. These include electronics, gadgets, stationery, bags, apparel, eco-friendly gifts, promotional items, and luxury options.

What makes TapWell stand out is the full-service support they provide. They help companies set up free custom company/employee stores. You simply choose the products, assign reward points based on employee roles, and the rest is taken care of. 

Employees can order gifts on their own and receive them directly at their address. TapWell handles everything from customization and storage to shipping and feedback collection. They also support event gifting, employee merchandise, recognition awards, and more.

In the last 10 years, TapWell has served over 1000 clients across India. Their client list includes leading names like IRCTC, RBI, Safari, Aditya Birla Group, Mahindra and Mahindra, HPCL, and many more.

Expanding Reach While Staying True to the Core

Under Rases Changoiwala’s leadership, TapWell has successfully completed over 3500 projects and worked with more than 1000 clients across India. They have built strong partnerships with over 200 suppliers and 120 trusted brands, creating a powerful ecosystem that supports quality and timely delivery. But the journey is far from over.

The Indian corporate gifting market holds massive untapped potential. Rases and his team are focused on using technology to unlock this opportunity. 

TapWell is currently developing an AI-powered gifting tool that will allow businesses to discover products and request quotes in under two minutes. This will not only save time but also make the gifting process smoother and more efficient.

Along with tech upgrades, TapWell is also expanding its product range, offering deeper customisation options, and improving operational speed. They are working toward building a nationwide presence. While the headquarters is in Mumbai, they already have branch offices in Bangalore, Gurgaon, Pune, Hyderabad, and other major cities, with plans to expand even further.