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Uttarakhand is one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in North India. It is known as 'Devbhumi.’ It is home to Hindu temples and pilgrimage centers. There are numerous opportunities to spend time in the lap of nature.
Uttarakhand is among the top Indian states for ease of doing business. In FY 2018-2019, it recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.34%.
The state's manufacturing sector has significantly contributed to this growth, accounting for more than 33% of the state GSDP. Additionally, Uttarakhand ranked first in the Export Preparedness Index 2020. These factors make it one of the best places to invest in a business.
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Why business in Dehradun?
Dehradun is well known for its stunning landscapes and pleasant weather. People love to visit Dehradun. However, in this discussion, we will focus on the factors that attract entrepreneurs who want to start their venture in this beautiful city.
Dehradun is situated on the National Highway.
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It is one of the safest city in the country
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It has a strong transport network
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It is near the capital city
Business opportunities in uttarakhand with low investment
Let's see some of the best Business Opportunities in uttarakhand 2025
Online Advertising
Online Advertising business cost, requireement, setup and profit margin.
- Cost: ₹5,000 – ₹10,00,000 (Varies by platform & scale)
- Requirement: Target audience research, ad creatives, budget, analytics tools
- Setup Area: Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram, YouTube, Affiliate networks
- Profit Margin: 20% – 70% (Depends on product, industry, and ad efficiency)
Dehradun is well known for its research centers and academic institutions, many of which rely on online advertising to promote their services. This creates a great opportunity for online advertising to grow. A little experience in client management and marketing strategies can be beneficial in attracting, engaging, and retaining customers. Creating an engaging advertisement is a mantra of success in this field.
YouTube Channel
Here’s the breakdown for a YouTube Channel business:
- Cost: ₹10,000 – ₹5,00,000 (Equipment, editing software, marketing)
- Requirement: Content strategy, video editing skills, SEO optimization, monetization plan
- Setup Area: YouTube Studio, social media promotions, collaborations
- Profit Margin: 30% – 80% (Depends on ad revenue, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing)
After the COVID-19 pandemic, social media platforms have played a vital role in day-to-day life. YouTube has become one of the most popular websites. With the help of YouTube, creators can provide lots of content such as entertainment, education, business, awareness, day-to-day hacks, and many more. Starting a YouTube channel is one of the best business ideas. With the help of any content, you can easily attract viewers.
Essential Oil Extraction
Here’s the breakdown for an Essential Oil Extraction business:
- Cost: ₹50,000 – ₹10,00,000 (Machinery, raw materials, packaging)
- Requirement: Extraction equipment, raw materials (herbs, flowers), essential oil storage, quality testing
- Setup Area: Small-scale production unit, farmland (if sourcing own raw materials), online & offline sales channels
- Profit Margin: 40% – 80% (Depends on production efficiency, marketing, and distribution)
It is a very unique business idea, but a very profitable one. Essential oils like basil, clove, and lavender are always in high demand. A basic understanding of each type of oil from the leaves. It would help if you had a different machine to perform this extraction, but once you invest in the machine, you can immediately start earning.Seasonal oils can yield around 35% of profit. Good-quality oils are in high demand for every household.
Food Processing Unit
Here’s the breakdown for a Food Processing Unit business:
- Cost: ₹1,00,000 – ₹50,00,000 (Machinery, raw materials, packaging, licenses)
- Requirement: Food processing equipment, raw materials, FSSAI license, packaging, storage facilities, distribution channels
- Setup Area: Factory or small-scale unit, cold storage, retail & online sales channels
- Profit Margin: 25% – 60% (Depends on product type, production efficiency, and market demand)
Food processing is increasing due to the growing population and demand for different flavors. However, setting up this business required heavy capital investment to set up facilities such as cold chambers, food processors, and more. But it gives you good earnings once it gets established. A skilled and experienced team is important for operating the equipment in the food processing business. If you want to invest some money easily, you must go for this business idea.
Photography
Here’s the breakdown for a Photography business:
- Cost: ₹50,000 – ₹10,00,000 (Camera, lenses, lighting, editing software)
- Requirement: High-quality camera, lenses, editing skills, portfolio, marketing strategy
- Setup Area: Studio, outdoor locations, online presence (website, social media)
- Profit Margin: 30% – 70% (Depends on niche, clientele, and pricing strategy)
Successful businesses need passion and dedication, and photography is no exception; if you are interested in capturing and enjoy doing it, these fields provide huge potential. You can do various types of photography, like astronomy, commercials, fashion, and many more. You don't need an office or physical setup to start a photography business. However, it is very important to make sure that the pictures are engaging and attract more clients.
Tiffin Services
Here’s the breakdown for a Tiffin Services business:
- Cost: ₹20,000 – ₹5,00,000 (Kitchen setup, ingredients, packaging, delivery)
- Requirement: Cooking equipment, fresh ingredients, hygiene certification, delivery system, marketing
- Setup Area: Home kitchen, cloud kitchen, small commercial kitchen, online ordering platforms
- Profit Margin: 30% – 60% (Depends on pricing, volume, and operational efficiency)
For students living away from home, they miss homemade food. There are lots of students who leave their homes for higher education and look for homemade food on a regular basis, and they also pay for healthy and tasty food. Thus, providing tiffin services is one of the best business ideas. You can easily earn on a monthly or weekly basis according to the demand. For home delivery, you can charge extra.
Fast Food Corner
Here’s the breakdown for a Fast Food Corner business:
- Cost: ₹50,000 – ₹10,00,000 (Stall setup, ingredients, cooking equipment, licenses)
- Requirement: Cooking equipment, raw materials, FSSAI license, staff, marketing strategy
- Setup Area: Small shop, food stall, food truck, or kiosk in high-footfall areas
- Profit Margin: 40% – 70% (Depends on location, menu pricing, and operational efficiency)
Indian fast food is very popular worldwide, and Dehradun stands out as a top destination for it. Fast food attracts everybody, apart from age, taste, and gender. Lots of foreigners also love Indian fast food. While it's true fast food is not healthy food, it ultimately depends on the ingredients and your choices. So, people can enjoy both taste and nutrition at the same time. Starting a fast food corner doesn't require a large setup; you just need a small space to start. You just need to choose a good location where customers can easily access it.
Vegetable and Fruit Shop
Here’s the breakdown for a Vegetable and Fruit Shop business:
- Cost: ₹30,000 – ₹5,00,000 (Shop rent, inventory, storage, weighing machines)
- Requirement: Fresh produce suppliers, storage facilities, weighing scale, packaging, local market connections
- Setup Area: Local market, standalone shop, roadside stall, or online delivery service
- Profit Margin: 20% – 50% (Depends on sourcing costs, wastage management, and pricing strategy)
Selling fresh vegetables and fruits is simple and can be easily sold by setting up a small shop at any location, such as a bus stop, railway station, or park. You should choose a better location where people visit regularly. You can source fresh vegetables and fruits directly for farmers at a low cost.
Gift Gallery
Here’s the breakdown for a Gift Gallery business:
- Cost: ₹50,000 – ₹10,00,000 (Store setup, inventory, packaging, marketing)
- Requirement: Variety of gift items, decorative packaging, supplier connections, display racks, POS system
- Setup Area: Retail shop, mall kiosk, online store, social media marketplace
- Profit Margin: 30% – 70% (Depends on product variety, pricing, and seasonal demand)
Gifts attract everyone's life, making the gift business of selling and buying gifts a never-ending business. People buy gifts for various occasions, affected by recession or inflation. Opening a gift gallery is one of the best business ideas because people can easily buy gifts in every situation. Apart from this, you can also sell gifts online easily. Having a physical presence for your gift business will give more options to customers. Many people prefer to buy gifts in person. You can easily set up this business at a very low cost.
Paying Guest/Hostel Service
Here’s the breakdown for a Paying Guest (PG) / Hostel Service business:
- Cost: ₹2,00,000 – ₹50,00,000 (Property rental/purchase, furniture, utilities, marketing)
- Requirement: Residential space, beds & furniture, kitchen facility, security system, housekeeping staff
- Setup Area: Urban areas near colleges, offices, or industrial hubs
- Profit Margin: 40% – 80% (Depends on occupancy rate, location, and amenities provided)
Starting rooms and hostels on rent is a very profitable and big business, as lots of people come to Dehradun to see the beauty. Apart from this, lots of students also visit the city for better education facilities and job opportunities. Hostel facilities or paying guests are high in demand. You just need to provide well-maintained and comfortable accommodation. It is one of the great sources of income.
Conclusion - Business Ideas in Uttarakhand
Everyone wants to become their own boss, and starting a business is a dream for lots of people. But it's not easy to start your business, and the life of entrepreneurship is very hard. To fulfill this dream, you need to do lots of hard work in the starting days. It's important to have some basic information about the businesses you want to start, and most importantly, do your paperwork correctly.
Disclaimer: The estimated cost, requirement, setup area, and profit margin may vary depending on factors such as location, business scale, market conditions, operational efficiency, and unforeseen expenses. It is recommended to conduct thorough research and seek professional advice before starting any business. The profit margins mentioned are indicative and depend on factors like competition, pricing strategy, and demand.
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