Author: Bihar Say | Amrita | “From Sarkari Naukri to Startup Dreams: How a Young Entrepreneur from Bihar Built a Coworking Culture in Patna” “Maa se door, sapne
“Maa se door, sapne ke paas… but something was missing.”
That feeling haunted Preetesh Anand every day, even while holding a secure government job outside Bihar. His heart wasn’t in it. Because his heart—quite simply—was still back home.
In a world that glorifies government jobs, Preetesh took the untrodden path. He traded a stable paycheck for uncertainty, a fixed routine for the chaos of entrepreneurship, and comfort for purpose. That purpose? To reshape Bihar’s startup ecosystem—one desk, one startup, one idea at a time.
Like countless youth from Bihar, Preetesh left for Delhi for higher studies. He landed a government job, a dream many parents in Bihar pray for. But inside him, something kept tugging. As a kid, he had always looked forward to waking up to a new challenge. A routine desk job simply didn’t cut it.
He quit. The comfort. The career track. The log kya kahenge fear.
He jumped into the unknown—freelancing for small businesses, helping them grow through digital strategies. That leap later led him back to his roots.
Returning to Patna, the young changemaker launched SPLAN Corporate Solutions LLP, a company that helped small businesses scale through digital services. It’s still thriving today.
But Preetesh was chasing something bigger—a space to nurture ideas, not just businesses. In 2018, he experienced an “aha” moment: Why don’t Tier-II and Tier-III cities have the collaborative workspaces that metros do?
In 2019, armed with ₹20 lakh from friends and family, he laid the foundation of Oplus Cowork, a 5,000 sq. ft. coworking space on Beli Road, Patna. The mission?
To offer space as a service, encouraging flexibility, innovation, and local entrepreneurship.
With a team of 10 and mentors like Akhilesh Kashyap and Rangnath Krishna Chandra, Oplus Cowork began building what didn’t exist in Patna—a startup hub that feels like home.
Today, Oplus serves over 100 clients, including names like Flipkart, Bajaj Electricals, Leafydecor, and OMED. Prices start at ₹3,000/month, scaling up based on custom needs. The space remains fully occupied year-round—except during lockdowns—and earns about ₹3.5 lakh in monthly revenue.
Preetesh believes in “Bharat-first innovation”. “We’re not just renting desks,” he says, “we’re building a culture of collaboration, especially for cities that were never in the startup conversation.”
COVID-19 unexpectedly accelerated a movement—the return of talent to small towns. As remote work surged, so did the demand for professional, equipped workspaces outside metros. Oplus stepped in to fill this void.
India is now the second-largest market for flexible workspaces in Asia-Pacific, just behind China. According to ORF, this includes:
1.54 million freelancers
0.1 million startups
10.3 million enterprises
With this surge, Tier-II cities are no longer optional—they’re essential to India’s future.
Fueled by Patna’s response, Preetesh is now eyeing expansion across Bharat—cities like Ranchi, Lucknow, Varanasi, and Indore are next. His long-term goal?
A national coworking chain born in Bihar, built for India.
And this isn’t just about desks. Oplus aims to become an incubation space, a community builder, and a launchpad for local talent with global ambitions.
In 2016, the young founder represented Patna at the World Economic Forum as part of the “Global Shapers” community. That journey wasn’t built overnight—it was shaped by sacrifice, resilience, and an unshakeable belief in Bihar’s potential.
As he puts it:
“At Oplus, we’re creating a place where people work to make a life—not just a living.”
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