Ep 114: Unicorn with Zero Marketing ft. Tiger Analytics
Sep 22, 2024
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In this episode, Mahesh Kumar, the Founder & CEO of Tiger Analytics with a PhD from MIT, and Pradeep Gulipalli, Co-founder and CEO (India), share insights into their journey. They discuss the evolution of India's tech landscape and Tiger's unique B2B model, challenging conventional marketing by advocating direct customer engagement. The duo also emphasizes the transformative impact of generative AI and the importance of data-driven decisions in enterprises. They reflect on fostering corporate culture amid growth while maintaining core values.
Tiger Analytics successfully pivoted from serving smaller startups to large enterprises, significantly scaling operations amidst rising demand for analytics.
The co-founders emphasized the importance of maintaining a flexible organizational culture that fosters innovation and adapts to local contexts as the company grows.
Deep dives
The Evolution of Tiger Analytics
Tiger Analytics originated from a small group of techies in India during a challenging economic climate in the 1990s. Initially, the company began by providing data analytics solutions primarily to smaller startups, but after facing the risks associated with relying on these companies, it pivoted towards serving large enterprises. This transition allowed Tiger Analytics to scale its operations effectively and leverage the increasing demand for data-driven business insights. Today, the company has positioned itself as a leader in the data and AI sector, boasting an impressive annual recurring revenue (ARR) of around $300 million.
Harnessing AI for Business Growth
The advent of generative AI has dramatically influenced the trajectory of Tiger Analytics, enabling the company to address complex business challenges that were previously unsolvable. The co-founders recognized the importance of adaptability, as prior experiments with AI solutions became obsolete when more powerful technologies emerged, such as ChatGPT. By swiftly pivoting and incorporating new advancements, Tiger Analytics is well-positioned to develop innovative solutions that meet client needs. This agility has allowed the company to scale significantly, achieving a tenfold growth over the past four years amidst the global explosion of AI.
The Importance of Industry Expertise
As Tiger Analytics expands its services across various industries, building domain-specific knowledge has become crucial to providing tailored solutions for enterprise clients. The founders emphasized that while their core technology remains applicable across sectors, understanding distinct business contexts and terminologies is essential to deliver effective results. This focus on developing industry competency allows them to build strong teams adept at navigating the unique challenges posed by different client sectors. As a result, Tiger Analytics can not only create solutions but also establish deeper, more impactful relationships with its clients.
Cultivating a Growth-Driven Culture
Maintaining a strong organizational culture is vital as Tiger Analytics grows rapidly, with over 4,000 employees across different countries. The co-founders advocate for a flexible culture that emphasizes respect and value creation for clients while allowing teams the autonomy to adapt practices that suit their local contexts. This approach is bolstered by a commitment to continuous improvement and experimentation, fostering an environment where innovative thinking thrives. By ensuring foundational values remain intact, they aim to sustain a cohesive culture that evolves in tandem with the company's growth.
Join us as we talk to Mahesh Kumar, the Founder & CEO, and Pradeep Gulipalli, the Co-founder and CEO (India) of Tiger Analytics about their story.
Mahesh completed his B.Tech in Computer Science from IIT Bombay in 1999, followed by a PhD from MIT in 2003.
He began his career as a summer associate intern at McKinsey & Company, then went on to serve as an assistant professor at the R.H. Smith School of Business and Rutgers Business School, as well as a faculty research associate at MIT Sloan School of Management.
In 2011, he founded Tiger Analytics.
Pradeep completed his B.Tech from IIT Madras in 2003, followed by an MS from The University of Texas at Austin.
He began his career as a Data Scientist at Marketing and Planning Systems in Boston. In June 2012, he co-founded Tiger Analytics and became the India CEO.
🏢 About Tiger Analytics:
Tiger Analytics is a global leader in AI and analytics, helping Fortune 1000 companies tackle complex challenges.
With over 4000 experts across the US, UK, Canada, India, Singapore, and Australia, they serve industries including CPG, Retail, Insurance, BFS, Manufacturing, Life Sciences, and Healthcare.
Ranked among the ‘Best’ and ‘Fastest Growing’ analytics firms by Inc., Financial Times, Economic Times, and Analytics India Magazine.
🌐 For more visit - https://ajuniorvc.com/podcast/
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