From mid-range systems to AI, Manish Bharti’s journey is nothing short of legendary, with deep roots in technology and fearless leadership. In this exclusive, he shares the pivots, insights, and lessons that shaped his incredible path.
Tell us about your stellar professional journey in technology and enterprise solutions?
I started on IBM AS400 systems, and with the time moved to Java and enterprise tech stacks. That helped me not only build systems but also manage large tech teams. I then gradually shifted from purely tech roles into pre-sales and client-facing positions, where I discovered a strong ability to bridge business needs with tech solutions.
In the US, I led tech consulting for clients like United Airlines, USPS, Genentech, DHL J&J, Nestlé, and many others, shaping enterprise solutions and B2B integrations across industries. This experience shaped my customer-centric leadership approach.
In 2007, I took up a leadership role in Bangalore with a US-based firm and scaled its Asia-Pacific operations. Later, I entered the start-up ecosystem and since then have contributed to tech companies in India, the US, and Europe. I am now based in Dubai, advising tech companies to sharpen their Go-To-Market (GTM) strategies.
What was the growth journey at UiPath like?
I joined UiPath in 2016. Believing in the founder’s vision and culture of the company, I took a massive pay cut to join as their first sales leader and part of the global executive team to set up the GTM operations and build a loyal clientele across the globe.
UiPath scaled from less than a million dollars to $1.7B today, became the fastest-growing enterprise software company in history and got listed at the NYSE with around $40 billion market cap.
To scale up, start-ups should hire top-tier talent at the right time, expand globally to high-revenue-per-customer markets like the US and Europe early, be flexible with pricing models and build strong partner ecosystems
When did your UAE chapter begin and what is the next big thing on the tech scene globally?
I moved to Dubai in 2021. Here, the GTM models have started to mature. Industries that quickly integrate SaaS and AI will have a major advantage, regardless of their domain. Companies that adapt the fastest will scale the fastest.
Integration of the cloud with quantum security is the next frontier, a defence grade security model that will completely change communication models, as with a digitally savvy world there is a heightened risk of data breach.
As an investor, how do you evaluate companies?
The clarity of vision of the founder, strong academic credentials, and professional cohesiveness to their start-up ideas are my benchmarks for investing. I’m deeply involved with a few promising start-ups and serve as Chairman of a niche consulting company called Innovsol, which focuses on AI, cloud, and automation. It’s my mission to support businesses and help them grow through my experience.
What are your tips for start-ups to scale into global enterprises?
To scale up, start-ups should hire top-tier talent at the right time, expand globally to high-revenue-per-customer markets like the US and Europe early, be flexible with pricing models—consider pay-per-use or outcome-based models and build strong partner ecosystems instead of relying entirely on internal sales teams. This increases brand value, customer confidence, and investor satisfaction.