In an exclusive conversation with CXO News and APAC News Network, industry veteran Sharad Sanghi, Cofounder and CEO, Neysa outlines the advent of GenAI into the mainstream enterprises and how solution providers like Neysa are poised to play a role here.
What was the story behind the genesis of Neysa?
Neysa was born from a recognition that, while AI holds vast potential, the infrastructure to support its adoption remains inaccessible for many businesses. Having pioneered digital infrastructure with Netmagic, I saw a crucial need to create an AI-focused platform that would help users and organizations confidently adopt AI without having to deal with the cost and complexity barriers.
Neysa was founded to deliver high-performance, purpose-built AI infrastructure that’s both affordable and scalable, empowering businesses across sectors like healthcare, education, BFSI, and manufacturing to unlock the full potential of AI, while having granular control over their AI environment and solutions. Our mission is to democratize AI, enabling organizations of all sizes to harness this transformative technology for real-world impact and growth. Our promise is to not let AI complexity hold you back. Neysa’s tailored solutions put AI’s power within reach, driving your business forward with confidence.
What are the solutions and services in the Neysa portfolio that are available in India?
Our own journey of adopting AI, made us realize the criticality of building a secure, scalable and resilient AI infrastructure. Our portfolio includes Neysa Velocis, a platform providing on-demand, high-performance computing to facilitate efficient AI deployment. Neysa Overwatch supports real-time network observability for enhanced security and stability, while Neysa Aegis focuses on safeguarding AI environments through continuous threat monitoring and data protection. These solutions form a robust foundation for enterprises to adopt AI efficiently, securely and confidently.
How has been the traction for Neysa Velocis among enterprises in different verticals and what are these sector specific use cases?
We have been thrilled to see how well Neysa Velocis has been received by organizations that are adopting Gen AI and AI/ML solutions as part of their digital transformation initiatives. In particular, we’ve attracted interest from the banking, insurance, and financial services sectors, where teams are looking to roll out everything from conversational AI chatbots for customer care to advanced vision AI solutions and large-scale training of foundational models. We’re also partnering closely with AI-first digital native startups, research institutes, and media and entertainment companies—all of which have unique needs, but share a common focus on driving innovation faster and more cost-effectively.
As I connect with these customers, I see a few distinct patterns in how they approach AI. Some are in the early stages: they are identifying high-impact use cases and spinning up pilots and proofs of concept to test accuracy, ROI, and business impact. Others are AI-first builders who are in the thick of hyper-tuning and fine-tuning models, integrating them into their core products and services. Then, there are those who want to build their own niche foundational models from scratch—especially organizations with specialized requirements or those working on focused research environments, including digital natives and research institutions aiming to address India-centric market needs.
Since launching Neysa Velocis in July 2024, we’ve tapped into this broad spectrum of AI adoption with a unique blend of purpose-built infrastructure, security, and scalability. Our recent $30 million Series A funding, co-led by NTTVC, Z47 (formerly Matrix Partners India), and Nexus Venture Partners, is helping us keep pace with customer demand by expanding our infrastructure, driving more R&D, and ultimately lowering barriers for companies eager to embrace Gen AI. It’s been truly inspiring to watch how organizations across all segments are using Neysa Velocis to accelerate AI-driven transformation—and I can’t wait to see what they build next.
How is Neysa positioned to meet the growing needs of AI applications and AI infrastructure in India?
We are committed to ensuring that Neysa continues to bridge the AI infrastructure gap for businesses of all sizes in India, especially as AI demand here is forecast to grow significantly by 2027. By offering on-demand access to high-performance computing and GPU clusters through our Velocis platform, we enable enterprises to train, fine-tune, and deploy everything from foundational models to machine learning based solutions more cost-effectively. Our customers have reported total cost of ownership reductions of 40–70%, which translates to tangible ROI for both large enterprises and nimble startups.
At the core of our approach is a focus on localization, scalability, and security. We give organizations the flexibility to run AI workloads in public, private, or hybrid modes, ensuring that they retain control over data residency and IP protection. By working with government, academia, and industry leaders, we’re also fostering ecosystem-wide innovation. It’s this combination of purpose-built infrastructure, cost optimization, and collaborative partnerships that positions Neysa to support India’s rapidly evolving AI ambitions—one success story at a time.
How do you explain Neysa’s “Power of More” and “Leading the Change” approaches in the GenAI space?
I see the “Power of More” as our proven commitment to deliver greater value—whether that’s through faster AI deployments, optimized costs, or measurable business outcomes—so that customers can truly unlock the next wave of innovation at scale. At the same time, “Leading the Change” encapsulates our drive to push the Gen AI space forward by making these technologies more accessible and impactful for businesses of all sizes. We’re bridging the AI infrastructure gap with specialized high-performance computing, forging strategic alliances with industry partners and actively collaborating with government and academic institutions. In practice, this means empowering organizations to build and deploy AI-first solutions faster, more securely, and more cost-effectively, so they can stay at the forefront of digital transformation.
How does Neysa uniquely differentiate itself from competitors in the global hyperscalers and overall AI space?
I believe the key difference lies in how we have built a purpose-built AI infrastructure around cost efficiency, open-source flexibility, and real-world AI needs. Rather than simply offering standardized services, we focus on delivering high-performance compute and GPU-based AI platforms designed specifically for domains like banking, insurance, manufacturing, and media. Customers repeatedly tell us they see a 40–70% reduction in total cost of ownership, which is significant for organizations that are conscious of delivering business RoI. We also give them the choice of public cloud or private clusters, ensuring that they retain control over their data and aren’t forced into proprietary vendor lock-ins.
This localized, specialized approach lets us work with government and academic institutions, as well as industry leaders, to accelerate everything from building large foundational models to deploying advanced analytics solutions. By aligning our platform with the regulatory and privacy standards of India, we make AI accessible to a far wider group of adopters than traditional cloud hyperscalers can support. The end result is that we’re helping customers move from proof of concept to production faster, with measurable ROI, all while providing the scalability, security, and adaptability they need to keep innovating.
What are the key pillars of Neysa’s GTM Strategy for India, and what initiatives are being undertaken under this strategy?
We have shaped our go-to-market strategy around four core pillars that let us bridge critical AI infrastructure gaps for businesses:
- Flexible Deployment Models
We offer on-demand public, private, and hybrid clusters so customers can pick the setup that best aligns with their security needs and budget constraints. We’ve seen strong uptake from Banking and insurance clients who want private clusters without sacrificing performance and scalability. - Affordable Performance at Scale
By leveraging purpose-built high-performance computing and GPUs, we help enterprises reduce total cost of ownership by up to 40–70%—which is especially valuable in emerging markets like India, where AI demand is only accelerating. - Sector-Specific Solutions
We have collaborated with industry solution partners to deliver tailored AI platforms for verticals such as manufacturing, media, and healthcare. Initiatives like our new Insurance AI Cloud, co-launched with Data Science Wizards, accelerate AI adoption for insurers looking for enhanced risk management and customer engagement. - Security and Governance
Data privacy and IP protection sit at the heart of our platform. Whether running AI workloads in the cloud or on-premise, customers can meet regulatory compliance requirements and minimize risk
To make these pillars truly impactful, we’ve rolled out programs like Neysa Accelerate AI to speed up pilots and proofs of concept. We’re also working closely with strategic partners, as we gear up for expansion into other geographies in the near future.
What are the contours and dynamics of Neysa’s partner network in India?
We are building our partner network with a deep focus on collaboration and shared success. For example, partnering with Data Science Wizards (DSW) on the Insurance AI Cloud Platform has let us offer specialized, fully managed solutions to insurers that otherwise struggle with complex regulatory requirements and integration with legacy systems. But we’re also working closely with system integrators, and software vendors to ensure that different domains—like manufacturing, BFSI, and media—can adopt AI in ways that are both flexible and cost-effective.
In parallel, we’re engaging with government programs and academic institutions to drive fundamental research and talent development, so that the broader ecosystem is well-prepared for the next wave of AI demand. This “win-win” mindset means that whenever an organization plugs into our network, they benefit from purpose-built infrastructure and domain expertise, while our partners gain new opportunities to scale their own offerings. By aligning incentives carefully and designing for seamless integration, we’re empowering businesses to make AI adoption both accelerated and sustainable—whether they’re rolling out proofs of concept, building foundational models, or deploying AI-first services at global scale.
What are the biggest challenges for GenAI startups in India today?
We’ve noticed two key obstacles holding back GenAI startups here in India. First, high-performance computing can be prohibitively expensive, which makes it tough for many early-stage ventures to scale beyond proofs of concept. Second, there’s a real shortage of specialized talent—from data scientists to AI model engineers—which often slows down new product development. At Neysa, we’re chipping away at both of these issues. By offering purpose-built GPU infrastructure, we’re helping smaller companies reduce their total cost of ownership by 60–80% and deploy AI pilots much faster. At the same time, we’re beginning to work with government and academic partners to develop a deeper talent pipeline, so startups can access the skilled professionals they need to keep innovating.
What are Neysa’s key focus areas in the next 16-24 months?
Over the next 16–24 months, we’re laser-focused on scaling our AI infrastructure and accelerating R&D so that we can support a wider range of real-world Gen AI use cases. A big part of that effort is launching our Gen AI Acceleration Cloud Service, which will give businesses of all sizes on-demand access to secure, high-performance computing. I’m also doubling down on partner alliances—both with global system integrators and AI vendors—to ensure that we can deliver a truly end-to-end AI ecosystem. Our goal is to make AI adoption effortless, affordable, and truly transformative wherever businesses need it.
Rajneesh De, APAC News Network