A Journey of Socially Conscious Entrepreneurship and the Future of Human-AI Collaboration in India’s Small Towns
The genesis of NextWealth in 2010 stemmed from a desire to blend technological prowess with social good, creating opportunities in underserved regions. Dr. Mitta emphasized the strategic advantage of starting the Indian IT industry without legacy constraints, enabling the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and fostering partnerships. His motivation for NextWealth was rooted in leveraging his experience to create social value through a sustainable business model, prioritizing employment over sole profit.
Prof. Anand Talwai detailed the implementation strategy, highlighting the entrepreneur-led distributed delivery model that empowers local leaders and creates jobs within their communities. This approach, coupled with a cloud-based infrastructure from inception, aimed to connect global clients with talent in smaller towns. The focus was on building a “do good and do well” organization with a strong emphasis on institutional building and a simple model of connecting global needs with local capabilities.
Mythily Ramesh chronicled early milestones, including securing their first healthcare client and the initial challenges in upskilling local talent in complex domains like medical coding. A key learning was the exceptional productivity and commitment found in these small-town employees. The company’s agile response to the COVID-19 pandemic, transitioning almost entirely to remote work within 48 hours, showcased their adaptability and resilience. Looking forward, the focus remains on expanding services in AI and GenAI with a human-in-the-loop approach, aiming for significant employee growth while building specialized skill academies.