Meet Sudheer Koneru, IIT alumnus CEO who retired at 40, then constructed Rs 12,000 crore firm | Photo: Linkedin/ Sudheer Koneru
For most individuals, 40 is an age when they’re simply beginning to set up themselves of their profession and financially. However, IIT Madras alumnus Sudheer Koneru determined he was prepared to hold his boots. Koneru had already had an almost two-decade profitable profession which had included a protracted stint with Microsoft and founding two corporations.
Koneru pursued an engineering diploma in laptop science from the celebrated Indian Institute of Technology Madras earlier than incomes a masters diploma from the University of Texas at Austin within the US. He then started his profession at Microsoft the place he rose to the place of Director earlier than transferring out to discovered Intelliprep Technologies and lead the corporate as CEO. His agency merged with Click2learn, an organization of Gates’ co-founder Paul Allen.
Koneru’s subsequent firm, SumTotal grew to generate income within the vary of $100 million when he determined to decide out in 2007. Having began out round 16 years in the past with a job on the IT large based by tech legend Bill Gates, Sudheer Koneru determined to retire in 2008. But it wasn’t lengthy earlier than Koneru returned as an entrepreneur. This time with in all probability his most potent enterprise thought.
During that point he labored on a spa and health club chain in Hyderabad, the place he launched a void within the business with immense potential. After a 2-year retirement, Koneru based a enterprise enterprise catering to the wellness, salon and spa business. His product was a software program named ManageMySpa. In 2015, Koneru’s firm was rebranded as Zenoti.
In 2020, Koneru’s Zenoti entered the unicorn membership as its valuation exceeded $1 billion after it raised $160 million in Series D funding. It turned the primary startup within the magnificence and wellness phase to realize the billion-dollar valuation. His product is utilized by over 12,000 companies throughout 50 nations. Koneru has revealed previously that plans to take his firm to an IPO within the coming years. As per EnterpriseIntelligence, Koneru is valued at over Rs 12,000 crore ($1.5 billion).
