Ajay Bulusu is a co-founder of NextBillion.ai, an advanced location technology solution built for enterprises.

Headquartered in Singapore, NextBillion.ai is supported by investors like Mirae Asset Capital, Alpha Wave Global, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and M12.

‍

👋🏼 How would you explain your job to someone outside tech?

On a mission to enable a true enterprise-focused location ecosystem around the world.

‍

🧐 What's something about you or your job that would surprise us?

I started a job at Google, where I switched 5 roles in 5 years. Began as an L2 employee and left an L2 employee; no promotion in 5 years.

But I took full advantage of Google’s superb internal transfer policy to learn and advance my skills. 

I was the only person to work on the search, YouTube, ads, spam, and maps projects, accumulating invaluable knowledge, experience, and exposure in the process.

The real world is hard, but the important thing is to never stop learning. 

‍

🏆 What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

Starting NextBillion.ai has undoubtedly been the pinnacle of my career. 

Navigating the challenges unique to what we were building expanded my awareness of its global significance. 

Above all, it instilled in me humility and the art of leadership in a role that extends beyond mere management, connecting diverse nations and cultures.

‍

🔍 What's a startup trend or space you're watching this year?‍

I'm closely watching the emergence of pandemic-fueled businesses as a standout startup trend. The global crisis spurred innovation and reshaping industries. 

Startups that quickly adapted to the changing landscape by offering solutions related to remote work, contactless services, healthcare technology, and e-commerce have experienced rapid growth.

The pandemic highlighted the importance of agility and resilience for startups, showcasing their ability to pivot and address emerging needs. 

As the world transitions into a new normal, these pandemic-driven startups are poised to continue their impact by reshaping industries long-term. Observing how these businesses sustain and innovate beyond the initial crisis will provide valuable insights.

‍

💼 What advice would you give someone starting out in your industry? 

Start if you have two things

1. If you deeply care about the problem you are solving and really know how to solve it.
2. Find the right co-founding team. The people you trust and like. As an entrepreneur, you go through ups and downs and the only people you can depend on are your co-founders it is a lonely journey.

‍

🗣 What's one thing you can keep talking about for hours? 

Sports, specifically, basketball.

‍

🎥 What's your favorite movie/TV show? 

I prefer TV shows over movies. In recent times Succession has been one of my favorite shows. 

‍

🍨 What's your go-to ice cream flavor?‍

Everything.

‍

FYI. We've edited this interview for clarity.