Creating A Global Ecosystem Of Companies That Are Changing The World – Interview With Sandy Hardikar
Updated: Jul 15, 2022
Not afraid of change, Sandy believes in what Ram Charan said “World belongs to those who create change”. He has always pushed himself out of the ordinary & is happy in the courage zone. A strong believer in Deep Tech & Commercial Innovation, Sandy has 20+ years of x–functional experience with specialisation in Business & Geo expansion. With focus on Outcomes for clients, he has always strived to connect the dots, assemble seemingly disparate facts into a cohesive & long term business case. As the CEO & co-Founder of Network Science, he is collaborating with Global Enterprises in "Changing the World with Deep Tech Innovation"
Sandy Hardikar, CEO & Co-Founder
Hi Sandy, introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better.
I believe what Ram Charan said: "The world belongs to the people who make the difference." This idea is the main driver behind Network Science. We want to lead and participate in changing the world for the better.
I have always pushed myself out of the ordinary & am happy in the courage zone.. As an entrepreneur, I want to encourage teams and others, both mentally and behaviourally, to challenge traditional knowledge, challenge the status quo, and act as true entrepreneurs. The world needs more entrepreneurs.
My family consists of 56 members (5 as my direct family, 51 network scientists) ably led by Raju Chouthai and Asavari Hardikar.
What is your business name and how do you help your clients?
Network Science
Having worked in the tech industry for the last 20 years, I've seen some macro issues that the tech industry has to deal with. However, the last few years have seen a tectonic shift – Yesterday's leaders are not ready for that change. They are too busy with "Run The Business" to keep the lights on for their clients, but they don't help them keep up with the changing world. Efforts to innovate from these are too slow, too few, and often feel uninteresting. I want to change that with Network Science.
Network Science wants to be the driving force of innovation in the world. The source of our innovation is Deep Tech (AI, ML, robotics, IoT, AR, VR, blockchain) – in domains such as FinTech, Industry 4.0, Cyber Security, Enterprise IT, Cloud, Agritech, Sales Tech, Marketing Tech.
Global clients can approach Network Science with their unresolved business challenges (related to cost, growth, risk, and differentiation), and with a 90% success rate, we shall offer reliable evidence-based solution within 3 days.
What kind of audience do you target your business towards?
All businesses-big and small. Global or local. Whether it's financial services, manufacturing, logistics, retail, or pharmaceuticals. High-growth companies or companies facing cost issues. Companies that we can't do anything about are companies in denial mode.
What are your current goals for your business?
There are five company goals for this year (2022 – 2023)
Grow our business – triple than last year
Expand our business in the United States
Develop a sustainability portfolio – measure and manage CO2 emissions
Network Science Foundation – A non-profit corporation specializing in building an inclusive society
Network Science Fund – Venture fund for unique and pioneering startups around the world
What would you like to achieve for yourself and your business in the future?
Personally, I would like to support the global expansion strategy of entrepreneurs around the world. It would be great if I could guide and support 100 entrepreneurs around the world.
For our business, I am very excited about Network Science Foundation and Network Science Fund as these aim to create a global ecosystem of companies and startups that are changing the world in creating a net zero environment and building an inclusive society.
Who inspires you to be the best that you can be?
I am a student of life and I am inspired by everyone around me.
I was fortunate to be part of a team led by leaders such as Vineet Nayar (HCL), Sanjeev Nikore (HCL), Kiran Bhagwanani (NTT), Kamal Nath (Sify), and Pradeep Kar (Microland).
Meanwhile, I am also inspired by young Network Scientists such as Mansi Porwal, Junuz Jakupović, Leena Shirsale, Prashant Parihar, Mohnish Rathod, Swapnil Bang, Parag Suvarna, and Yash Patel. They have no baggage. They challenge the status quo and are not afraid of failure. The perfect recipe for success.
What is your work inspired by?
Our work is inspired by unique, game-changing startups who are doing a ground-breaking job but are lacking access to the global market. Once they are in front of the clients, more often than not, the client appreciates the innovation and wants to adopt it for their environment.
Our work is also inspired by our clients who are forward-looking and keen to change.
Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far.
It's still a long way to go ... I'm proud of many achievements, but the biggest and greatest ones haven't come yet.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why?
Focus on Innovation – As mentioned earlier, the tech industry needs to recognize the need for innovation. Customers want it and startups have it, but existing IT service providers are still in denial mode. At Network Science, we shall be pushing the agenda of Innovation through Deep Tech aggressively and hope the others join us in the revolution.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today.
This was during my stint with a Private Equity firm that had invested in a few tech startups. I was amazed at the innovation that startups were building, and I was surprised that IT leaders weren't. In fact, even today, some people are not convinced that innovation is needed. This is when we decided to start Network Science-a company focused solely on Deep Tech Innovation.
