Biography of Shahani Markus: Founder of Emojot-Entrepreneur & Investor
Biography of Shahani Markus:
Shahani Markus is a seasoned global technology executive,
entrepreneur, and investor, celebrated for her capacity to nurture disruptive
software, applications, and services. Her career spans from hands-on
engineering roles to executive leadership, and she has consistently emphasized
drawing upon diverse talents, viewpoints, and collaborative partnerships to
carry ideas from research and concept through to market success.
Academic Excellence & Intellectual Engagement
Beyond her corporate achievements, Shahani has made
substantial contributions to academia. She’s served as a lecturer, researcher,
and collaborator in universities across the globe, inspiring students and
faculty alike through her intellectual work. Her academic pursuits amplify her
professional impact, grounding innovation in rigorous research and knowledge
exchange.
Childhood Aspirations & Love for Reading
Growing up in Sri Lanka, Shahani was a avid reader. Without
TV or internet in those early years, she immersed herself in magazines such as Time,
Newsweek, and Reader’s Digest, forming vivid impressions of
far-off lands like the United States. These early reading habits kindled her
dreams of mastering technology and exploring global frontiers.
Navigating Parental Expectations & Early Education
Shahani’s parents initially expected a medical career for
her. To keep her options open, she studied mathematics and zoology after
secondary school, allowing for both medical and science pathways. But her
passion for mathematics eventually guided her away from medicine and toward a
more technical track, setting the stage for her future in computing and
engineering.
A Critical Turning Point at NIBM
When the University of Colombo’s proposed computing program
was halted by regulatory changes, Shahani’s prospects seemed uncertain. But a
turning moment arrived when the National Institute of Business Management
(NIBM) launched a diploma in Computer Systems Design. She embraced this
opportunity, which ultimately became foundational in her journey into
technology.
Formal Academic Credentials
Shahani Markus holds a robust set of academic degrees,
including a Ph.D. in Computer Science and master’s degrees in both Computer
Science and Mathematics from Purdue University. She also earned her Bachelor’s
in Computer Science & Mathematics at Purdue. Earlier in Sri Lanka, she
completed the diploma in Computer Systems Design at NIBM, and attended Vishaka
Vidyalaya and Ladies’ College in Colombo for her earlier schooling.
Founding & Leading Emojot (Emotion + AI)
Since July 2019, Shahani has been the Founder, CEO, and
Chairperson of Emojot Inc., based in San Jose, California. Under her
leadership, Emojot develops AI-powered solutions built around “Emotion
Sensors™” to help businesses understand and act on customer, employee, and
audience sentiment in real time. According to company sources, Emojot serves
over 5,000 enterprises globally.
Emojot offers solutions in customer experience, reputational
management, social listening, complaint management, and more — all powered by
emotion analysis, predictive AI, and cross-platform integrations.
Biography of Shahani Markus:Founder of Emojot-Entrepreneur & Angel Investor/ Global Technology Executive/Journey of Shahani Markus/ emoji#age#net worth
Earlier Ventures & Entrepreneurial Background
- Shahani
was previously the Founding CTO and President of Auxenta, an
enterprise software solutions company.
- She
also cofounded 1 Billion Tech (circa 2013) and MillionSpaces
(circa 2018), focusing on cloud transformation and strategic business
ventures.
- Her
entrepreneurial drive has always aligned with applying tech to real
business challenges across geographies.
Leadership Roles in Industry & Government
- At Virtusa
Sri Lanka, Shahani served as Head of Engineering and Chief Software
Architect, overseeing large software development teams and setting quality
practices. At one point, she led over 600 professionals.
- She
also served as CTO of Sri Lanka’s ICT Agency, where she led
national e-government initiatives and championed open-source approaches,
driving reforms in procurement and digital infrastructure.
- Early
in her career, she participated in founding Sahana, the open source
disaster management platform, contributing to global humanitarian tech.
The Origin Story of Emojot
The concept for Emojot began when Shahani, as a lecturer at
the University of Moratuwa, encouraged students to transform academic ideas
into real products. In 2014 she bootstrapped a prototype with students and
collaborators.
They initially focused on real-time feedback using emojis
instead of long textual surveys. Over time, the venture evolved into a full AI
feedback and sentiment platform. The name “Emojot” was adopted around 2017 to
reflect this emotional feedback identity.
In 2016, the company filed its first patent to protect its
innovations.
Funding Milestones & Growth
Emojot has secured seed funding and expanded its team and
technology stack. While public sources say it has drawn international investor
interest, specific recent funding rounds or valuation figures are not fully
disclosed in the sources I found.
Global Impact & Technological Innovation
Under Shahani’s leadership, Emojot has gained recognition as
an AI-powered platform that decodes emotion signals in customer experiences,
employee engagement, and audience sentiment across industries.
Emojot positions itself as a leader in AI-driven CX
(customer experience) transformation, and claims customer adoption across
multiple sectors and countries.
Challenges, Resilience & Vision
Shahani’s journey has included navigating organizational
politics (particularly in government roles) and balancing personal and
professional demands. These experiences shaped her resilience and refined her
strategic thinking.
At every step, she has remained compelled by a vision to fuse emotion, AI, and human insight into technology platforms that matter.
