Biography of Saurabh Gupta: CEO and Founder of VeriSmart.AI, Metawing and Getmeashop- Entrepreneur
Story of Saurabh Gupta: A Pioneer in Blockchain Ad-Tech
Saurabh Gupta, the CEO and Founder of VeriSmart.AI, is a
first-generation entrepreneur known for his innovative spirit. With over 12
years of experience founding startups, two of which were acquired by a PE Fund
and Times Internet, he now leads a blockchain-based identity ad-tech platform,
VeriSmart.AI.
VeriSmart AI, also known as Metawing Technology, Inc., is an
identity blockchain and visual analytics platform designed to automate and
standardize KYC and compliance processes across various sectors. The platform
offers features such as AML checks, cognitive assessments, auto-fill, unique ID
creation, signature verification, and user behavior prediction. Serving
customers in 12 countries with 27 partners and 740 document formats for 23
enterprises, VeriSmart AI helps mitigate financial fraud and money laundering
risks with digital IDs for smart city surveillance and payment solutions.
Education and Early Achievements
Saurabh earned his Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering from GGSIPU in New
Delhi, where he studied from 2007 to 2011. During his academic tenure, he
authored three international research papers presented at the SAE Mobility
Congress in Chennai and participated in the development and launch of water gas
as fuel at Auto Expo. Notably, he represented India as part of the NIT Rourkela
team at DARPA Labs' Autonomous Vehicle Challenge in the USA, with the winning
team later being acquired by Google.
A Serial Entrepreneur with an Ambitious Outlook
Saurabh Gupta, CEO and Co-Founder of VeriSmart AI, is a
serial entrepreneur with two successful exits, including an acquisition by the
Times Group. Since 2008, Saurabh has been involved in process automation and
AI, starting with his participation in the DARPA Labs Autonomous Vehicle
Challenge, where his team represented India and became one of the 25 finalists.
This prestigious event spurred global interest in autonomous vehicles from
companies like Google, Tesla, and Waymo.
Stepping into Saurabh's Shoes
Since 2008, Saurabh Gupta has been immersed in AI, computer
vision, and process automation, starting with his participation in the DARPA
Labs Autonomous Vehicle Challenge. This experience exposed him to cutting-edge
global technology and the future potential of AI.
Consultant at TATA Advanced Systems Limited
For five months in 2011, Saurabh worked as a consultant at
TATA Advanced Systems Limited, focusing on the ergonomics and design of
mid-size military vehicles.
Co-Founder of Getmeashop
Between November 2012 and December 2014, Saurabh co-founded
Getmeashop, an e-commerce enabler that simplifies online store setup with
features like inventory management, CRM, and sales analytics. The platform
facilitated the creation of over 45,000 shops before being acquired by Times
Internet in 2015.
Founder & CEO of Metawing
From July 2010 to March 2015, Saurabh led Metawing, a
company specializing in business development and technical operations for the
automobile sector. Under his guidance, the company achieved a 4X return, 300%
growth, and reached a revenue of $6 million, maintaining EBITDA positive with a
32% profit after tax. Metawing was eventually acquired by a UK-based PE Fund.
Corporate Experience and Market Referrals
Working with BCG in the electric vehicle sector provided
Saurabh and his team the opportunity to engage in the entire production cycle
and process automation steps. This not only enhanced their technical expertise
but also generated numerous market referrals for their accomplished work.
Entrepreneurial Journey and Industry Impact
As an entrepreneur, Saurabh's first venture focused on rapid
prototyping, 3D scanning, and AI products related to autonomous vehicles. This
provided him with extensive individual exposure. He interacted with over 79
OEMs in the automobile sector and led Asia's largest Autotech educational
platform. His role as a nodal speaker at various panel discussions helped guide
and inspire audiences interested in the domain, particularly in 2012 when many
were directionless and needed support.
Biography of Saurabh Gupta: CEO and Founder of VeriSmart.AI- Entrepreneur Metawing,Getmeashop/Investor/Success story of Saurabh Gupta/Artificial intel
Overcoming Early Challenges in AI Development
Back in 2014, finding software engineers skilled in core AI
disciplines was difficult. To address this, Saurabh's team dedicated over six
months to advanced training to equip their engineers with the necessary skills
to tackle engineering challenges in computer vision and AI. As they ventured
into deep learning, in-depth image frame recognition, and object
identification, the critical role of precision became evident, emphasizing the
importance of accuracy in real-world applications.
Gaining Expertise and Pioneering New Ventures
Saurabh later gained valuable corporate experience in AI and
the EV domain by working with GMR and BCG. This experience led him to mentor at
EESL and launch Ticnpic, a visual discovery and video commerce platform, in
2015. Although Ticnpic was ahead of its time, it provided significant learning
opportunities for the market. Currently, Saurabh leads VeriSmart AI (Metawing
Technology, Inc.), focusing on privacy-compliant data sharing. His team uses AI
and blockchain technology to enable enterprises to automate onboarding
processes according to regulatory guidelines, protect data with AI layers, data
anonymization, and analytics, and enhance data privacy through zero-knowledge
proofs and better data access management.
Innovating Data Privacy and Commerce
In 2017, Saurabh began his mission to democratize data
commerce and intelligence while ensuring privacy through blockchain technology.
He noticed that startups and enterprises struggled to optimize their
intelligence due to Google's ban on third-party cookies, which increased
customer acquisition costs and created a ripple effect of rising digital
commodity prices.
Expanding Blockchain Solutions
By 2019, Saurabh introduced blockchain-based KYC sharing in
India and later developed blockchain-based data interoperability for the Digi
Pass & Digi Travel platform. To strengthen their technology stack,
VeriSmart.AI acquired two companies: an insurance platform and Dolphinchat.ai,
a conversational and generative AI platform.
Rapid Growth and Enterprise Collaboration
Since 2017, VeriSmart.AI has integrated over 34 enterprises
into its data framework, including major payment gateways, banks, travel
platforms, food apps, OTT services, and telecom companies. They have also
served over 90 brands as data consumers. In 2023, the startup dramatically
increased its data contributor base from 67 million users in 2022 to 520
million users. Despite a 30% revenue drop compared to last year, when they were
growing at 350% annually, Gupta notes that VeriSmart.AI has remained
EBITDA-positive and profitable for the past three years.
Ticnpic: Pioneering Visual and Video Commerce
Saurabh's venture, Ticnpic, explored the capabilities of
computer vision and deep vision in identifying apparel and other objects within
videos and matching them to e-commerce platforms. This technology attracted
significant traction and collaborations with brands like Jabong, Shopclues, and
Homeshop 18. By bridging the real and virtual worlds through augmented reality,
Ticnpic aimed to provide exact fits for users. Saurabh worked closely with the
engineering and product teams to deliver cutting-edge technology, competing
with platforms like Meesho, Coutloot, and Roposo.
Commitment to India's Growth
Driven by a passion for problem-solving and perseverance,
Saurabh Gupta has dedicated over a decade to building solutions for India. As
India aims to become the third-largest economy, Gupta is committed to
contributing to this vision, leaving no stone unturned. Alongside his
entrepreneurial journey, he has invested in seven startups and actively
contributes as a domain expert in blockchain, AI, and data privacy on both
government and non-government platforms.
Building Privacy-Compliant Data Commerce
Saurabh emphasizes that unlike traditional e-commerce or
digital platforms, VeriSmart.AI has developed a unique protocol enabling data
commerce between enterprises while complying with privacy regulations. With
Google's ban on third-party cookies, their digital public infrastructure allows
enterprises to generate cumulative data intelligence without sharing data,
reducing dependence on Meta and Google. This approach supports legacy
businesses in faster collaboration and execution, lowers customer acquisition
costs, and speeds up market entry for new ventures, all powered by their native
data protocols and blockchain framework.
Public Speaking and Industry Contributions
Saurabh is an active speaker and panelist at major fintech
and tech conferences, including the STEP Conference, RISE, Finnovate DTEC, and
Inclusion50. His expertise in AI, blockchain, and data privacy has made him a
respected figure in the industry, contributing to both governmental and
non-governmental platforms.
Awards and Recognitions
Saurabh has been honored with several awards, including
being named one of Bloomberg's Top 10 AI Personalities and recognized as an
Entrepreneur under 35. His ventures have been featured in numerous publications
such as Business World Disrupt, VC Circle, India News, Khaleej Times, and more.
Conclusion
Saurabh Gupta has been leading VeriSmart AI, an identity
blockchain-based ad-tech platform based in Palo Alto, CA. Under his leadership,
the company has developed indigenous data interoperability protocols compliant
with DPDP Act, GDPR, and CCPA. VeriSmart AI serves over 520 million consumers
through its self-serve platform, partnering with institutions like banks,
telecoms, and e-commerce marketplaces across India, Singapore, UAE, and the US.
The company has been recognized as a Top 3 Global Fintech Startup by
Entrepreneur.com and Fintech Galaxy, and as one of the Top 5 Reg-tech companies
globally by BBVA Bank. It is also part of Forbes 200 DGEMS Global Scaled
Companies and has won several awards and recognitions.
Timeline of Saurabh Gupta's Career and Achievements
2007-2011: Education and Early Achievements
2007-2011: Studied Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering at GGSIPU, New Delhi.
2010: Participated in the development and launch of water gas
as fuel at Auto Expo.
2010: Represented India at DARPA Labs' Autonomous Vehicle
Challenge in the USA.
2011: Early Career and Consultancy
2011: Worked as a consultant at TATA Advanced Systems
Limited, focusing on ergonomics and design of mid-size military vehicles.
2012-2014: Co-Founder of Getmeashop
2012-2014: Co-founded Getmeashop, an e-commerce enabler that
simplified online store setup.
2015: Getmeashop was acquired by Times Internet.
2010-2015: Founder & CEO of Metawing
2010-2015: Founded Metawing, specializing in business
development and technical operations for the automobile sector.
2015: Metawing was acquired by a UK-based PE Fund.
2015: Launch of Ticnpic
2015: Founded Ticnpic, a visual discovery and video commerce
platform.
2017-Present: CEO and Founder of VeriSmart.AI
2017: Began developing VeriSmart.AI, focusing on
privacy-compliant data sharing using AI and blockchain.
2019: Introduced blockchain-based KYC sharing in India.
2019: Developed blockchain-based data interoperability for
Digi Pass & Digi Travel platform.
2023: VeriSmart.AI dramatically increased its data
contributor base from 67 million users in 2022 to 520 million users.
Ongoing Contributions and Recognition
Public Speaking: Active speaker and panelist at major
fintech and tech conferences like STEP Conference, RISE, Finnovate DTEC, and
Inclusion50.
Awards and Recognitions: Named one of Bloomberg's Top 10 AI
Personalities, recognized as an Entrepreneur under 35, and featured in
publications like Business World Disrupt, VC Circle, India News, and Khaleej
Times.
Enterprise Collaboration: Integrated over 34 enterprises
into VeriSmart.AI's data framework since 2017, serving over 90 brands as data
consumers.
