AgileSoft, a Pune based Consultancy, on Enabling the Software Industry

Pune based entrepreneur, Prashant Pund, talks about his venture AgileSoft and how they are helping IT companies by their software handholding and mentoring. Swati Maheshwari finds out more for YourStory.inPrashant, tell us about AgileSoft.

AgileSoft is a consultancy that enables the software industry in implementing methodologies and technologies, specializing in the implementation of Agile approaches. We offer our services in the form of mentoring/coaching, public workshops and specialized training sessions.

How did you decide on starting up a venture in this field?

I love training and mentoring people. While working as a consultant/trainer in the same field; I could see the need for mentoring and handholding services in software industry. I used to guide many professionals even then. But, since I could offer the support in limited number of fields, I decided to expand the support base by adding more experts in the team.

Can you tell us a little bit about your team?

We are a group of experts who have a rich & relevant experience of 10 years or more. The business development part is looked after by my colleague, Nikhil Kadadi, who has been very active in the IT industry for the last few years.

What is the general profile of your clients?

Although, initially we had felt that the mentoring services will be needed/taken by small companies; we also have big names like Cognizant, PTC, Atos Origin, Wells Fargo, etc as our clients. For SMEs and the start-ups, the major portion of the employee base comprises of developers and other technical people. Yet, they need the experts but can’t afford to hire them full-time. These companies approach us to help them establish processes and methodologies. These organizations are typically in the need of establishing contemporary practices in software development.

What makes you different from other players in the field?

There are not many players in this field. However, there are various ‘Training Institutes’ that arrange for trainers as a solution to the need. A 2/3 day training session for a technology/methodology may not be sufficient to actually work with. We offer a complete solution in the form of training and mentoring sessions. We also stand apart in terms of expertise and the dedication in the mentoring process. A mentor has to have a parental attitude which we have inculcated in our team.

How did you manage the initial investment?Since the initial investment to start this venture wasn’t more than a couple of lacs, I managed it on my own. This is a benefit in the consulting business. The main investment is in the form of knowledge gained over the years.

How has your entrepreneurial journey been so far?

We are excited by the response received. The companies are showing an increasing interest in seeking our services for their projects. We have earned about 10 clients in the first year of operation and although this number may not really be satisfactory, the job has been. AgileSoft also co-sponsored Scrum Day India in Aug 2010. It was attended by 150 professionals from all over India.

Did you work somewhere else before you started this venture?

Yes, and it helped a lot. In my 26 years of professional experience, I worked in Electronics and Instrumentation, Production, Marketing, R&D and Maintenance. I was lucky to get exposed to various domains. I firmly believe that each and every professional activity you do can help you in your own venture. I even worked in the Training and Development industry and also as an independent consultant, as mentioned earlier.

What are your expansion plans?

Our country has a huge market for the activities we do. But we also plan to extend our services overseas, particularly to Gulf countries and Malaysia.

To know more about them, visit http://www.agilesoft.in/ What do you think about this story? Share your thoughts by writing to us at [email protected]