“We Wanted to Build a Global Product Without Leaving Hyderabad”: A Conversation with Rohit Chennamaneni of Darwinbox
In a SaaS ecosystem often dominated by Bengaluru and Silicon Valley narratives, Rohit Chennamaneni, co-founder of Darwinbox, chose a different path—building a global enterprise software company from Hyderabad. In this candid conversation with BharatCEOs, he talks about patience, product thinking, and why geography mattered less than fundamentals.
Q: Darwinbox competes globally, yet you built it out of Hyderabad. Why was that important to you?
Rohit Chennamaneni:
We never saw Hyderabad as a disadvantage. In fact, it gave us clarity and calm. There was less pressure to look successful early, which allowed us to focus on the product.
Hyderabad has strong enterprise talent—people who understand HR processes, compliance, and large organisations. That mattered far more to us than being part of a louder ecosystem.
Q: HR software isn’t considered “exciting” by many founders. Why choose this space?
Rohit:
That’s exactly why we chose it. HR touches every employee but is often underserved by good software. We saw an opportunity to build something deep, configurable, and human-centric, not just another dashboard.
Enterprise customers don’t want flashy features; they want systems that actually work across geographies and cultures. That’s a hard problem—and a meaningful one.
Q: Darwinbox scaled steadily while many startups chased hypergrowth. Was that intentional?
Rohit:
Yes. Enterprise SaaS punishes shortcuts. If you break trust once, it’s very hard to recover.
We focused on long-term contracts, customer stickiness, and implementation quality. That meant slower early growth—but much stronger foundations later.
Q: How did being based in Hyderabad influence leadership and culture?
Rohit:
It encouraged grounded leadership. People here respect consistency more than charisma. Teams value managers who solve problems, not just talk about vision.
That shaped Darwinbox’s culture—less noise, more accountability.
Q: What has been the hardest part of building a global SaaS company from India?
Rohit:
Unlearning assumptions. Global customers expect reliability, not excuses. Time zones, security standards, compliance—there’s no margin for error.
Building those systems from day one was painful, but it paid off.
Q: What advice would you give young founders starting in Hyderabad today?
Rohit:
Don’t underestimate the city. Use its strengths—talent loyalty, operational depth, cost efficiency.
And most importantly, build something real before you build a story. Markets eventually reward substance.
Editor’s Note:
Rohit Chennamaneni reflects a growing class of Hyderabad founders who believe global companies can be built without relocating, posturing, or posturing for attention. In a world chasing speed, his emphasis on durability stands out.
