After 16 years in the IT industry, which involved working in 40 countries with established names like IBM, HP, Honeywell, Cognizant, John Deere and Accenture, Gaurav Pradhan believed he knew a thing or two about technology and what clients really want.
He's settled in SA, because "this is the only place on earth after India where, when I stand on the road, I feel like a local". He, his wife Maniksha and two partners launched Timetunnel Consulting early this year.
It is a full-service IT and management consulting company with a focus on developing innovative solutions for its clients in business process outsourcing, enterprise resource planning (ERP), infrastructure, quality consulting, business intelligence, IT strategy and customer relationship management.
The target market is both large and medium-sized companies requiring efficient technological solutions, good returns and global quality - the same clients the rest of the IT industry is chasing.
Where Timetunnel can differentiate itself is in its ability to draw on a vast reservoir of international expertise. It can be accessed remotely if necessary, but Pradhan prefers to bring the skills into SA on contract - when the department of home affairs and the revenue service permit.
"To be a global player, we have to first be a good corporate citizen and build the local skills base, rather than just bring in foreign skills and push the locals into a corner."
Rather than confront competitors in a crowded and foreign market, Timetunnel came up with a unique route to market: It chose to use potential competitors as business allies, as sales people for their own services.
"Our strength is our world-class technical skill and delivery, the back end of any successful IT project," says Pradhan. "For many companies based locally, their strength is the front end - marketing and sales."
So, he figured, why not work as the delivery arm for the SA IT industry, which sometimes struggles to find the depth of technical skill it needs.
The strategy is working. Since its launch in January this year, the company has turned over between R7m and R8m - with a target of R500m turnover in five years, along with listing on the JSE & BSE. Timetunnel has established relations with a variety of local companies.
It was this ability to commercialise its own technical know-how that impressed the judges.
But Timetunnel is far more than just a bodyshop. Its core management team, most of whom are mathematicians, engineers and technocrats, has a strong problem solving ability, particularly in ERP.
The company has designed and developed a variety of unique SAP implementation methodologies which reduces the huge licence and implementation costs in large ERP projects. The solution also brings with it hardware and time cost savings.
Timetunnel has on the table a US$35m offer of venture funding from a US company. However, Pradhan has, for the time being, turned it down. He has elected to grow the business slowly.
"I believe it is important to have a strong foundation. My dream is to build an SA company that will extend beyond my lifetime - that is why the company must have a good ethical background.
So, for now, the company is self funded. "The offer is still open and we may elect to take it up next year."
