There is more to the global rise of iconic women tech leaders like Neelima Misra than what meets the eye.
*Breaking Barriers: Historically, women faced significant barriers in the male-dominated technology industry. Iconic leaders like Neelima and others played a crucial role in shattering glass ceilings and proving that women possess the intellect, talent, and leadership skills to excel in this field. Their success inspires girls and young women to pursue careers in technology, contributing to a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
Neelima is the CEO and Co-founder of DaasTek, a company that helps businesses adopt and leverage digital technologies. With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, Neelima is a passionate advocate for helping companies use technology to achieve their goals.
*Innovation and Vision: Many women leaders in the League of Neelima bring unique perspectives and approaches to problem-solving, leading to breakthroughs and innovation. They focus on areas like social impact tech, user-centred design, and ethical considerations of technology, expanding the scope and potential of the industry.
For example, under Neelima’s leadership, DaasTek has become a leading provider of digital transformation solutions for all segment of businesses. The company offers a wide range of services, including consulting, software development, and cloud computing. Neelima is a frequent speaker at industry events and is recognized as a thought leader in the digital transformation space.
*Championing Change: These leaders like Neelima often become vocal advocates for positive change, addressing issues like diversity in tech, equal access to technology, and responsible development. They leverage their platforms to raise awareness, push for policy changes, and create mentorship and support networks for other women in tech.
In addition to her work at DaasTek, Neelima is also active in the community. She serves on the advisor of several non-profit organizations and mentors aspiring entrepreneurs.
*Role Models and Mentors: Neelima is an inspiring role model for women in technology. She has been recognized for her achievements with numerous awards, including being named one of the “Top 100 Indian Women Leaders in Europe – 2023” by Women entrepreneur magazine. Success stories like that of Neelima serve as powerful inspirations for countless individuals, demonstrating that success in tech is attainable regardless of gender. They actively mentor and support other women, creating a ripple effect that empowers the next generation of female leaders.
A Global Saga of a Technopreneur
Neelima’s journey in the realm of digital technology is nothing short of remarkable. With two decades of experience under her belt, she has traversed the globe, leaving her mark in countries spanning from the USA, Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Finland, China, Japan, Thailand, and the UK to the Middle East and beyond. Her extensive international exposure has enriched her understanding of diverse cultures and markets, shaping her into a truly global business leader.
As an icon in the technopreneurial world, taking us back to the beginning of her journey, Neelima says, “My upbringing in an Indian household, where education was highly valued, greatly influenced my professional journey.” Despite academic struggles and low expectations, Neelima believed in her potential contribution to the world. Seeking financial independence, she entered the IT field, surrounded by mentors who encouraged her to think creatively.
Launching her own company at 42, after two decades in the industry, taught her that age is just a number. Reflecting on her journey, Neelima takes pride in overcoming obstacles, emphasizing that determination and self-belief can make anything possible.
From an early desire to be a doctor diverted by family expectations, she became an electrical engineer and eventually discovered a natural aptitude for logic and mathematics. This led her to computer science, where her fascination with the power of information blossomed. Specializing in data engineering, analytics, and data science, Neelima delved into AI and Machine Learning, witnessing their transformative impact on global industries.
She says she’s found fulfilment in helping clients worldwide leverage digital technology and AI, transcending cultural and continental boundaries. “Excited about the future, I look forward to the continued journey of making a difference through technology.”
Reflections of a Digital Mind
In her illustrious career, Neelima has held pivotal roles at renowned companies such as Cognizant, Microsoft, Pitney Bowes, and Accenture. As a visionary leader, she spearheaded developing and implementing cutting-edge programs centred around Analytics, IoT, and AI. Her expertise lies in guiding organizations through the entire digital transformation lifecycle, from preparation and incubation to illumination and verification.
Today, DaasTek has emerged as one of the best IT firms in Sweden, built by Indian entrepreneurs. According to Neelima, the guiding philosophy at DaasTek is to stay grounded and excel in their endeavours. This stems from the understanding that, in the entrepreneurial journey, there’s often a dilemma between the desire for growth and preserving core values. “My previous experience with a local management consulting firm emphasized the importance of being niche and small to maintain values and culture, ensuring employees feel a sense of belonging. At DaasTek, we aim to create a familial atmosphere, even if it means foregoing opportunities to raise significant funding for global expansion.” This choice is driven by the belief that a close-knit, values-driven company contributes to long-term success and employee satisfaction.
The tech landscape is continually evolving. To ensure DaasTek remains adaptable and ahead of industry trends, providing innovative solutions to its clients, Neelima says they focus on future-proof technologies like AI, ML, Cloud, and Automation. “When building solutions, we use a services-based architecture on modern platforms, so our customers don’t have to redo everything when transitioning from old to new systems.” In the planning and design phase, Neelima and her team of experts showed customers the value of adopting future-proof solutions.
She cites, “For example, we created an automation solution as an API instead of RPA because we knew the customer would soon switch to a cloud platform. If we had used RPA, the entire automation would need to be redeveloped. Our goal is to save our customers time and resources by ensuring our solutions are ready for the future.”
The Leadership Crown
Neelima’s iconic leadership style is often recognized as an inspirational force behind DaasTek’s achievements. Shedding light on her approach, she says that she emphasizes the three crucial attributes of Courage, Empathy, and Lifelong Learning in her leadership philosophy, forming the acronym C-E-LL. Transparency is pivotal in cultivating courage and empathy, ensuring everyone within the organization has the right information. These qualities, rooted in transparency, are essential for making a company stand out. “By fostering a culture of openness and continuous learning, we empower individuals to contribute to the organization’s collective success.” In essence, the combination of courage, empathy, and lifelong learning, facilitated by transparency, serves as the cornerstone of an inspirational and standout leadership approach.
The essence of Technopreneurship lies in bringing innovation and advancements to the niche one is working in. When asked how her enterprise balances customer expectations and user experience, Neelima says this question is very relevant for their cost-sensitive customers.
“For our budget-conscious customers, we start with a clear vision of the best user experience. However, we take small steps, involving customers at each stage and focusing on elements that match their expectations. For instance, we designed a portal to spot fraudulent behaviour. Though the customer couldn’t afford the smart feature initially, our flexible design ensures they can add it whenever their budget allows, making our solutions adaptable and cost-effective.”
Sustainability and environmental responsibility are crucial aspects of modern Technopreneurship. Neelima agrees that being rooted in the Nordics, sustainability and ecological responsibility are fundamental to DaasTek. “In our daily operations, we prioritize reducing our carbon footprint,” says Neelima, adding that the company mandate advocates the use of electric vehicles for transportation and their ‘work from anywhere’ policy helps minimize the need for office spaces. “We’ve fully digitized finance and HR processes, incorporating paperless invoicing and employee onboarding.” Collaborating with carbon-neutral software and service providers further reinforces their commitment to environmentally conscious practices.
Guiding Enterprises Through Tech Landscape
DaasTek has achieved remarkable success. Neelima shares that one of their transformative projects centred around a travel and transport service provider, fundamentally reshaping their organization. “We started by inspiring them with Industry 4.0 trends, influencing their cloud and data principles. This initial success led to us spearheading a joint venture with various technology and consulting partners to support their long-term digital roadmap.”
She furthers that their approach involved developing a cloud, integration, data, and digital strategy uniquely tailored to address specific business challenges hindering profitability. “We meticulously crafted an execution roadmap, highlighting the skills and competencies the customer needed to develop internally for successful implementation.”
A distinctive aspect of this initiative was Neelima and her team’s commitment to offering cost-effective alternatives for every recommended technology solution, ensuring practical and sustainable outcomes. “The project demanded extensive cross-collaboration, involving multiple parties, showcasing our dedication to delivering comprehensive and impactful solutions.”
One of Neelima’s key strengths is her ability to provide strategic guidance to Fortune 500 companies. As a trusted advisor, she has counselled policymakers on a wide range of strategic, operational, and financial matters, helping them navigate the complexities of the digital landscape with confidence and clarity.
According to her, technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing efficiency in today’s times. “At DaasTek, we harness automation solutions to boost efficiency. Our services are finely tuned with cutting-edge tech, ensuring optimal solutions for our clients. By embracing innovation, we continually optimize and automate processes, delivering intelligent services in the dynamic digital landscape. Technology isn’t just a tool for us; it’s the driving force behind our commitment to excellence.”
The Team Impact
The workforce is the cornerstone of every successful organization. Neelima says they adopted a unique approach to foster a culture of growth, skill development, and empowerment among their employees. “Our team is small, and even though we had the money to hire more people in our first year, we chose to stay small on purpose. When we had much work, we partnered with others to help us. The people from our partner companies were treated just like our own team members. We believe in being open and giving feedback in a positive way, which creates a great work environment.”
“We don’t like having a strict hierarchy. Everyone, including regular team members, can talk to the CEO and CIO without any hesitation. Taking the time to answer every question helped us succeed together.”
As a leader in the corporate sector, DaasTek has faced its share of challenges. When asked to share an instance where her team’s resilience and ingenuity triumphed over adversity, Neelima says, “From day one, we were determined to stand out in a tough market. Our goal was to be the top choice for customers who want quality but don’t have a lot of money. Our team was ready for any challenges that came our way.”
As the market changed, Neelima and her team adjusted their services to fit their clients’ needs. “We understood that many businesses were tight on money, so we introduced affordable solutions and made our processes more efficient to help more people with digital transformation.”
They were careful about hiring because they didn’t want to let anyone go when things got tough. “This meant our co-founder team worked extra hard, putting in long hours and taking on different roles. But it made us focused, efficient, and appreciated by our customers. Now, in 2024, we’re planning to grow because we have the money to make it happen,” informs Neelima.
Always Resolute
The post-pandemic times have reshaped industries globally. When asked how DaasTek navigated these unprecedented times and adapted its strategies to ensure business continuity, Neelima reflects that they kicked off DaasTek in September 2020, a time when uncertainty clouded the entire world. “Starting out, we had no idea how far we could go.”
The challenging times of COVID-19 served as a test for both their services’ market fit and the co-founder’s compatibility. Surprisingly, they successfully navigated through these uncertainties and secured significant clients in their first year of bootstrapping DaasTek.
The impact of COVID-19 extended beyond challenges; it reshaped the digital aspirations of many clients, especially those with limited digital budgets. “Despite the hurdles, we developed cutting-edge automation solutions for several clients. These solutions not only streamlined their operations but also reduced the need for physical presence, transforming the way they work.”
Neelima adds that building on the lessons learned during the pandemic and the post-pandemic era, their growth and expansion strategy remains steadfast. “Our approach emphasizes non-invasive digital transformation, a method we’ve found more effective than disruptive alternatives. By recommending solutions that seamlessly integrate into existing systems, we prioritize a smoother transition for our customers.”
Making Digital Transformation Possible
Today, every business goes beyond the physical realm, touching on aspects like digital transformation, constant consumer engagement, and virtual user experience. When asked how her company addresses these critical factors in its service offerings, Neelima says, “At DaasTek, our main job is to help businesses change and improve using digital technology. We go beyond just providing basic services; we want to make digital transformation possible for companies that might not have a lot of money to start.”
For instance, they offer small and affordable services called nano services. These are quick advice sessions (less than 50 hours) for companies on how to start using digital tools in areas like cloud, data, analytics, AI, and cybersecurity.
Neelima says, “Our goal is to provide services and work alongside our customers’ teams. We want to be more like partners, helping them reach their goals. We always keep the values and the people who work for our customers in mind when we give advice or set up solutions.”
Drawing from her wealth of experience, Neelima offers invaluable insights into the intersection of digital technology and marketing. She has observed firsthand how leaders harness the power of analytics, IoT, and AI to drive customer-centricity, innovate new business models, and optimize cost management processes. Her deep understanding of these technologies has enabled her to facilitate process automation and optimization, empowering organizations to operate more efficiently and effectively in today’s fast-paced digital environment.
An Ever-Advancing Tech-Tomorrow’s Roadmap
Finally, Neelima reveals, “Our vision for the future revolves around being a trailblazer in the digital landscape. We are committed to driving innovation that not only keeps us ahead of the curve but also propels our clients into the next era of digital transformation. Our aspiration is to continue significantly impacting the global business landscape by democratizing digitalization, ensuring that businesses, regardless of their size or budget, can harness the power of technology.”
She adds that they envision DaasTek as a hub for inclusive growth, fostering a community where mentorship and support thrive, especially for women seeking better opportunities. “Our focus on sustainability, ethical practices, and social responsibility will be paramount as we navigate the evolving business environment,” she concludes. By staying true to these principles, Neelima and her DaasTek team aim to leave an enduring mark, not just as a digital service provider but as a force for positive change in the world’s business ecosystem.
Neelima’s fantastic tech saga is a testament to her passion, expertise, and unwavering commitment to driving innovation and progress in the digital realm. As she continues to blaze new trails and inspire others with her visionary leadership, her impact on the world of technology will undoubtedly endure for years to come.
