In honor of Engineer’s Day, StartupTalky features Vikas Kakkar, Co-Founder and CEO of Amara.ai. Kakkar’s transition from engineering to entrepreneurship was fuelled by a vision to transform traditional HR processes with AI. In this interview, he reveals how Amara.ai’s advanced chatbot improves employee engagement and supports HR teams with real-time feedback and automation. Kakkar also discusses the future trends in HR tech and the hurdles faced during the company’s early days.
StartupTalky: What motivated your move from engineering to entrepreneurship, and what key steps did you take to start your company?
Mr. Kakkar: My move from engineering to entrepreneurship was driven by the desire to solve real-world problems that I noticed during my career. While working as an engineer, I realized there were many inefficiencies in traditional HR processes, especially in recruitment and employee engagement. I saw an opportunity to use technology to improve these areas, which led me to the idea of creating a solution that could streamline these processes. That’s how the idea for my company was born. The first key step I took was identifying the specific pain points in HR that I wanted to address. I spent a lot of time understanding the challenges faced by HR professionals. Then, I built a small team of like-minded people who shared my vision. We started with a focus on recruitment automation and gradually expanded into other areas like employee engagement. Another important step was securing the right technology and resources to build our product and test it in the market. It wasn’t easy, but by staying committed to solving a real problem, we were able to grow the business from there.
StartupTalky: Why did you choose the HR Tech industry, and what trends or opportunities do you see shaping its future?
Mr. Kakkar: I have chosen this industry because I saw a clear need for innovation in HR processes, particularly around recruitment and employee engagement. Traditional methods were not keeping up with the fast-paced changes in the workplace, and I felt there was an opportunity to introduce technology, especially AI, to improve efficiency and make HR more strategic. Employees are the backbone of any business, and helping companies better engage with and retain their talent was a challenge that appealed to me.
As for the future, I see several key trends shaping the industry. One is the growing use of AI and data analytics to make more informed decisions about talent management. Automation will continue to reduce the time HR teams spend on repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus more on strategic initiatives like employee well-being and company culture. Another important trend is the increasing focus on diversity, inclusion, and employee mental health, which are becoming central to a company’s success. Finally, with remote work becoming more common, there will be more opportunities to develop tools that help companies engage and support their employees, no matter where they are based. These trends present exciting opportunities for further innovation in the HR tech space.
StartupTalky: What does Amara.ai do, and what real-world problem does your technology solve?
Mr. Kakkar: Our company provides an AI-powered chatbot designed to enhance employee engagement and support HR teams in managing their workforce more effectively. Our technology interacts with employees at key points in their lifecycle, gathering feedback, assessing engagement levels, and identifying any risks related to attrition or disengagement. The chatbot also helps foster a positive work environment by promoting diversity, inclusion, and employee wellbeing.
The real-world problem we solve is the challenge HR teams face in keeping employees engaged, especially in large organizations. Traditional HR methods often fall short when it comes to understanding employees’ needs and identifying potential issues early on. By using our AI-powered chatbot, companies can stay connected with their employees, ensure higher engagement levels, and address problems before they escalate. This ultimately helps improve employee satisfaction and retention, making HR processes more proactive and efficient.
Rishi Mundra
StartupTalky: Tell us about the core technology behind Amara.ai’s products or services, and how it stands out from others in the market.
Mr. Kakkar: Amara.ai’s core technology is driven by advanced AI algorithms designed to personalize and streamline employee engagement processes. What sets us apart is our intelligent chatbot, which not only automates repetitive HR tasks but also provides real-time insights into employee well-being, engagement, and satisfaction. Unlike many platforms, Amara integrates seamlessly with existing HR systems and offers highly customizable features, allowing organizations to scale effortlessly as they grow. Additionally, our focus on well-being assessments and diversity analysis ensures a holistic approach to employee engagement, making us a standout in the HR tech landscape.
StartupTalky: How did you secure your initial customers, and what strategies worked best to gain their trust and business?
Mr. Kakkar: Securing our initial customers was all about building trust through personalized, results-driven engagement. We focused on demonstrating the value of Amara.ai by offering trial periods where potential clients could experience firsthand how our AI-powered solutions streamlined their HR processes and improved employee engagement. Transparent communication and showcasing measurable outcomes, like improved employee satisfaction and reduced manual tasks, played a key role. Additionally, we leveraged customer testimonials and case studies to highlight successful implementations, which helped build credibility and encourage others to adopt our platform.
StartupTalky: What were the main challenges you faced early on, and how did you overcome them?
Mr. Kakkar: In the early stages, one of the main challenges was convincing businesses to adopt AI-powered HR solutions. Many companies were hesitant to transition from traditional methods, fearing complexity or loss of the human touch. To overcome this, we focused on educating potential customers about the benefits of automation and how Amara.ai enhances, rather than replaces, human interaction in HR.
Another challenge was refining our technology to meet diverse business needs. We addressed this by actively listening to customer feedback and continually improving our platform’s customization and integration capabilities. These efforts helped us build trust and create a solution that truly met the needs of our users.
StartupTalky: What tools or software are key to your business operations, and how do they help improve efficiency?
Mr. Kakkar: AI-powered platforms and cloud-based systems that automate processes like performance management and employee engagement are important tools in company operations. Real-time feedback collecting and predictive analytics are made possible by these solutions, which aid in the early detection of potential hazards like disengagement or retention. Workflows that are automated also minimize the need for human intervention, which increases process speed and accuracy in HR. This enhances overall productivity and employee experience while freeing up HR personnel to concentrate on strategic duties.
Devashish Shrivastava
