In our Women in Tech series, we feature Priti Sawant, Founder & CEO of JoulestoWatts. She shares her journey of building India’s GCC enablement industry from scratch, competing with global giants as a solo founder, and her mission to create the country’s first woman-led billion-dollar tech company.
Spotting the GCC Opportunity Early
In the early 2000s, as Global Capability Centers (GCCs) in India were shutting down or being acquired, Sawant identified a critical gap. Companies needed specialised support to establish and scale their Indian operations.
- In 2004–2005, she founded Magna Infotech to create an enablement ecosystem for GCCs.
- The venture eventually contributed to the listing of Quess Corp, setting the foundation for her larger vision.
By 2015, armed with experience and backing from Mohandas Pai and Dr. Ranjan Pai, Sawant launched JoulestoWatts — a company that today employs 5,800 professionals across nine countries and has enabled over 330 GCCs, including 70% of Fortune 500 firms.
Building a Tech-First Advantage
JoulestoWatts differentiates itself with proprietary platforms designed specifically for GCCs:
- J2W
- Align 360
- J2W Premier Lounge
- J2W Offer Letter
This data-driven approach enables real-time decision-making, hourly business intelligence, and customer satisfaction tracking. Recently, the company integrated AI solutions, cutting proof-of-concept development time and accelerating delivery by 60–70%.
Competing With Agility Against Global Giants
As a solo founder competing with industry heavyweights, Sawant turned agility into JoulestoWatts’ strength.
- Achieved 100% year-on-year growth during the first four years.
- Survived and scaled during the COVID-19 crisis.
- Built offerings tailored to BFSI, healthcare, retail, and automotive sectors, directly addressing customer problem statements.
Women in Tech: Breaking Barriers Naturally
Sawant recalls her early years as an “unknowing struggle,” where biases went unspoken. Today, she leads by example:
- 50% of her direct reports are women
- 32% women in the tech workforce (higher than industry average)
- Nearly 50% women in enterprise workforce
Importantly, she emphasises organic inclusion over quotas: “I’m not in favour of creating artificial ecosystems for women. I’d rather make myself sustainable and move ahead.”
Harnessing the Power of AI
Positioned at the forefront of “new AI engineering,” JoulestoWatts is:
- Developing AI agents and accelerators for healthcare and retail.
- Building location-agnostic workforce platforms.
- Using AI internally to improve efficiency.
The Road to $100M and Beyond
India’s GCC market is projected to grow from $65B to $120B, and JoulestoWatts is on track to capture a significant share. For 2025, the company is targeting $100–120M in revenue, including inorganic growth through acquisitions.
Sawant’s larger vision: create India’s first woman-led billion-dollar tech company. “As MDP says, we need one woman tech entrepreneur who builds a billion-dollar story. That’s my dream,” she says.
Staying Rooted in Fundamentals
Even as she scales, Sawant’s philosophy remains unchanged:
- Customer-centricity
- High-speed execution
- Data-driven decision-making
“We will remain an extremely customer-centric and high-speed organisation,” she emphasises.
Key Takeaway
Priti Sawant’s journey proves that with foresight, resilience, and agility, Indian women in tech can build global companies that reshape industries. JoulestoWatts is not just enabling GCCs — it’s building a roadmap for India’s billion-dollar woman-led success story.
