Suresh Sambandam: Navigating the Success Story of Kissflow in the World of Low-Code Solutions

Suresh Sambandam, the Founder and CEO of Kissflow, has journeyed through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship to become a prominent figure in the world of low-code software solutions. His story is not just about building a successful company but also about persevering through challenges and contributing to the growth of India’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) ecosystem. Suresh Sambandam’s entrepreneurial spirit began to shine early in life when he had to put his college education on hold to help his father resolve a crisis in their family business. While he never returned to college, Sambandam’s interest in computers led him to start a small training center with four computers in his hometown of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, at the age of 19. What started as a business venture soon became a passionate journey of self-learning and experimentation.

During these initial years, Sambandam taught himself various software and technology skills, often going to great lengths to acquire knowledge. He invested in a three-day course in Chennai, which was a significant expense at the time, and biked to nearby Puducherry to purchase software textbooks, as there were no bookstores in Cuddalore that carried such materials.

After years of self-learning and dedication, Sambandam secured a job at Hewlett Packard (HP) in Bengaluru. His work at HP included contributing to the development of a fraud-detection solution for Vodafone, leading to the creation of three US patents to his name. This experience laid the foundation for his future endeavors in the tech industry. Later, Sambandam joined Determine (formerly Selectica), a Silicon Valley-based company. While leading his own team, the insurance software unit he was a part of got acquired by Accenture in 2003. Instead of joining the corporate giant, Sambandam decided it was time to embark on his entrepreneurial journey.

Kissflow started its journey as OrangeScape Technologies in India with the initial aim of building a low-code, no-code platform. However, they faced a challenge—people were not ready for such a platform at the time. Sambandam and his team were ahead of their time and had to pivot. Around 2010, they shifted their focus to developing workflow software, and over the next few years, as the low-code wave gained momentum, they re-entered the low-code business. This time, the market was more receptive, and Kissflow was positioned to thrive. Kissflow found its niche in helping medium to large-sized companies streamline their middle-office processes. While customer-facing and backend software solutions were well-established, middle-office systems were often unique to each company and required automation. Kissflow stepped in to fill this gap by offering automation solutions for various middle-office processes, including reimbursement applications.

For example, large organizations like Bank of the Philippine Islands, with thousands of employees, rely on Kissflow to automate and streamline processes that previously relied on emails for approvals. This automation not only improves efficiency but also centralizes data for better analysis and collaboration.

Today, Kissflow boasts a team of 400 employees serving 10,000 business customers across 160 countries. Among these customers, approximately 1,500 are paying clients. While Kissflow has discontinued its free plans, it continues to support legacy users. The company has a strong presence in Chennai, Bengaluru, other Indian cities, the United States, Dubai, and the Philippines. Some of the world’s largest corporations, including PepsiCo, Michelin Tyres, World Vision, and major banks, rely on Kissflow’s industry-agnostic software to streamline their processes.

Outside of Kissflow, Sambandam is an influential figure in India’s SaaS ecosystem. He co-founded the SaaSBOOMi community and has been a vocal advocate for the potential of the Indian SaaS sector, envisioning it as a trillion-dollar industry. Sambandam’s journey has been marked by resilience and determination. He weathered challenges, including a co-founder’s departure, which took six months to stabilize and return to growth. Looking ahead, he has ambitious goals for Kissflow, aiming to achieve $100 million in revenue within three to five years and securing a prominent position among the top vendors in the low-code market.

In an industry poised for substantial growth, Suresh Sambandam’s vision and dedication continue to drive Kissflow’s success and contribute to the evolution of India’s thriving SaaS ecosystem.