Indians are at the helm of some of the world’s biggest technology companies. Karan Walia is one of them and his company Cluep is taking the world of artificial intelligence and mobile advertising by storm.
Born in a small town in Punjab, Karan ended up moving to Canada alone when he was just 14. The idealistic millennial made a breakthrough when he helped write an AI algorithm that can serve ads based on what people publicly say and how they feel on social media.
Cluep’s patented AI technology is now used by brands like Amazon, Microsoft, Spotify, Mercedes-Benz, Red Bull, Starbucks, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s in multiple markets with plans on expanding into Karan’s hometown. “We are seeing a very strong demand from India and other parts of Asia and are planning on investing and hiring people locally in these markets,” says Karan.
According to Karan, you cannot build a successful advertising technology company that provides positive value to real people without considering empathy. This is because empathy is all about the ability to understand the feelings and emotions of people.
When asked what’s something that kept him going during tough moments, Karan shared “My upbringing, values and love I got from my parents while growing up in India definitely played a very important role. Also, the kindness, hard work ethics, respect and helpfulness for each other that I was surrounded by in my community while growing up in India shaped me. That’s where I got my work ethics, perseverance and discipline to focus on a long-term vision.”
