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SaaS soonicorn Whatfix has appointed its cofounder Vara Kumar Namburu as chief executive, shortly after the unfortunate passing of cofounder Khadim Batti. Namburu, who cofounded the startup with Batti back in 2013, had been helming the research and development wing of the SaaS company. As CEO, he will lead Whatfix’s next phase of growth while building on its customer-focused strategy and culture. “Over the past 12 years, we built Whatfix on a shared conviction that technology should empower people, not stand in their way. As I step into the role of CEO, our executive leadership team and I remain deeply committed to realising that vision, supporting our global customers and partners, and building an enduring enterprise anchored in strong fundamentals,” the new CEO said. Whatfix offers an AI-powered digital adoption platform that helps enterprises train employees, improve software adoption and get more value from their technology investments. Its platform combines digital adoption, analytics, simulation training and AI agents to provide real-time guidance, automate support and identify areas where users face difficulties while using software. Whatfix serves more than 650 enterprises globally, including 80+ Fortune 500 companies such as Shell, Schneider Electric, Mercedes Benz, Heineken, and UPS Supply Chain Solutions. Its product portfolio includes a product analytics platform and Whatfix Mirror, which helps enterprises create interactive simulations of applications for employee training. The startup has a presence across North America, the UK, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Australia, and counts Warburg Pincus, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Dragoneer, Peak XV Partners, Eight Roads and Cisco Investments among its investors. It has raised over $260 Mn till date. The development comes in the wake of Batti’s sudden passing, which has put a renewed focus on succession planning in India’s startup ecosystem, where founder dependence can create risks for companies, investors and employees. Succession and estate planning, once largely associated with established businesses, are becoming increasingly relevant for startups as founders seek to protect their families’ interests while ensuring business continuity.
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