Meet Baskar Subramanian Who Dropped Out Of IIT To Build A Company Worth Rs 11,500

Imagine getting admission in IIT, one of the topmost educational institutes of the country, and dropping out just because he doesn’t like the environment. Such a move would certainly be termed as a career-destroying decision by most people, but not so for Baskar Subramaniam, CEO and co-founder of Amagi Media Labs. Baskar joined IIT Bombay, but soon decided that he wanted to own his own enterprise rather than be trained in the skill set required for the job. He also did not like the atmosphere of IIT and hence he left his studies.

Amagi Labs was founded in Bangalore by Baskar Subramaniam, KA Srinivasan and Srividya Srinivasan. Thereafter, the business growth momentum continued, and in November last year, Amagi Media Labs raised Rs 800 crore at an estimated valuation of $1.4 billion (Rs 11,500 crore).

Hailing from a middle-class family, Baskar was inspired from an early age by the story of Microsoft founder Bill Gates and wanted to become a top software developer. His parents could not afford a computer at home and so he learned to develop software in his school’s computer lab. He sold his first software when he was in 11th standard. From GCT Coimbatore, Baskar holds a degree in Computer Science Engineering. Thereafter, he joined IIT Bombay but left to pursue his dream.

He then worked for organizations such as Texas Instruments. In 2000, he launched his second business, ImpulseSoft. In 2002, he created audio headsets, and in 2004, he created one of the first Bluetooth watches. SiRF Technology Holdings acquired Busker’s business in 2005. In 2008, he co-founded Amagi with two friends.

Amagi is a media technology business that dominates the SaaS (software-as-a-service) market in the country. It helped TV broadcasters display different advertisements to viewers based on geography and pioneered targeted advertising.