Written in Partnership with James Hill
Balachandar Karthikeyan, a 28-year-old tech entrepreneur from India, has been making waves in the tech industry with his impressive contributions to WhatsApp, Signal, and his own chatbot company, Bringar. Despite not being the best-performing student in school or college, Balachandar taught himself programming and hacking skills through books and online resources. His talent and hard work paid off when he discovered a security bug in WhatsApp and reported it to the team, leading to a collaboration with the co-founder and team. In addition to his work with WhatsApp and Signal, Balachandar founded Bringar, a chatbot company that has reached 25 million users globally and is one of the few chatbot companies worldwide to run without external investment. In this interview, we’ll learn more about Balachandar’s journey and his innovative contributions to the tech industry.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started in the tech industry?
A: Of course, I’m Balachandar Karthikeyan, a tech entrepreneur from India. I’ve always been fascinated by technology, even from a young age. I learned all the tech skills and coding from books and online resources at a faster pace than what was taught in school and college, so I wasn’t focusing much on my formal education. I realized that grades were not a true indicator of my potential, and I didn’t worry about them as they seemed quite useless to me. My passion for technology led me to start my journey in the tech industry.
Q: How did you get involved with WhatsApp?
A: After dropping out of college, I discovered a security bug in WhatsApp and reported it to the team. The co-founder of WhatsApp was impressed with my finding and allowed me to contribute to the platform. I was the only person from India at the time who directly collaborated with the US co-founder and team. I interacted with them daily, discussing upcoming features and giving suggestions on how to improve the platform.
Q: We’ve heard that you’ve worked closely with the co-founder of WhatsApp and Signal. Can you tell us more about your role in these companies?
A: Yes, I have worked closely with the co-founder of WhatsApp and Signal, providing ideas for their products and discussing upcoming features. My daily interactions with them allowed me to give suggestions on how to improve the platforms and develop features that catered to the Indian market. Being able to work with such innovative companies has been an incredible experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunities they’ve given me to contribute to their success.
Q: We’ve heard that the WhatsApp and Signal co-founder has spoken publicly about your contributions to the company. Can you tell us more about that?
A: Yes, the co-founder has spoken about me in international media, saying, “I have a very good friend and colleague who lives in India. He gives my product ideas, and I talk to him every day. That’s the best way for building a product for India”. I’m honored that he has recognized my contributions to the platform and that he values my input in shaping the product for the Indian market.
Q: You also have your own company called Bringar. Can you tell us about that?
A: Yes, Bringar is a chatbot company that I founded. We created a chatbot app and launched it in the US market in 2019. Through word of mouth, the app grew exponentially, reaching 1 million users in the first year. We recently expanded to Dubai to have an offshore office and to expand our operations.
Q: How does Bringar stand out from other chatbot companies?
A: Bringar is one of the few chatbot companies worldwide to run without external investment. We’ve bootstrapped the company, and we’re proud to say that we haven’t raised any funds from investors. We’ve also announced that our chatbot app has reached 25 million users globally, and we’re the first in the world to bring chatbot support for top messaging apps in a single platform.
Q: That’s really impressive growth! What’s next for Bringar?
A: We’re continuing to expand our platform to help small businesses worldwide set up no-code chatbot support. We’re also exploring new markets and opportunities to innovate in the chatbot space.
Q: Thank you so much for your time today, Balachandar. It was great to learn more about your journey and your work with WhatsApp and Bringar.
A: Thank you for having me!
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