In a world where industries are racing against obsolescence, one entrepreneur has made it his mission to bridge the gap between outdated systems and the demands of Industry 4.0. Shantanu Barai, Founder of IAVerse, has become a name synonymous with modernization, innovation, and transformation.
At just 29, Shantanu embarked on his entrepreneurial journey, investing a modest ₹3 lakhs to launch IAVerse in 2022. Today, only three years later, the company has grown into a thriving enterprise with an annual turnover exceeding ₹12 crores. Its solutions are not confined to India alone but are making waves internationally, with collaborations involving government bodies, Fortune 500 companies, and major manufacturing enterprises.
The core of IAVerse lies in its mission: modernizing legacy systems and processes. Shantanu observed that while industries acknowledged the need for digitalization, they often hesitated due to the risks and costs of replacing decades-old infrastructure. His idea was revolutionary—rather than replacing, why not modernize existing systems with intelligent, immersive tools?
This vision gave birth to two flagship products:
- iTwinity, a real-time industrial digital twin platform that provides live operational insights, performance monitoring, and analytics.
- iSimulo, a simulation and training tool that enables organizations to test process changes, predict outcomes, and train staff in AR and VR before implementation.
Together, these platforms empower industries to improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and make data-driven decisions with confidence.
Yet, the road to success was far from smooth. Industries rooted in traditional methods resisted change. Integrating cutting-edge solutions with outdated systems presented technical challenges. Above all, proving return on investment (ROI) to conservative clients was no easy feat. Shantanu and his team overcame these hurdles by running pilot projects, demonstrating measurable results that spoke louder than promises. Once industries saw the efficiency gains, resistance turned into trust.
Shantanu credits his inspiration to Satya Nadella, who transformed Microsoft by modernizing legacy platforms into future-ready systems. “Integration is key,” he often says, echoing Nadella’s philosophy that innovation must work with what already exists.
IAVerse’s impact is evident across sectors. From helping factories predict breakdowns to enabling seamless onboarding of employees through immersive simulations, its solutions have redefined industrial workflows. The recognition has been swift—Shantanu has received the Digital Visionary of the Year 2025 (India Business Awards) and the Most Transformative Digital Twin Innovation Award 2025, while IAVerse was named among the 10 Most Promising Deeptech Companies in India by CIO Tech Outlook.
Looking ahead, Shantanu envisions IAVerse becoming a global leader in industrial modernization, expanding into smart cities, infrastructure development, and advanced manufacturing hubs. His advice to budding entrepreneurs is simple yet profound: “Solve problems that matter, focus on long-term value, and align innovation with market readiness.”
From a small beginning in Kolkata’s Sector V, Salt Lake, to becoming a beacon of Industry 4.0 transformation, Shantanu’s journey embodies courage, vision, and resilience. He is not just building a company; he is reshaping the way industries prepare for the future.
