Former Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka launches Hang Ten Systems with $32M in seed funding to disrupt traditional IT services using AI automation.
In a move that could reshape the global information technology landscape, Vishal Sikka, the former CEO of Indian IT heavyweight Infosys, has stepped back into the enterprise arena with a bold new venture. Sikka has officially launched Hang Ten Systems, an artificial intelligence startup aimed squarely at challenging the multi-billion-dollar business models of traditional, headcount-driven IT consulting firms.
The Palo Alto-based startup has successfully exited stealth mode by securing $32 million in seed funding. According to certain reports, the oversubscribed round was led by venture capital firm Mayfield, with notable participation from Aramco Ventures and highly regarded industry angels, including Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang.
Reimagining Enterprise Software Delivery
For decades, the global IT services sector—dominated by giants like Infosys, TCS, and Accenture—has relied on a linear economic model: hiring and outsourcing thousands of human engineers to handle manual software configuration, system integration, testing, and continuous maintenance. Hang Ten Systems plans to replace this traditional setup with an “AI-native” delivery model.
Instead of assigning extensive human development teams to large enterprise clients, Hang Ten employs advanced AI agents powered by foundational models from pioneers such as OpenAI and Anthropic. These specialized AI models utilize agentic code generation and massive, reusable AI skills libraries to continuously build, modify, and operate complex corporate systems. Sikka argues that this paradigm shift will allow large companies to deploy capabilities in a matter of days that historically required years of manual human programming.
Sikka highlighted the widening competitive divide facing modern corporations:
“Every single enterprise will be transformed by AI. A few are already reaping massive benefits, building in days what used to take years. But most are stuck at the starting line, or worse, and the gap is widening every day.”
Targeting Core Business Functions
Unlike many general-purpose generative AI platforms, Hang Ten Systems focuses entirely on the complex, highly specific software that runs core enterprise operations. This includes deeply integrated back-end infrastructure supporting human resources, finance tracking, and product development lifecycles.
The startup’s value proposition has already attracted high-profile global enterprises eager to reduce their reliance on conventional system integrators. Hang Ten has confirmed active partnerships with major initial clients, including healthcare titan Fresenius and renewable energy giant Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy.
A Credible Challenger to Legacy IT
Industry experts note that Sikka possesses the exact operational pedigree required to orchestrate this type of industry disruption. Beyond his tenure leading Infosys from 2014 to 2017, Sikka spent 12 years at German software powerhouse SAP SE, serving as its first-ever Chief Technology Officer and spearheading the architecture of the widely successful HANA database system. Following his departure from Infosys, Sikka also founded enterprise AI platform Vianai Systems in 2019 and served on Oracle’s board of directors.
Hang Ten’s launch arrives at an inflection point for traditional IT providers. The rapid rise of automated programming tools has sparked heated debates over whether AI will augment human outsourcing firms or trigger structural obsolescence, pushing legacy IT providers to pivot quickly toward AI-centric consulting platforms.
With its fresh $32 million injection, Hang Ten Systems is aggressively hiring across global engineering, sales, and software delivery leadership roles. By transforming complex corporate architecture into a highly automated process, Sikka’s latest venture marks a significant milestone in transitioning the tech services industry from a human headcount model to scalable, AI-driven infrastructure.
About the Author
Jennifer Sakmufuwo Baba is a tech analyst and writer covering artificial intelligence, fintech, and emerging technologies at TechRegard. Based in Nigeria, she's passionate about translating complex tech developments into compelling, accessible stories for diverse audiences. Her work focuses on how technology shapes innovation across Africa and globally.
