Motive Technologies to Double India Workforce, Joining AI Unicorns' Expansion in Bangalore

Motive to Hire Hundreds as AI Unicorns Follow Big Tech to India

Fleet management startup Motive Technologies Inc. plans to more than double its India headcount, joining a rising number of artificial intelligence unicorns from Silicon Valley expanding in the South Asian country. The San Francisco-based startup plans to hire more than 300 people for its AI, product and engineering teams at its Bangalore development center over the next two years, Chief Executive Officer Shoaib Makani said in an interview. Valued at $2.85 billion in a 2022 funding round, Motive's tools help fleet operators manage their workers, vehicles and expenditures.

Motive to hire hundreds as AI unicorns follow Big Tech to India

Motive Technologies Inc. plans to double its India headcount, hiring over 300 AI, product, and engineering staff in Bangalore over two years. Valued at $2.85 billion, it joins other AI startups expanding in India, leveraging its talent pool. Prominent corporations like Meta and Microsoft are already leading this trend in the world's most populous nation.Fleet management startup Motive Technologies Inc. plans to more than double its India headcount, joining a rising number of artificial intelligence unicorns from Silicon Valley expanding in the South Asian country. The San Francisco-based startup plans to hire more than 300 people for its AI, product and engineering teams at its Bangalore development center over the next two years, Chief Executive Officer Shoaib Makani said in an interview. Valued at $2.85 billion in a 2022 funding round, Motive's tools help fleet operators manage their workers, vehicles and expenditures. Motive is among upstarts that are following major tech corporations like Meta Platforms Inc. and Microsoft Corp. into India, betting on one of the world's deepest AI engineering pools to speed up product cycles and accelerate innovation. The southern city of Bangalore in particular is emerging as a hot spot as the tech industry spends billions of dollars to add facilities and recruit AI workers in the world's most populous country. "The AI talent density in Bangalore rivals the Bay Area," said Makani, a Google and Khosla Ventures alum. "If you aren't in Bangalore, you are at a strategic disadvantage." Bangalore, India's foremost tech hub, will house a third of Motive's global R&D headcount. Motive, whose 120,000 customers include the likes of FedEx Corp. and Halliburton Co., currently has about 250 employees in the country. AI will have a cumulative global economic impact of $19.9 trillion through 2030, bolstering growth across the planet, according to a recent study by market research firm IDC. However, a talent shortage threatens to slow down its adoption -- one in two AI jobs in the US will be unfilled by 2027, and India will be a million people short of skilled AI talent by that year, according to a recent report from Bain & Co. Unicorn Abbyy Software, which specializes in AI-powered document automation, last week opened an R&D center in Bangalore with about 65 positions, and plans to double that over the next year. The region's talented workforce offers tremendous opportunities for startups, Ulf Persson, CEO of the Milpitas, California-based company, said in an announcement. Palo Alto, California-based enterprise AI startup Glean Technologies Inc., valued at $4.6 billion, had about 100 engineers in its Bangalore development center last year, with plans to triple the headcount this year. Other unicorns like ElevenLabs and AlphaSense have also opened research centers in India. Next week, Norwegian AI company Cognite AS, which builds AI solutions for the world's largest energy corporations, will open a Bangalore facility with about 100 positions, including roles in AI and machine learning.

AI unicorn Motive to hire 300 engineers in India for AI, product teams

Valued at nearly $2.85 billion during its last funding round in 2022, San Francisco-based Motive builds technology to help companies run their physical operations with AI tools.Artificial intelligence-powered fleet management startup Motive has announced that it will more than double its India headcount by strengthening its product, engineering and R&D teams. Over the next two years, the company plans to hire over 300 engineers and designers, including some in senior leadership roles, at its Bengaluru development centre, cofounder and chief executive Shoaib Makani told ET. Valued at nearly $2.85 billion during its last funding round in 2022, San Francisco-based Motive builds technology to help companies run their physical operations with AI tools. Backed by the likes of Google Ventures, Index Ventures and Greenoaks Capital, the company services over 1,500 clients, including FedEx Freight, Halliburton, and Kone. It also works with multiple governments for fleet management. "In India, we have had a full-stack team since 2020. They are solving end-to-end customer problems across the platform. We serve a global audience from the country, and we plan to continue its growth," Makani said. The company, which primarily operates in the North American market, plans to expand to Europe by the end of this year. The expansion in India is a result of its business growing globally. "We have more products coming, and we are going into new geographies. We have a lot more to build, hence the need for more engineers across the stack: hardware, software and AI research," Makani added. Motive is also actively hiring senior leaders in key leadership roles to lead the company's R&D department. The company has partnered with institutions such as the IITs to acquire talent through its internship programme. Speaking about what AI means for jobs, Makani said the technology has to be used to amplify impact, not replace it. "It's not that AI is going to replace engineers. Engineers who use AI will replace engineers who don't. We encourage our team to experiment and upskill, because it is not about replacement -- it's about amplification," he said. Following talent to India Motive is the latest in a series of tech giants expanding in India to acquire talent. Meta Platforms and Microsoft are betting on India, as well, to deepen their AI talent pool. AI unicorn Abbyy Software launched its new R&D centre in India on Monday, with new positions open. Last July, US-based enterprise AI assistant platform Glean Technologies set up its first office in India with the aim of investing up to $50 million (around Rs 400 crore) over the next two years.

Motive to Hire 300 AI Professionals in India for Life-Saving Tech

Motive has nearly 250 employees in India, working on AI models and software solutions for industries like transportation, construction, energy, and field services. Motive, an AI-powered operations platform, has announced plans to hire over 300 engineers, product managers, and designers in India over the next two years. The platform now employs nearly 250 people in India, dedicated to creating AI models and software solutions for industries such as transportation, construction, energy, and field services. Since its inception in India in 2020, the company has concentrated on advancing technology that enhances safety and efficiency in physical operations. "Our India team is tackling some of Motive's most complex customer challenges, developing AI-powered technology that is revolutionising physical operations and driving measurable impact for businesses worldwide," said Jairam Ranganathan, chief product officer at Motive. As part of the expansion, Motive plans to hire more than 20 AI engineers by the end of this year and over 50 AI engineers by the end of 2026. These hires will contribute to building foundational AI models trained on diverse datasets, aligned with the IndiaAI mission. Motive's India team already developed key AI innovations for safety and efficiency in physical operations. These include the Motive AI Dashcam Collision Detection system, which uses AI to detect collisions and alert emergency responders, helping commercial drivers receive life-saving assistance faster. The team has also developed Motive Spend Management, an AI-powered fleet card that reduces costs, prevents fraud, and uncovers hidden savings, already preventing millions of dollars in unauthorised transactions. Additionally, Motive's Fleet Management Solutions leverage AI to analyse real-time vehicle and driver data, improving safety, optimising operations, and reducing costs through advanced telematics, diagnostics, route planning, and fuel management. Global companies such as FedEx Freight, Halliburton, and KONE use these technologies to enhance the safety and productivity of their operations. The company is also hiring senior leaders in India to help drive its AI innovation strategy and is looking for experienced professionals who can build and scale global products. Alongside this, Motive continues to invest in future talent through its intern program, partnering with IITs and IIITs. Interns work on real-world AI and software development projects, and many are hired for full-time roles after completing the program.