Priya:
Hello everyone, welcome to ELI, the only podcast in India where we bring a new founder on every episode to talk about their journey and their story of building a startup, and today, we have with us Sameer Kanodia, who is the founder of Lumina Datamatics. Hi Mr. Sameer, welcome.

Sameer:
Hi Priya, thank you so much for the introduction.

Priya:
To start with Mr Sameer, we would love to hear from you about your introduction, like I just briefly mentioned about you as a founder of Lumina, but if you can tell us a little more about yourself, about what are the things that you have done over the years, and that will set a context for our audience.

Sameer:
Sure. My name is Sameer Kanodia. I am a second-generation entrepreneur. So, I am not the founder but second-generation entrepreneur. I am the Managing Director and CEO of Lumina Datamatics. I’m also the Vice Chairmen and CEO of TNQTech. I have been with the company, yes, it’s a family business, but I have been employed for more than 30 years. So, I have gone through various experience over the last 30 years in the office.

Priya:
Wow.

Sameer:
So, Lumina Datamatics is in the world of content, and we cater to the international market. Our vision is to support global publishers and retailers, through innovative content, data and technology driven solutions. Our goal has always been to simplify complex workflows, enhance efficiencies and help our clients scale in a rapidly evolving digital world. Today, we are the largest content service provider in India. We have more than 7000 employees. Our global offices are spread across USA, Europe, Philippines and India. And our customer include 8 of the top 10 publishers, and we also cater to the 5 largest retailers worldwide.

Priya:
Wow. These are fascinating facts. Can you tell us a bit about the genesis of Lumina Dataamtics? Like when it was started, what was the purpose behind that? Was it always about the content or you pivot along the way?

Sameer:
So, we are part of the Datamatics group of companies. So, Datamatics global limited is a parent company, and one of that division in that company was providing content to the world of publishers and retailers. At some point in time, we thought let’s make it into a niche company and expand that into the world of content. So, we have created Lumina Datamatics by splitting it off from Datamatics Global Services merging it with premedia globally.

Priya:
Okay.

Sameer:
When these two entities merged, that created Lumina Datamatics.

Priya:
Okay.

Sameer:
Since then, of course, we have been growing in leaps and bounds. We have had multiple acquisitions. We have grown organically, inorganically. I can no reason why we can’t continue growing going forward.

Priya:
Understood. Could you also expand by explaining how Lumina Datamatics operates as a business. What are the unique solutions that you offer to the publishers and retailers? And any examples of how these eCommerce platforms use your content in their day-to-day operations.

Sameer:
So at a macro level, Lumina Datamatics offers end-to-end solutions that incorporate people, process and technology. We deliver editorial content and digital transformation services to publishers. We offer catalogue management, competitive intelligence, image adoption, data aggregation and sell management services for eCommerce platforms. Our strength lies in combining domain expertise at scale. We use automation and AI responsibly to gain efficiency. To make it more simplistic way on eCommerce side. The question that you asked, we help people to use eCommerce site to unable them to buy a product. So it is very easy for a customer to go on a website and look at the product, look at the features, do a bit of product descriptions, price matching, and so on so fourth, and enable them to make a more refined decision to purchase or not to purchase.

Priya:
Understood. You spoke about AI enabled content. I think the whole world of content services has been disrupted because of AI. AI has been disrupting every space of content starting from text content, video content to audio content. Everywhere there is AI, and the nature content writing as service is also changed. The content writers and content creators have become more of content editors and validators and supervisors because AI is doing bulk of its work. So, can you tell how has your business been changed or been disrupted because of AI?

Sameer:
So of course, AI is a big buzzword right now, but technology by itself always evolves. Okay, it’s never at the mature stage. So, what is new today is obsolete tomorrow. AI will continue to. AI will help us improve efficiency, help us improve productivity. It will lead to a lot of automation. Having said that, I don’t think it will be. I don’t think human race should be worried about job insecurities. Okay. All said and done, you still need the human mind to validate what automation does. And in the long run, finally, you know, whole AI, the whole technology landscape improves productivity. So, all of us entire all the humans will have to some sense. I won’t say all the humans, but many of us will have to enhance our skills set and move the value chain rather than or being fearful of AI or what AI will do. It will be disruptive in a positive manner, not on a negative manner.

Priya:
Understood. And I also understand you work at large volumes content, and you manage large volumes of product catalogues and digital workflows. So, it a volume game. What are the key challenges that publishers and eCommerce platforms face in managing these large volumes of content and why do they come to you? Because I understand at some point it goes out of their expertise and they hire experts to do that. So, can you give some examples around that?

Sameer:
So, the key challenge is that the reason that they outsource or in terms of the question that you asked what the challenges are that publishers and eCommerce face. The key challenge mainly includes the maintaining consistency and accuracy across large data sets, managing and collaborating with spread teams and ensuring fast turnaround times. eCommerce platforms as well as publishers will face pressure to adopt AI, to adopt technologies, to personalise things, to do things at scale, to do things faster, cheaper and better. So, the real things out here is the use of technology.

Priya:
Understood, and also, I understand it has to be a way more integrated, so everything is linked to other pieces of blogs in whole chain. So can you tell us how Lumina Datamatics bridge gaps in content creation, catalogue management and backend operations for publishers and online retailers.

Sameer:
So, for some of it we provide end-to-end solutions, and for some of it of course we are in some sense have to collaborate with other suppliers as well. When you do the work back to the customer also. So has never been a challenge. It’s always been food. There is not been any concern from that point.

Priya:
And in eCommerce specifically, how does Lumina assist in product data standardization? I think that is one challenge, enrichment and ensuring the content consistency is there across all the platforms. So, I think that is what eCommerce companies are struggling with right now.

Sameer:
Yeah, so that is not so much of a challenge. The customers by and large give us specific; they define how they want the work to be done. We train our people and the desired experience is required, and the customers gets what they really need from time-to-time basis. So, there is no concerns towards data getting in a totally different format, if that is the question. It is fairly standardised. Of course, every customer has the different requirements, but by and large there are no concerns.

Priya:
And one follow up around that would be how is Lumina helping clients to improve their efficiency of content production and making it more reliable by reducing errors or..

Sameer:
Well again, it boils of two things, you know. You boil through use of technology, so you remain efficient and you remain accurate, and it boils down to the fact that you train people constantly, to meeting customer requirements. Each customer has got a different requirement, as long as they pay them for a specific project or for the specific task, that normally there is no concerns.

Priya:
Understood. If we can go a little deep into how you use AI, can you show how automation or AI and data driven workflows are transforming your workflows, for when you are working with publishers or eCommerce backend processes.

Sameer:
So, can you repeat the question again?

Priya:
So, just trying to understand how is Lumina helping clients improve operational efficiency, so that is something that you have already answered.

Sameer:
Yeah.

Priya:
But, to the AI, the other question, how automation is in place, how data driven workflows are transforming publishing and eCommerce backend processes?

Sameer:
So, technology has always been in place. We have been a tech company since last 50 years. The Datamatics Group is a 50-year-old organization. So, we have always ridden at the back of technology, more towards automation, so on and so forth. So, there is never been an issue towards integration of our services to customer requirements or the way customers use that in any which ways.

Priya:
Hmmm. Hmm. Okay, and what are you working around innovations like what innovations and expansions is Lumina planning next year in terms of content services or eCommerce services?

Sameer:
Well, the world of content is large. The world of eCommerce is extremely large. We will continue growing through organic roots as well as inorganic roots. We will constantly invest in technology, and we will constantly look at suitable opportunities for M&As to grow exponentially. As I said, we are the largest player in India today, and we are the third largest player in the world.

Priya:
Got you. And these days one big concern is coming around data security because lot of the work that is happening is using LLM and AI, and when you try to do that you are sending data outside your premised, and by doing that the data sometimes gets compromised. How does Lumina ensure data security, quality and compliance in large scale settings. For example, publishers or eCommerce operations, they are operating under a large scale. How do you ensure data security is in place, compliance is in place.

Sameer:
So, as an organization, we are an ISO 9000 certified organization. So, we have processes in place, documentation in place. We are GDPR compliant. All the work that customer send us, they send us through a secured network. So, there is no concern towards loss of data or theft of data, if that is the concern to the customers, either in publishing world or eCommerce world. So, there is never been a concern so far that we have faced so far in this space.

Priya:
Hmm. Alright. And finally, what advice would you give to immerging tech entrepreneur who are looking to leverage AI, automation and content operations in publishing?

Sameer:
Well, technology, quality, whatever you like, has always been the backbone of efficiency and quality. So, technology will constantly evolve, it will never mature. The world will, you will have to keep pace with that. Okay. So, initially you had various technologies doing various things, but sooner or later each one of them gets obsolete until the new one comes out, that ChatGPT is a fantastic example. It’s in many ways gives you the lot more information than the previous search engine, but today everybody is talking about AI. I think it is equally important to use AI in responsible manner. It is only natural to have fears that AI will lead to unemployment, but in my honest opinion, AI will lead to better productivity, force all of us to upgrade our skills and hence all of us I think will move up the value chain. So, I don’t think there should be any concerns or insecurities regarding jobs. So, the use of technology will only help us grow the global economy. I don’t think there should be any fears of unemployment whatsoever.

Priya:
Understood.

Sameer:
Long term will only be positive; it won’t be negative.

Priya:
So, AI is going to create more jobs, and more expertise is required going forward?

Sameer:
Well, if I can use a classic example that a common man will understand, you know, when you thought Uber and Ola come, the taxis will disappear. Fact of the matter is not, you know, they were only added to the ecosystem. And similarly, you know, before, I mean, the wall of hotels, but now there can be Airbnb, and all these things have come up. They have only added to the ecosystem; they have not eliminated something else. So, there are insecurities, there are fears, but in the long run, I don’t think this is the concern.

Priya:
Understood, but what will happen to content workstreams that are there? For example, we are seeing movie production houses are now completely relying on AI. So, people who were involved in production design and cameraman. So, the requirements will reduce, the number of manpower will reduce. Don’t you think that is a disruption that is just one example of how AI is disrupting?

Sameer:
It can be. It depends how you look at it. It can be disruptive the way you look at it. But at the same time, it forces people to move the value. So, I don’t think it will eliminate. Yeah, of course, to some extent it will remove some employment, but it will generate new employment.

Priya:
Got it.

Sameer:
I mean earlier years ago, generations ago, when people were committing from point A to point B, they went by foot, then came bullock cart, then came buses, and then planes. So, they added to whole ecosystem; the are not eliminate anything else.

Priya:
Understood. And you have been observing the whole chain of things happening in the last three of four years since the LLM came around. Initially, the text content got disrupted, then audio, then video. What do you think is going to happen in future? What are the new sets of disruptions or new set of innovations are around the corner as per you?

Sameer:
That is a good question. I don’t have answer to that question. That is a million-dollar question. A lot of people predict that the human race will be working fewer hours in a week than normal. I don’t think that is going to. I think they will only increase the work hours. I think the quality of life will go up. Nothing beyond that. I don’t think we disruptive in any sense.

Priya:
Got it. And finally, before we end up, I just have one last question. These are interesting times; we spoke about AI. We also spoke about the decades of experience that you have got as an entrepreneur. What do you think is happening to entrepreneurship in general? How would your advice the new entrepreneur to approach the process of entrepreneurship in today’s day and age?

Sameer:
Well, I think it’s good to be, in my opinion, one should get a few years of experience working in a corporate house of a call before branching out and become and entrepreneur. So, at least you can learn, and at least you can have a mentor before you go in your own direction. Of course, whenever you become an entrepreneur, there is a bit of risk involved. Okay, but no risk, no gain. So, as long as you take a calculative risk, and of course you have to in some ways raise money, but as long as you don’t expose yourself to unnecessary risk, I don’t think there is too much of a concern.

Priya:
Okay.

Sameer:
I would certainly encourage people to be entrepreneur, but do think in a meaningful manner. Do think in a calculated manner. Don’t overexpose yourself.

Priya:
And just follow up question just before we end. How have you seen the process of entrepreneurship change? For example, earlier one entrepreneur would need land, labour and capital. I think that is a most defined way of staring a new business. You need capital to you know start things. You need manpower to do your things. But now you have all of these replaced by AI. You can have AI agents who can do your job. You can probably instead of recruiting people you can recruit AI agents and do your jobs. So, the whole game is changing. How is the process of entrepreneurship 2025 and beyond look like?

Sameer:
Oh, I know. I think that is going to be slightly overexaggerated. Yes, there will be use of technology. Yes, there will be automation. Yes, there will be a lot for outsourcing. But all said and done, thanks to covid, people are working remotely, and whatever it is. So, there are good things also about it. The fact is that, you know, that you don’t necessarily need to have a huge office. You can get talent across the world. You can get new ideas. You can, you know, you can take off from with a very small capital. So, it is not scary as you make it sound, that you know you need a lot of things of what’s going to happen in the future. I don’t think it’s that bad.

Priya:
Understood.

Sameer:
But of course, at the same time, you have to take a calculative risk, and let’s not do things with the heck of doing something.

Priya:
Got you. But AI still is a big enabler, and anybody who wants to pursue entrepreneurship have to understand.

Sameer:
AI is an enabler, no doubt about that. I think it will make things far more efficient. I think it will add value to the entire ecosystem. How far go, we will see. It is still not mature. It is still evolving. So, I think we got a while to go before you know AI really takes over the world. There is a lot of investments required. Make no mistake about that. Don’t think you can take something and write code, and it will automate automatically do something for us. It won’t happen that fast. All the human minds still have to validate what automation does.

Priya:
Understood. Got you. So, on this note, we have arrived at the closure of the session. Thanks for joining us, Mr. Sameer. It was a pleasure to have you on our platform, and our best wishes for Lumina Datamatics.

Sameer:
Thank you.