Former Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka launches AI-driven IT services startup Hang Ten Systems

Vishal Sikka, the former chief executive of Infosys, has launched Hang Ten Systems, an artificial intelligence startup designed to challenge the traditional IT services industry. The Bay Area-based venture has secured a $32 million seed funding round led by Mayfield, with strategic investment from Aramco Ventures. The company aims to help enterprises build, modify, and operate software through AI-driven development and automation, a move that signals a shift in how large-scale technology services are delivered.

The startup’s board includes Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang, and its founding team comprises veterans from Sikka’s previous ventures, including SAP, Infosys, and his earlier AI company, VianAI. Co-founders Navin Budhiraja, Sanjay Rajagopalan, and Tao Liu bring extensive experience in engineering and design, having worked alongside Sikka across multiple enterprise software roles. Mayfield Managing Partner Navin Chaddha noted that the company “just got started a month back” and has already secured paying customers, including Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and Fresenius.

Mayfield distinguishes Hang Ten Systems from Sikka’s previous venture, VianAI, which focused on enterprise AI applications and analytics. In contrast, Hang Ten is positioned as an enterprise AI services company built around agentic code generation and reusable AI skills. The firm argues that this model allows leverage to grow with every project, contrasting sharply with traditional services firms that scale linearly with headcount.

The launch occurs amid intense debate regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on the IT services sector. While some analysts suggest the industry faces significant disruption, Infosys chairman Nandan Nilekani recently stated that AI could expand the industry’s addressable market. Infosys has projected that “AI-first services” could represent a $300 billion to $400 billion market by 2030, positioning the technology as an opportunity rather than a threat to legacy providers.

Investor sentiment toward traditional IT services firms remains cautious, with Infosys shares falling over 35% this year as markets reassess the outlook for legacy models. Hang Ten Systems is currently hiring across delivery, engineering, sales, and leadership roles, with plans for global expansion to meet enterprise demand. Sikka, who spent 12 years building enterprise software at SAP before leading Infosys, described the company’s mission as helping large enterprises “hang ten on the biggest wave of our lifetimes.”