How Pushpendra Kumar Rose from a Mechanic’s Son in Uttar Pradesh to Build One of India’s Leading CPaaS Companies

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 21: From the lanes of a small town in Uttar Pradesh to the technology alleys of Mumbai and Bangalore, Pushpendra Kumar's journey is one that makes us understand why grit, foresight, and humility are still relevant today in the era of AI and rapid-scaling unicorns. 

As the Founder and CEO of Equence Technologies Pvt Ltd, Pushpendra Kumar heads one of India's most rapidly growing CPaaS (Communication Platform as a Service) firms: operating across industries as varied as banking, healthcare, education, and real estate with robust digital communication solutions. 

But behind the numbers and achievements is the tale of a man moulded by adversity, led by purpose, and anchored in values.

We spoke with Pushpendra to discuss his background, the process of establishing Equence, and his impressions of the constantly changing communication technology sector.

Q: Pushpendra, tell us a little about your roots. How did your early life shape your entrepreneurial mindset?

I was born in a humble family in Uttar Pradesh. My father worked as a mechanic, so growing up, we didn’t have much in material terms, but what we did have was dignity, discipline, and the drive to make things work with whatever we had. That environment taught me to be resourceful, to think practically, and to never shy away from hard work. I believe those early experiences shaped the grit and determination I bring to the table even today.

Q: You pursued your graduation in Hindi. How did that lead to a tech-driven career?

It might surprise people, but communication (clear, thoughtful, and strategic communication) lies at the heart of business success. My degree from Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University helped me develop a deep understanding of language and human psychology. Later, when I moved into business development, product strategy, and corporate branding roles, I found that my background in liberal arts gave me a unique edge in connecting with people and simplifying complex ideas. Today, those skills power our storytelling, client engagement, and employee culture at Equence.

Q: What led you to start Equence Technologies in 2016?

After two decades in the telecom and tech sectors, I noticed a glaring gap. Companies were struggling to manage fragmented communication channels – SMS, voice, email, WhatsApp, in-app messages, especially when time-to-market and reliability were critical. That’s when I decided to build a platform that could simplify communication, improve delivery rates, and offer enterprise-grade security. That’s how Equence was born. Our first big milestone came in 2017 when ICICI Bank adopted our platform for their transactional messaging. Since then, we’ve built a scalable, secure, and reliable platform trusted by 200+ clients.

Q: What makes your CPaaS offerings stand out in a competitive market?

Our uniqueness lies in our consultative and case-to-case basis approach. We want to solve individual problems. Whether it’s OTP messaging for a bank, voice bots for a healthcare provider, or WhatsApp campaigns for an e-commerce firm, we customize the solution. Our RESTful JSON-based APIs are easy to integrate, and our infrastructure can handle everything from 100 messages a day to 3 crore messages a day. That scalability and reliability are what set us apart.

Q: How is AI shaping your product roadmap?

AI is becoming central to how businesses communicate. At Equence, we’re integrating chatbots and conversational AI, especially for WhatsApp and voice channels. For instance, our bots can understand natural language queries, generate human-like responses using models like ChatGPT, and escalate to live agents when needed. This improves response time, customer satisfaction, and reduces operational cost.

We’re also working on smarter dashboards that use analytics to guide communication strategy in real time ensuring that businesses don’t just reach their customers, but actually connect meaningfully.

Q: You’ve also founded the Bhagya Vidhata Foundation. What drives your social commitments?

Business without responsibility is incomplete. I started the Bhagya Vidhata Foundation to give back, whether it’s supporting underprivileged children, skill development for youth, or women’s empowerment. I strongly believe that entrepreneurship must lift communities. The same passion that drives me in business drives me in service, because both are about creating impact.

Q: What’s next for Equence? Where do you see the CPaaS space heading in the next 5 years?

The CPaaS space is just getting started in India. With 5G, vernacular adoption, and conversational commerce, I foresee explosive growth in multi-channel, real-time communications. At Equence, we’re focused on staying ahead through AI integration, stronger data privacy protocols, and expanding our partner ecosystem.

Geographically, we’re looking at regional expansion across India and eventually Southeast Asia. 

Q: What advice would you offer to young professionals dreaming of starting up?

Don’t wait for perfect conditions. Start with what you have. Learn constantly. Surround yourself with people who challenge you. And most importantly, remember that your background does not define your ceiling. If a mechanic’s son from a small town can build a national brand in enterprise tech, then anything is possible—with the right mindset and mission.