Nvidia and SoftBank backed Cohesity lines up $1-billion India push, CEO says

Nvidia and Japan's SoftBank-backed US-based data security company Cohesity is stepping up its India bet with a $1-billion investment plan over the next five years, as CEO Sanjay Poonen positions the country as the company's engineering and innovation backbone.

Poonen, who was in Bengaluru to inaugurate Cohesity's new facility, said India has become central to the company's growth after its acquisition of Veritas' data protection business last year, which expanded its local workforce from about 700 to 2,200 employees.

The company now operates major hubs in Bengaluru and Pune, with additional teams in Mumbai and Delhi.

Poonen said the new Bengaluru centre, which can house around 500 employees, will serve as a vibrant engineering base and a magnet for young talent. He added that Cohesity will continue hiring aggressively, bringing in hundreds of graduates each year from premier institutions such as the IITs and other top engineering colleges.

India's deep engineering pool, English proficiency, and seamless global collaboration have made it one of Cohesity's top revenue contributors globally.

Cohesity, whose clients include some of the world's biggest banks, telcos, tech companies, and airlines, has rapidly scaled after its Veritas acquisition.

The company closed its last fiscal year with $1.6 billion in annual recurring revenue and now holds the number one global market share in its category, according to IDC and Gartner.

Poonen said Cohesity moved from seventh to first place within a year, driven by profitable growth and strengthened product capabilities. He added that nearly 70% of the global 500 rely on the company for cyber resilience, underlining its enterprise strength.

When asked about a potential US listing, Poonen said Cohesity is being built as a "public-ready company" but did not comment on timelines. The focus now, he said, is to fully integrate the Veritas acquisition, a process he expects will take another 12-18 months, and scale toward becoming a $2-billion company and eventually a $5-billion firm.

Reflecting on his own journey, Poonen said earlier career setbacks shaped his leadership style and long-term perspective. Returning to his hometown of Bengaluru to open the new centre, he mentioned that India remains core to Cohesity's future and will continue to anchor its cloud, security, and AI ambitions for years to come.

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