[Exclusive Interview] This Make In India, AI-First Cloud Platform Is Empowering Businesses With Cutting-Edge Tech Innovation

Recently, we interacted with Mr. Kesava Reddy, Chief Revenue Officer, E2E Networks Ltd – India’s fastest-growing accelerated cloud computing platform.

Here are the interview highlights:

1. How does E2E Networks align with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India)?

E2E Networks Ltd is a Swadeshi AI-First Hyperscaler listed on the NSE (National Stock Exchange), and we stand out as one of the foremost India-born Cloud GPU and Cloud Computing providers, offering instant access to scalable, performant, and affordable AI/ML and Cloud services to developers, data scientists, startups, enterprises, higher education and research, and government bodies who are building for India.

Mr. Kesava Reddy, Chief Revenue Officer, E2E Networks Ltd

Since our inception in 2009, we have consistently led the way in developing cloud technologies tailored for the Indian market, playing a crucial role in advancing cutting-edge cloud solutions. Our platform offerings on E2E Cloud encompass a wide range of products, including Cloud GPUs, Compute Infrastructure, Object Storage, Load Balancers, Containers, DBaaS, and Block Storage. Many of the businesses we’ve served have gone on to achieve unicorn status.

Our proactive approach also sets us apart, as we were among the earliest Swadeshi cloud providers to recognize the immense potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. We took the initiative to launch one of India’s first Cloud GPU platforms, solidifying our commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation and enabling Indian businesses with an advanced cloud GPU platform before others did.

2. What inspired E2E Networks to contribute to the growth of AI in India?

The era of AI and Machine Learning is upon us, and developers, startups, and businesses are increasingly looking to build, train and scale AI-powered applications using cutting edge technologies such as Large Language Models (LLMs), Natural Language Processing (NLP), Computer Vision, Speech-to-Text Engines and Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Translation technologies and Generative AI.

India aims to be a leader in the AI / ML space, and being in the forefront of AI and Machine Learning can not only help our country’s businesses contribute to the future economic growth of our nation; it can also help us solve some of the most pressing challenges that humanity faces.

Being an AI-First Hyperscaler, we are inspired to constantly expand the infrastructure, technologies, and frameworks essential for Swadeshi businesses to thrive in the AI era, and thereby contribute to India’s long-term vision and economic growth.

3. How is E2E Networks playing a crucial role in empowering Indian businesses to harness the potential of AI?

One of the key requirements for building advanced AI applications and foundational models is instant access to advanced GPUs like H100 and A100s. However, strong demand for GPUs such as the H100 is leading to a shortage of GPUs throughout the tech industry, causing significant disruption.

One significant factor is the surging demand for generative AI technology, like Llama 2 and Stable Diffusion, and the use of open-source models introduced recently. These developments have sparked substantial excitement and interest across various sectors, creating a sense of urgency to acquire GPUs due to the fear of missing out (FOMO) on the potential of generative AI. Developing generative AI tech, especially foundational AI models, relies on GPU clusters, intensifying the supply-demand gap.

E2E Networks plays an extremely crucial role in providing instant access to advanced GPUs and GPU clusters like H100, A100, L40S, in a 100% predictable prepaid billing model. The presence of these cards, coupled with a high-throughput network and high IOPS storage, leads to decreased training and inference expenses for our clients. Moreover, our entire infrastructure stack is designed to provide exceptional performance for AI/ML workloads.

We also have recently launched a machine learning platform known as TIR, which comes packaged with powerful open-source machine learning frameworks, and is backed by advanced GPUs, thereby simplifying the process of AI inference, and building AI applications for businesses.

As businesses recognize that implementing AI is crucial for future competitiveness, they are increasingly relying on our platform to provide them the leverage they need to stay ahead.

4. What advantages do Indian brands gain by adopting Swadeshi Cloud solutions for their AI initiatives?
   There are several advantages for an Indian business to go with a Swadeshi Cloud Solution like E2E Cloud. First and foremost, we are highly affordable, and provide instant access to top notch GPUs and GPU clusters with a 100% predictable billing model.

TCO, or Total Cost of Ownership, is one of the key factors that Indian businesses consider when choosing a cloud provider. We are one of the only CSPs to offer prepaid billing, thereby giving businesses complete peace of mind when allocating R&D budgets for their AI/ML initiatives. Our affordable pricing helps businesses dramatically reduce their TCO.

Additionally, businesses need to ensure that the platform they partner with in bringing AI models to market fully adhere to Indian IT laws. Being an NSE-listed company, and backed by certifications like PCI-DSS and ISO 27001, we help businesses eliminate any risk associated with data sharing, interception, or seizure by foreign governments. Therefore, when businesses choose to operate on our platform, they can enjoy peace of mind regarding data sovereignty.

5. In what ways is E2E Networks contributing to the digital transformation journey of Indian startups and SMEs through its cloud computing offerings?

Since the beginning, we have adhered to a customer-centric approach, meticulously focusing on addressing their specific needs by crafting comprehensive cloud technology solutions. Our approach of acting as a partner in the growth of Indian startups and SMEs has tremendously contributed to their digital transformation journey.

Over the years, many startups have utilized our platform and the array of supportive cloud technologies it offers, including Cloud GPUs, Compute Infrastructure, Object Storage, Load Balancers, Containers, DBaaS, and Block Storage. As a result, we’ve witnessed a substantial number of these startups grow into highly successful unicorns.

Furthermore, with extensive expertise in fostering growth of thriving companies, we offer top-tier assistance and 100% human support. Our dedication to transparency and reliability is exemplified by our NSE listing, and our entirely India-built Swadeshi cloud guarantees data sovereignty and peace of mind for all our clients.

6. What measures is E2E Networks taking to ensure its cloud computing solutions are on par with international standards?

In every geography, businesses have specific needs that they need to address. Since its inception in 2009, E2E Networks has scaled with a laser-sharp focus on building vertically deep cloud computing solutions that solves business problems for our customers. Staying close to our customers has helped us build the right set of solutions that are highly impactful and match global standards in our focus areas, without spreading ourselves too thin.

Furthermore, our platform is powered by battle-tested open source technologies that have helped technology companies scale. We aggressively track and stay on top of the trends, and bring to market solutions that we feel would give our customers an edge over others. This is what led us to be the first Swadeshi provider of advanced cloud GPUs, and why we are launching cutting-edge machine learning platforms like TIR.

We have a missionary zeal when it comes to ensuring that our solutions are always on the forefront of emerging technologies.

7. How is E2E Networks actively engaging with the Indian tech community to promote AI awareness and education?

AI is one of the fastest growing and rapidly evolving technologies, and educating the tech community about the emerging technologies and the possibilities is one of our key focus areas.

To this end, we release technology and research paper explainers, code walkthroughs and tutorials on how to build a range of AI solutions, on our website and our developer docs platform.

For instance, in the recent past, we have released tutorials and walkthroughs on fine-tuning or training large language models like Falcon 40B, Llama2, or guides on how to build AI applications using advanced vision models like DinoV2, or Speech to Text models like BarkTTS. We released them almost as soon as their open-source models were launched, giving developers and the tech community a way to jump in, experiment and build solutions for their companies.

We have sponsored events like the Fifth Elephant held in Bengaluru on 11 August 2023 – on AI, industrial applications of AI, and MLOps. On 2 September, we supported the Gen AI Community Hack Day organized by Hasgeek. We are also supporting IIT Bombay Alumni Association in training their alumni in AI.