US-based software company Smartsheet is strengthening its role in this transformation by expanding its global capability centre in Bengaluru. The move will enhance the company’s engineering and product development teams in India as it focuses on building AI-driven enterprise solutions.
“When you think about our business, we operate in what we call the intelligent work management category, which includes connecting data from systems of record across an organisation to orchestrate workflows and ultimately solve business problems,” said Rajeev Singh, chief executive officer of Smartsheet, in an interview with a publication. The platform currently supports more than 120,000 customers and over 16 million users worldwide.
“That innovation engine is built on our customers’ data, powered by AI enablement and the global expansion of our business. Those factors will be the fundamental charter of this global center of excellence here in India,” he added.
Bengaluru centre to build next-generation products
The Bengaluru facility is expected to play a key role in developing Smartsheet’s next generation of AI-powered products. According to Singh, the transformation of the company’s platform is closely linked to the work being done by teams in India.
“To be AI native, you have to have a data layer and intelligence layer for your applications and your software. We’re building that data layer here,” Singh said.
Engineering teams in India are contributing to areas such as product architecture, AI-enabled workflows and the intelligence layer that powers the platform.
Smartsheet formally established operations in India last year and plans to expand its workforce further. The company intends to hire more than 200 employees this year across engineering, product management, UX, IT, security and customer support roles.
Singh said Bengaluru was chosen because of its strong technology ecosystem and access to specialised talent in AI, engineering and cybersecurity.
“The days of back office operations being run in India…that was 15 years ago. This is a place where you innovate. This is a place where you deliver. This center will be a central source of AI innovation for the company. We are intentionally building this hub as a multi-functional powerhouse anchored in AI-first operating principles,” Singh said.
Growing role of AI-first GCCs
The expansion reflects a broader trend where global capability centres are evolving from support units into innovation hubs driving core product development.
Smartsheet’s hiring strategy also reflects the intense competition for skilled professionals in the GCC sector. The company plans to recruit a mix of senior executives, experienced engineers and early-career talent to build long-term leadership within the organisation.
“For a long time, product managers were typically hired in the West while engineers were hired here in India. That model is changing. Today, there is strong product leadership here as well. Full-stack teams, autonomous and capable of making decisions… that’s the vision here,” Singh said.
With the current pace of hiring, the Bengaluru centre is expected to become one of the company’s largest global offices.
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