Hang Ten Systems, co-founded by ex-Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka, has secured a hefty $53 million in seed funding, bringing its total to $85 million. The startup offers AI strategy and software modernization to large enterprises, promising a 10-fold improvement in cost, speed, or both.

Within a month of its launch, Hang Ten signed a multimillion-dollar contract, marking a rapid rise in the competitive AI landscape. The company is now expanding its engineering, consulting, and sales teams, with plans to hire in Europe and India.

Sikka argues that AI is shifting the focus of software development from coding to defining requirements and validating system performance. His startup's edge lies in adapting AI to complex enterprise software projects, rather than building another AI model.

Hang Ten faces competition from traditional systems integrators but believes it can disrupt the market due to its independence from platform-specific solutions. The company is also poised for potential acquisition, with offers from large firms turning down for now as it focuses on expanding the business.

As enterprises navigate the AI wave, startups like Hang Ten are helping them stay afloat, with ambitions to reshape the software development industry.