This interview spotlights Binu Jacob, CEO & Co-founder of Experion Technologies whose leadership blends innovation, passion, and resilience. From his early career in defense technologies to becoming a global tech leader, Binu’s journey is marked by adaptability and a deep commitment to creating value.
Now steering Experion’s growth after a strategic partnership with EQT-backed Indium, Binu leverages his multifaceted expertise—from sustainability initiatives to music and cultural connections—to build authentic relationships that drive business success. Based in the UK, he’s fostering Experion’s expansion in fintech, automotive, and high-growth markets by combining a people-centric approach with cutting-edge solutions.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Binu offers hard-earned wisdom: resilience, grit, and a focus on creating impact beyond personal gain. His vision for Experion reflects this ethos, uniting empathy and innovation to redefine global product engineering.
Congratulations on your recent transaction with EQT-backed Indium! After an impressive 17 years of self-funding, this investment marks a significant shift for Experion. Could you share how this partnership will impact Experion’s future growth and the strategic advantages it brings to the company?
Thank you! The partnership with EQT-backed Indium Software is indeed a transformative step for Experion. After 17 years of organic growth and self-funding, we reached a point where aligning with a partner like them became essential to elevate our journey. With our strong foothold in key global markets and an impressive portfolio of Tier 1 clients, this partnership amplifies our potential to scale rapidly, particularly from a sales and marketing perspective. EQT’s expansive network of portfolio companies worldwide offers a strategic pathway for us to tap into more Tier 1 opportunities, pushing us closer to the ambitions we envision for Experion.
Indium, which holds deep domain expertise in BFSI and Data, perfectly complements Experion’s strengths. This synergy not only expands our capabilities but also enriches the quality and scope of solutions we offer to our clients. Moreover, Experion’s distinctive approach to Product Engineering, particularly our UI/UX expertise, is recognized by both EQT and Indium as a unique asset in the market. Together, we’re positioned to stand out even more and accelerate our vision of becoming a global powerhouse in software product engineering. This partnership is all about creating value—helping us serve our clients better, deepen our domain strengths, and position Experion for remarkable, sustainable growth.
Could you explain what sets Experion apart from other tech companies in the market?
What truly sets Experion apart is our culture of deep customer empathy and our distinct product engineering approach. Despite only being a 1,500-strong team, we’re delivering solutions on par with much larger firms. Pick a future EV from any of the top automotive companies worldwide- when you’re looking for a charging option for your ride in North America & Canada, chances are you’ll be using an Experion-built solution. Drive down any motorway on the 4,505-mile highway network in the UK, when you admire the well-maintained infrastructure, you’re appreciating the Asset Management System built by Experion that makes it possible. In Australia alone, the IP we built for our ISV client powers the end-to-end operations of 1,800 retail stores. Achievements like these aren’t just milestones; they reflect the maturity and rigor of our processes and our commitment to creating mission-critical products that empower businesses.
Our vision always goes beyond technology delivery. We bring a consultative approach, applying insights from one project to enrich solutions across industries and geographies. This breadth of expertise helps us craft product roadmaps that often reveal new pathways for our clients, helping them bridge gaps and navigate the business landscape with confidence. Many of our clients have pivoted their original plans, realizing new possibilities thanks to our in-depth research and insights. And this isn’t just on paper—our co-founders are involved in every project from the start, ensuring our core values shape each solution from concept to delivery.
This is the Experion difference: helping clients grow their revenues, backed by a rare combination of empathy, industry insight, and a product engineering mindset that’s adaptable, strategic, and deeply impactful.
You have been described as someone who makes wearing many hats look effortless – ex-Airforce, a classically trained singer, a sustainability enthusiast, and an explorer of unchartered territories on the world map. How do elements from each of these facets contribute to the role you play as CEO at Experion Technologies?
Passion is the common thread that weaves together each of these experiences. My journey began as an electronics engineer working on critical defence equipment like missile & radar systems, testing the hardware and ensuring war-readiness. That role in missile testing was seen as good enough by the Canadian MD of my first IT employer in Dubai, which helped me transition into software testing, setting the foundation for a career in tech.
Music has been a lifelong passion, even though my opportunities to explore it were limited, growing up in a small village in Kerala. Though classically trained, I sing light music, which has allowed me to stay connected to that side of myself over the years. Sustainability, on the other hand, is something I felt compelled to pursue as I became more aware of climate change, changes in food habits, and the erosion of core human values over wealth. People buy vegetables packed with pesticides rather than show any interest in agriculture since most of us are city-bred. My sustainable housing project, with agriculture embedded into it, has been especially rewarding, with the support I’ve received from others fuelling my dedication to the cause.
Travel has been an interesting by-product of my work, often sparking road trips influenced by my interest in automobiles. Having these varied interests has enriched my ability to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. When you have passions outside of technology, you can connect with people on a more personal level, which, in turn, strengthens business relationships.
I’ll never forget an event in Munich, at Systems 2000, where after a long day of meetings, there was a casual party at a stall with beer and the exhibitors singing pop songs. The government official who recommended me in Germany knew I could sing, and asked me to join in. Thanks to my passion for music, I decided to sing a South Indian classical song. The attention it garnered ultimately led to a conversation and a business deal! Sometimes, it’s these unexpected connections that open doors, and pursuing my passion truly paid off in that moment. I’ve found that bringing my whole self into my role as CEO – whether it’s my love for music or my dedication to Experion – has been invaluable, creating authentic connections and surprising opportunities.
We understand you recently relocated to the UK. How has your experience been navigating the EU-UK market so far, and what have been the key factors in establishing a strong presence here?
Relocating to the UK has been an exciting, strategic move to tap into the substantial market potential here, especially given the opportunities in product engineering across the region. While the U.S. market moves quickly, I’ve found the UK and Europe embrace a more thoughtful, relationship-focused approach, valuing depth and trust. Being on the ground here has been invaluable, allowing me to build meaningful connections directly and grow our organization and sales efforts in a way that aligns with the region’s unique strengths and values.
The business environment in Europe has become more open to outsourcing since the pandemic, driven partly by demographic shifts such as an aging population, which has increased interest in working with Indian partners. This shift aligns well with Experion’s strengths, as we also bring a unique combination of hardware, embedded engineering, and product engineering expertise. These capabilities create exciting opportunities in high-growth sectors like industrial automation and automotive, particularly in markets such as Germany, Italy, and France.
Clients like TRL and National Highways UK provide a strong foundation for our expansion, thanks to the trust they place in our capabilities. Their backing also reflects the solid reputation we’ve built, giving us confidence as we continue to grow in the UK market. However, navigating the European market does require adapting to unique business cultures and languages across different countries. With our strategic presence in the UK, Experion is well-positioned to engage more effectively with the broader European market. While the journey has its complexities, being closer to our clients allows us to truly understand and cater to their needs, building strong, meaningful partnerships across the region.
What aspects of the UK business environment have been most conducive to your expansion efforts, and how do you plan to build on them?
The UK offers a thriving Financial Services landscape with vast opportunities in Fintech, an area where our breadth of expertise and experience makes us a natural fit. With an extensive track record in product engineering for Financial Services and a solid understanding of evolving Fintech trends, we’re well-positioned to capitalize on this demand.
Additionally, our journey in the UK has been built on a strong foundation with one of our oldest customers, TRL. Since 2010, long before establishing formal operations here, we’ve had a growing and successful partnership with TRL, developing multiple products over the years. This collaboration eventually led to the formation of TRL India, a joint venture that exemplifies the depth of our engagement and commitment and a recognition of Experion by TRL as a valued partner.
This 14-year-long relationship has not only validated our capabilities but also positioned us with a strong reference in the UK market. Now, we’re expanding our collaboration with TRL and exploring partnerships in other markets as well. By building on these established relationships, we’re creating a pathway for broader growth and deeper engagement in the UK, leveraging our expertise to add value across new regions and industries.
Given London’s status as a global financial hub, what unique opportunities or synergies do you see for Experion in this market?
London’s position as a global finance hub presents unique opportunities for Experion, particularly in the fintech space, which is strategically significant for us, as I mentioned previously. We already have a strong foothold in the Financial Services sector, with a seasoned Financial Services Head in London who brings 30 years of experience. Additionally, our advisor here, Markus Ruetimann, a highly respected former global COO at Credit Suisse and UBS brings invaluable industry insight and connections that deepen our understanding and reach in this market.
Our relationship with Indium, EQT’s portfolio company, also bolsters our Financial Services expertise, adding to our competitive edge. Furthermore, our recent acquisition of Vantage, an Australia-based product company specializing in credit lifecycle services, aligns well with our focus on solutions for credit unions or tier 2/3 banks and ESG, an area of growing relevance within the UK’s financial sector. Together, these assets create a strong foundation that uniquely positions Experion to contribute meaningfully to the UK’s financial ecosystem.
Could you share some of the impactful work Experion has accomplished in the UK that you’re particularly proud of?
Experion is immensely proud of our collaborative work with TRL in the UK, delivering two transformative solutions—iROADS and iMAAP. These intelligent systems modernize infrastructure management, with iROADS centralizing road asset data and optimizing maintenance through GIS-enabled insights, while iMAAP enhances road safety by identifying accident hotspots through geospatial analysis. Together, they streamline decision-making, reduce costs, and foster safer, more sustainable transport networks. Deployed in 15 countries, iMAAP has analyzed over 100,000 accident data points, empowering agencies to address key safety risks effectively.
We worked on a significant project for a leading UK-based SaaS company in the digital marketing domain. The client approached us to develop a robust platform to tackle the growing challenges of unauthorized access and data security across various digital marketing platforms. Their solution addresses critical concerns around data privacy, potential brand damage, and compliance with GDPR regulations. By consolidating user access management across social media and advertising channels, the platform enables real-time monitoring and heightened security, strengthening their market position and attracting new investors.
We also have our mark in the educational sector, where we collaborated with a prominent provider of Management Information Systems to revolutionize their platform using generative AI. Facing limitations with static reporting and restricted data access, this client sought our expertise to create a dynamic solution. By integrating OpenAI’s GPT with their databases, we introduced real-time insights and predictive analytics to enhance tracking for student and staff performance. This AI-driven solution has transformed the administrative landscape, empowering educators with accessible, actionable data and streamlining processes for a more effective learning environment.
Another impactful project highlighting our healthcare technology expertise is our collaboration with a renowned European organization to develop a Cardiovascular Disease Risk Calculation App. This app, now used by over 95,000 healthcare professionals across 150 countries, supports clinicians in assessing cardiovascular risk through calculators for primary and secondary prevention, including tools like SCORE and ASCVD. Available on both iOS and Android, the app empowers healthcare providers with data-driven insights to enhance patient outcomes, reinforcing our commitment to advancing digital health worldwide.
These projects highlight Experion’s commitment to delivering innovative, secure, and data-driven solutions across sectors, enhancing safety, efficiency, and decision-making for our clients in the UK.
What sets Experion’s culture apart from its peers? How important is this company culture to you, and what do you and other senior leaders do to ensure that it remains undiluted?
What truly sets Experion’s culture apart is our meticulous intake process and the caliber of talent we attract. At Experion, we proudly call ourselves ‘Maestros at work and play.’ The talent we hire are people who bring passion not only to their careers, but to life itself, harbouring interests outside the workspace that enrich their creativity and resilience. This passion flows into the work they do here, and we celebrate and encourage our team to pursue their interests. This spirit defines our workplace: it’s not just about excelling in technical projects, but about building a vibrant community where everyone’s unique talents and passions are celebrated.
Our culture is the foundation of everything we do, and our low attrition rate reflects a team genuinely excited about our work. Our people are drawn not just by our product engagements but by the elite, forward-looking technologies we use to craft digital solutions. Our process-driven approach to product development fosters continuous learning, giving our engineers a holistic view of the product, domain, and business impact—something that’s both rare and enriching compared to working for larger service companies.
Our engineers work on high-impact, meaningful projects that make a real-world difference. We’re driven by a culture of empathy and a relentless commitment to our customers’ success. The products we build determine the fate of our clients’ businesses, and our team takes this responsibility seriously. There’s a shared sense of purpose here: our employees know that their work matters and that they’re contributing to projects that shape industries.
To keep this culture vibrant, I and other senior leaders make it a priority to build strong, personal connections with our team. By maintaining a flat hierarchy and fostering an environment where every voice is valued, we ensure that our core values of empathy, ethics, and excellence stay at the heart of everything we do. This culture is what makes Experion unique, and that’s what fuels our passion to keep pushing boundaries.
Based on your entrepreneurial journey, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to enter the tech industry or start their own business?
Aspiring entrepreneurs are often drawn to the allure of quick success, imagining entrepreneurship as a path to instant wealth. But the reality is far different—it’s a profound responsibility that goes beyond just building personal wealth. Money is important, yes, but over time, you’ll realize that accumulating more is not what will define your journey or your legacy. Instead, your responsibility to carry your people, who may not be as enterprising as you are along with you, serve the markets you’ve chosen well, and contribute meaningfully to the society are what truly matter. Entrepreneurs have a unique role in creating jobs, supporting communities, paying taxes, and uplifting the market. In many ways, this responsibility is greater than that of the governments in my view.
The journey itself must be grounded in perseverance. There’s no shortage of great ideas, but ideas alone don’t build a company—grit does. You’ll need not only hard work but also strong connections, patience, market knowledge, and a constant willingness to learn. Passion, too, is crucial; it’s the fuel that keeps you going when the going gets tough.
It’s far from a bed of roses; it’s a journey marked by its fair share of challenges. Not many know about the five difficult years we went through at Experion. From 2009 onwards, we faced two years of being high and dry. These tough periods are part of every entrepreneurial journey, and they test your mettle like nothing else. You must be prepared to navigate unexpected setbacks and to accept that things won’t always go according to plan. But with enough resilience, passion, and commitment, you’ll find that these challenges are what ultimately define and strengthen you as an entrepreneur.
