In a strategic maneuver that reinforces the "BharatPe alumni" network within India’s burgeoning fintech and SaaS ecosystem, identity and access management (IAM) startup OTPless has appointed Geetanshu Singla as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
Singla, a veteran engineering leader who previously helmed engineering divisions at the fintech unicorn BharatPe, joins the Bengaluru-based startup at a critical juncture. His appointment marks the end of a ten-month leadership void following the departure of former CTO Anubhav Mathur in January. This transition is part of a broader, high-stakes organizational restructuring aimed at streamlining operations and scaling the company’s footprint in the $1.7 billion Indian IAM market.
The Reunion: A Synergy of Proven Engineering Minds
The appointment of Singla is more than a mere recruitment; it represents a professional homecoming. Singla will be working closely with OTPless co-founders Satyam Nathani and Tanmay Sagar—both of whom were instrumental figures in the early, high-growth years of BharatPe.
Reflecting on the transition, Singla shared his enthusiasm via LinkedIn, characterizing the move as a return to familiar ground. “I have worked very closely with Satyam Nathani and Tanmay Sagar during my BharatPe days. We have built together, solved some really hard problems together and spent countless hours discussing tech, scale and products. So joining OTPless doesn’t really feel like joining a new company. In many ways, it feels like coming back home,” Singla noted.
For OTPless, having a CTO who is already culturally and operationally aligned with the founding team is expected to accelerate product development cycles and stabilize the company’s technical architecture as it looks to expand its global service offerings.
Chronology: From BharatPe to GenWise and Beyond
To understand the weight of Singla’s appointment, one must look at his professional trajectory, which mirrors the volatile and innovative spirit of the Indian startup ecosystem.
The BharatPe Era
Singla served as the Head of Engineering at BharatPe, where he navigated the complex challenges of scaling fintech infrastructure to support millions of merchant transactions. It was during this period that he established a deep-rooted working rapport with the founding team of OTPless, who were then scaling BharatPe’s merchant-first payment ecosystem.
The GenWise Venture
In 2023, Singla transitioned into the founder’s chair, co-founding GenWise—a lifestyle application specifically engineered for India’s senior citizen demographic. Alongside fellow BharatPe alumni Nehul Malhotra and Rajat Jain, Singla aimed to bridge the digital divide for the elderly. The startup demonstrated early promise, securing $3.5 million in a seed round led by Z47 (formerly Matrix Partners India). However, despite the backing of high-profile investors like Kunal Shah, the startup faced market headwinds and ultimately ceased operations in December 2025.
The Syfe Stint and the Path to OTPless
Following the closure of GenWise, Singla joined the Singapore-based wealthtech platform Syfe as an engineering leader. His one-year tenure at Syfe allowed him to further refine his expertise in high-frequency financial systems before he was tapped by the OTPless leadership team to spearhead their next phase of technological evolution.
Organizational Rejig: A New Chapter for OTPless
Singla’s arrival coincides with a significant top-level reshuffle designed to sharpen the company’s strategic focus. The startup has undergone a series of leadership shifts over the past month to ensure that the core team is positioned for long-term growth.
- CEO Transition: Bhavik Koladiya, a key co-founder, stepped down from his role as CEO last month. Satyam Nathani, formerly a co-founder, has taken over the mantle as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer.
- Operational Leadership: Simultaneously, Tanmay Sagar was appointed as the Chief Operating Officer (COO), bringing his deep institutional knowledge to the day-to-day operations of the firm.
- Business Expansion: Last week, the company further bolstered its C-suite by elevating Manas Poddar to the position of Chief Business Officer (CBO), signaling an aggressive push toward market penetration and revenue growth.
The Business Model: Redefining Digital Authentication
Founded in 2021, OTPless addresses one of the most persistent pain points in the consumer internet industry: friction during user onboarding. By providing robust SDKs and APIs, the company enables enterprises to move beyond the traditional reliance on One-Time Passwords (OTPs), PINs, and passwords.
Core Offerings
OTPless’s product suite is designed to enhance security while optimizing conversion rates. Its key offerings include:
- Silent Network Authentication: Leveraging carrier data to verify users without the need for manual code entry.
- WhatsApp Authentication: Utilizing the massive reach of the messaging platform to simplify login flows.
- Device Intelligence: Analyzing device-level data to detect and prevent fraud during sign-ups.
- Passkeys: Future-proofing identity management through passwordless, cryptographic authentication.
By minimizing the steps required for a user to log in, OTPless enables businesses to capture higher conversion rates, particularly in high-churn environments like e-commerce and fintech.
Supporting Data and Market Impact
The company’s growth metrics provide a compelling narrative of its market fit. OTPless claims to have successfully authenticated over 300 million mobile users to date. Its client roster is a testament to its reliability, featuring industry giants such as Meesho, Navi, PhysicsWallah, ShareChat, Shiprocket, and Zepto.
Financially, the company appears to be on a stable trajectory. It reports an annualized revenue run rate (ARR) of approximately ₹36 crore and has reached a significant milestone: profitability for the last two consecutive quarters. This financial discipline is rare for a startup at this stage, particularly in the competitive SaaS landscape.
To date, the startup has raised over $6 million in funding from marquee investors, including Venture Highway, White Venture, FJ Labs, SIDBI, and Piper Serica, among others.
Implications: The $1.7 Billion Opportunity
The appointment of a seasoned engineering leader like Singla suggests that OTPless is preparing for a period of rapid product innovation. The Indian Identity and Access Management (IAM) market is currently undergoing a massive transformation, driven by increased regulatory scrutiny on data privacy and a consumer base that demands seamless, secure digital experiences.
Industry projections indicate that the Indian IAM market will evolve into a $1.7 billion opportunity by 2030. As cyber threats become more sophisticated, enterprises are pivoting away from legacy authentication methods toward advanced identity solutions.
Strategic Outlook
- Product Deepening: With Singla’s experience in large-scale engineering, OTPless is expected to invest heavily in refining its passkey technology and AI-driven fraud detection models.
- Global Ambitions: Given the background of its leadership team, the company is likely eyeing international expansion beyond the Indian market, particularly in regions with similar mobile-first digital economies.
- Institutional Stability: The combination of a clear leadership hierarchy (Nathani as CEO, Sagar as COO, and Singla as CTO) provides the internal stability required to potentially seek a larger Series B or Series C funding round in the coming 12–18 months.
Conclusion
As OTPless navigates the complexities of the post-COVID digital landscape, the infusion of veteran talent into its C-suite signals a transition from an "early-stage startup" mindset to an "enterprise-grade scale" mindset. By bringing Geetanshu Singla into the fold, the company is not just filling a vacancy; it is consolidating the technical leadership necessary to capture a dominant share of the evolving authentication market. With profitability already achieved and a high-caliber team at the helm, the company is well-positioned to become a foundational layer of the Indian internet’s security infrastructure.
