Hello Mumbai National Desk
Sobiya Golandaz
Head – Marketing & Sales
Neomoment AIOT (www.neoaiot.com)
On the occasion of World MSME Day 2026, Hello Mumbai News Editor-in-Chief Aleem Shaikh had an exclusive conversation with Sobiya Golandaz, Head – Marketing & Sales at. NeomomenAIOT .
In this insightful interview, she shares her perspective on how AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things), digital transformation, and smart business solutions are empowering MSMEs to improve efficiency, accelerate growth, and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving business landscape. She also highlights the importance of innovation, customer-centric strategies, and technology adoption in shaping the future of India’s MSME sector.
Hello Mumbai News
Could you introduce yourself for our readers?
Sobiya Golandaz
I am Sobiya Golandaz, Head of Marketing & Sales at Neomoment AIOT. We are a Global tech solutions company building Agentic AI and Intelligent IoT solutions. Everything from Software customisation, Predictive maintenance for industrial equipment to Computer vision technology and Unified IoT dashboards for clients across India, the UK, UAE and Saudi Arabia.
My job is to understand the pain points of Customers and turn it into business that includes identifying industry needs, build customised solutions and deliver.
We now work with 50+ clients globally and have delivered 35+ proof-of-concept projects, and a good part of that growth has come through the Marketing & Sales function I lead.
Hello Mumbai News
What inspired you to become an entrepreneur, and how did your entrepreneurial journey begin?
Sobiya Golandaz
What I can say with certainty is that what pulled me toward this role was the challenge it carried with it.
In India though everyone needs AI and IoT technology in their businesses, but decision- makers don’t know how to go about doing it. There is a big gap in the ecosystem where manufacturing companies need consultancy and direction. AI and IoT Tech is still underused simply because no one is translating it into a business case that decision-makers could act on.
That inspired me to jump and lead Neomoment-AIOT to be able to do that at scale, across multiple sectors and industries.
Hello Mumbai News
As a partner, what have been your biggest challenges in building and scaling your business without a co-founder or large team?
Sobiya Golandaz
Though we have a team of 20+ dedicated employees for development & delivery and a team of 15+ members across managed services and a team of 3+ members for marketing and sales. But with AI tools in place, I have managed to operate on priority basis both online or offline whether its Pitching, Client relationship, RFP response, Pipeline building, or Renewed conversations.
My biggest challenge has been pushing the concept of IoT. The lack of awareness in manufacturing or process industries who fail to understand how implementing AI and IoT will benefit the companies in the coming future.
India is a huge market for such untapped unorganized business sectors who have not implemented tech in their manufacturing, with growing competition they now need IT more than ever. But I am sure if one company in a segment implements it others will follow the suit.
Hello Mumbai News
How have MSME initiatives and government policies contributed to your company’s growth? Are there any areas where additional support is needed?
Sobiya Golandaz
Programs like Startup India, Udyam registration, and access to government procurement through GeM (Government e-Marketplace) have made it easier for a company like ours to be visible and discoverable to compete for larger contracts, including in the public sector.
It is very important to understand that for Viksit Bharat 2047 India has provided to boost Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes spanning 14 sectors, rewarding companies for manufacturing output in India, aiming to make India a “China Plus One.” Such Incentives help us indirectly by growing the industrial base that needs the kind of IoT and predictive-maintenance solutions we build.
As an MSME operating in AI, IoT, and enterprise digital transformation, Neomoment AIOT seeks government support in enabling pilot deployments and improving access to public procurement. Government-backed proof-of-concept opportunities would help validate indigenous technology, accelerate innovation, generate employment, and contribute to India’s Digital India and Make in India missions
Hello Mumbai News
In today’s competitive market, what strategies have helped you build a sustainable and profitable business?
Sobiya Golandaz
A few things have mattered most like staying disciplined about which industries we go deep in rather than trying to be everything to everyone. Our three main flagship products in Hospitality/Hotel Management, Workforce Management, Facility Management apart from Manufacturing & Industrial IoT are areas where we have built repeatable expertise.
We also lead with proof before commitment. So, a large share of our client relationships starts as a proof-of-concept, so a prospective client sees real results on a narrower problem before signing a larger engagement.
And we have kept our licensing and pricing transparent, so clients can see their total cost of ownership up front. That transparency has benefitted us more in terms of renewal business and referrals.
Hello Mumbai News
Technology and artificial intelligence are transforming businesses. How are you leveraging digital tools to enhance productivity and customer engagement?
Sobiya Golandaz
This is close to home for us, because it’s also what we sell. Internally, we run our own sales pipeline and client reporting using AI to personalize outreach and qualify leads faster, so my time goes into the conversations that are actually ready to move rather than manually sorting every inbound enquiry. Personally I use Claude Pro to enhance productivity and customer engagement.
Hello Mumbai News
Access to funding remains a major challenge for many startups. What has your experience been in raising capital or bootstrapping your venture?
Sobiya Golandaz
This one isn’t directly part of my role, but from where I sit on the commercial side, our growth has leaned more on proving value fast through low-cost, quick-turnaround proof-of-concepts 35+ so far that convert into paid engagements rather chasing early external capital. Letting delivered work fund the next stage of growth has kept us disciplined about what we build. We definitely want to grow fast on a bigger platform so we are open to funding.
Hello Mumbai News
What advice would you give to aspiring MSME/Partners who want to launch their own startups but are hesitant to take the first step?
Sobiya Golandaz
Don’t wait until you feel completely ready. Just start by solving one real problem for one real customer. The best founders and leaders that I have seen didn’t sit down and plan out every detail before beginning. They found one business with one specific problem, fixed it well, got paid for it, and let that experience show them what to build next. Most hesitation comes from trying to plan away every risk on paper before you have tried anything. But the fastest way to find out if your idea really works isn’t more planning. It’s getting one real customer to say, ‘yes, I will pay for this.’
Hello Mumbai News
How do you maintain a balance between entrepreneurship, personal well-being, and continuous learning while managing everything independently?
Sobiya Golandaz
In a fast-moving technology business, the learning never really stops. Every new case opens up new opportunities, new client industries and new AI capabilities. So I take learning to be a part of my corporate responsibility than treating it as a chore. Personal well-being for me is not being too hard on myself and taking each step and each day at a time. This has helped me gain a lot of mental strength to lead in the position that I am today.
Hello Mumbai News
What are your future growth plans, and how do you envision your startup contributing to India’s vision of becoming a global innovation and startup hub?
Sobiya Golandaz
We want to keep deepening in the sectors where we have already proven ourselves. Our three main flagship products in Hospitality/Hotel Management, Workforce Management, Facility Management apart from Manufacturing & Industrial IoT, BFSI security, ERP, Fintech, Education and Retail software are where we have built repeatable expertise and customisation. While growing our footprint across the UK, UAE, Saudi Arabia and India.
In the long term, I did like Neomoment-AIOT to be a clear example of Indian-built AI and IoT technology being deployed and trusted domestically as well as internationally.
Hello Mumbai News
On the occasion of World MSME Day, what message would you like to share with young entrepreneurs, startup founders, and policymakers about strengthening India’s MSME ecosystem?
Sobiya Golandaz
For young entrepreneurs and founders:
Technology is more accessible than it has ever been, So the most valuable skill now is knowing exactly which problem, for which customer, is worth solving first.
Upgrade yourself with emerging trends in AI.
For policymakers:
Providing opportunities to run pilot projects in smart cities, municipalities, hospitals, educational institutions, and public sector enterprises.
Simplifying participation in government tenders by reducing eligibility barriers for MSMEs. Offering funding or grants for proof-of-concept (PoC) deployments.
Creating procurement preferences for Indian AI and IoT MSMEs under initiatives like Digital India, Make in India, and the MSME ecosystem.
