Startup Originals Team
When Harry Rao left India for California with little more than ambition and determination, he carried the same dream as many immigrants, to create something remarkable from the ground up. Years later, that dream took shape as TestGrid, a bootstrapped SaaS platform now trusted by some of the world’s largest enterprises.
But Harry’s journey from a corporate career at CGI to building a globally recognized tech company wasn’t easy, it was a story of courage, sacrifice, and relentless belief.
The Turning Point: Walking Away from Comfort
Before founding TestGrid, Harry was the Director of Software Engineering at CGI, one of the world’s top IT consulting firms. On paper, he had it all, a stable career, respect, and financial security. Yet, something inside him felt unfulfilled.
“I realized I was helping others build great products, but not pursuing the ideas that truly excited me,” he recalls. What looked like comfort started to feel like confinement.
Leaving CGI was not just a career move, it was a personal gamble. As the only earning member of his family, Harry risked everything to chase a vision that existed only in his mind at the time.
The Leap of Faith: Building from Belief, Not Abundance
TestGrid began not with big investors or deep pockets, but with belief. While competitors raised millions, Harry chose to bootstrap the company from day one.
“I told myself, if this fails, I’d rather answer to myself than to others,” he says.
The early years were grueling, full of uncertainty, sleepless nights, and moments of deep doubt. “I remember sitting in my car one night, crying,” Harry admits. “The fear of failure was overwhelming. But the vision was louder.”
The Defining Moment: Resilience in the Face of Crisis
That vision was put to the test early on when TestGrid landed its first big enterprise client. During a crucial deployment in India, things went terribly wrong, systems misfired, deadlines slipped, and the team faced mounting pressure.
Harry fell sick from stress but refused to give up. “I was physically breaking down, but I knew we couldn’t afford to fail,” he says.
Against the odds, the team managed to deliver successfully. That same client remains one of TestGrid’s most loyal customers today. “You don’t build resilience in boardrooms,” Harry says. “You build it in breakdowns.”
From Struggle to Scale: Building a Global SaaS Leader
From those humble beginnings, TestGrid has grown into one of the world’s leading SaaS testing platforms. The company now works with 20 of the Fortune 100 enterprises, helping them accelerate testing and deliver better-quality software faster.
The journey from bootstrapping to global recognition didn’t happen overnight. It was built on persistence, discipline, and Harry’s belief in long-term vision over short-term validation.
The Mindset That Drives Success
Harry often quotes Jeff Bezos when asked about his mindset:
“Humans tend to overestimate the chances of failure when they should focus on the potential reward.”
That philosophy guided his bold decision to leave CGI and build something truly his own. “To anyone building something, know that fear never really goes away,” Harry says. “But neither does the fire to create.”
About Harry Rao
Harry Rao is the Founder and CEO of TestGrid, a SaaS platform that helps enterprises automate, scale, and accelerate end-to-end software testing. A first-generation entrepreneur and former CGI Director, Harry’s story is one of conviction, resilience, and vision.
He also hosts the 5 Minute Mentorship Podcast, where he shares insights and interviews with founders and innovators to help early-stage entrepreneurs navigate their own journeys.
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