Professional Role and Leadership
Pravin S. Bhandarkar is the Founder, CEO, and Co-Founder of RtBrick Inc., a role he has held since founding the company in 2016. He has over 20 years of experience in the technology sector. As CEO, Pravin has been instrumental in guiding RtBrick’s business development and sales strategy, successfully steering the company to achieve multimillion-dollar annual recurring revenue (ARR). He has overseen the company's emergence as a pioneer in cloud-native, AI ops-ready multiservice edge routing software, uniquely designed to run on disaggregated, off-the-shelf hardware platforms for telecommunications operators (telcos) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Prior to founding RtBrick, Pravin held the position of Director of Product Management at Juniper Networks, lending him substantial expertise in product development and networking technologies, which he has leveraged to shape RtBrick’s technology and market positioning.
Educational Background
- Bachelor of Engineering (Electronics & Telecom) from Savitribai Phule Pune University
- Master of Science in Computer Engineering from Rutgers University School of Engineering
- Postgraduate management studies at Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad
This combination of technical and business education supports his dual capacity in both deep technical innovation and strategic business leadership.
Company Overview and Market Positioning
RtBrick is a network infrastructure software company specializing in carrier-grade routing operating systems that enable telecom operators and ISPs to build scalable, low-cost, and cloud-native networks. Leveraging hyper-scale design principles, RtBrick disrupts traditional chassis-based hardware by offering software that runs on commodity servers and switches, thus reducing capex and opex for network operators.
The company provides a multi-service edge routing platform that supports complex telecom network functions, including CGNAT and open switch integration powered by Broadcom ASICs. RtBrick’s customer base includes industry-leading organizations such as Cisco Systems, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, BT, Telefonica, and regional ISPs like CityNet, Ewetel, Travenetz, and WOBCOM. RtBrick also participates in the Telecom Infra Project, a collaborative operator and vendor community advancing network technology innovation globally.
Recent Business Growth and Achievements
Over the past several years under Pravin’s leadership, RtBrick has demonstrated strong financial performance and operational growth:
- The company has achieved more than 300% year-on-year revenue growth in recent reported years.
- RtBrick posted its fourth cashflow-positive year in five years as of 2025.
- Following these milestones, RtBrick expanded its Indian engineering workforce by over 50%, reflecting substantial reinvestment in global engineering and innovation capacity.
- RtBrick has been shortlisted and won multiple industry awards, including:
- Telecom Project of the Year (National Technology Awards, UK, 2022)
- Best Network Technology & Software Development (Carrier Community Global Awards, 2022)
- 2023 Communications Solutions Products of the Year Award
- Tech Trailblazers Networking Award
- Infrastructure Innovation of the Year (UK IT Industry Awards)
- Shortlisted for the 2024 Broadband Nation Awards
Pravin has publicly emphasized the growing importance of India in RtBrick’s global strategy and the company’s commitment to innovation and market expansion on a global scale.
Technical Expertise and Thought Leadership
Pravin possesses a rare combination of technical depth and business acumen, frequently positioning RtBrick at the forefront of cloud-native networking and disaggregated routing software innovation. He has been recognized in industry publications, including being listed in Capacity Magazine's “Power 100” for 2021, highlighting his influence in telecom infrastructure evolution.
His thought leadership extends to contributions about the future of carrier networks, with published viewpoints forecasting dramatic market shifts, such as the end of chassis-based systems and increased innovation focus on access and edge networks.
Summary of Relevant Competencies and Strategic Priorities
- Leadership: Proven track record growing a technology startup from inception to multimillion-dollar ARR and positive cashflow.
- Strategic Vision: Driving cloud-native, software-defined networking solutions that disrupt traditional telco routing architectures.
- Market Focus: Serving global telcos, leading ISPs, and engaging with major industry partnerships (Telecom Infra Project).
- Technical Domain: Deep expertise in carrier routing software, multiservice edge networks, and open hardware integration.
- Growth Execution: Scaled engineering teams internationally, notably expanding Indian engineering by 50% post significant revenue growth.
- Industry Recognition: Multiple awards validate RtBrick’s technology leadership and market impact under his leadership.
This profile of Pravin S. Bhandarkar reflects a seasoned, technically proficient executive with a strong entrepreneurial and strategic orientation driving innovation in telecommunications software infrastructure on a global stage.
