Milind Mehta & Imran R. Sheikh: Pioneering Leaders of the Procurement Revolution with Tender Impulse

Milind Mehta & Imran R. Sheikh | Tender Impulse

The global procurement landscape is undergoing a digital revolution. Gone are the days of sifting through mountains of paper bids. Today, companies leverage innovative platforms to simplify public tender processes, saving time and resources.
At the forefront of this revolution stands Tender Impulse, the brainchild of visionary entrepreneurs Mr. Milind Mehta and Mr. Imran R. Sheikh. Founded in 2010, Tender Impulse emerged from a desire to bridge the gap between businesses and valuable government contracts. Recognizing the complexities of navigating the public procurement system, they envisioned a centralized platform that offered transparency, accessibility, and a competitive edge for companies seeking government contracts.
Tender Impulse provides unique public procurement information in the form of RFP’s, RFQ’s, tenders, contracts, pre-qualification notices, contract award notices, prior information notices, etc., all of which make it a one-stop shop for gaining international government business. It is a global database used for acquiring business leads in the form of government tenders and contracts aggregated and bifurcated into different products and services from all countries across the globe.
Tender Impulse goes beyond simply aggregating tenders. Their intuitive search engine utilizes sophisticated algorithms to match businesses with relevant bids, while their user-friendly interface streamlines the application process. But the impact goes deeper: Tender Impulse has fair competition, promotes responsible government spending, and ultimately helps drive economic growth.
Are you intrigued by the minds behind this groundbreaking platform? We’re thrilled to bring you an exclusive interview with Mr. Milind Mehta and Mr. Imran R. Sheikh, featured in our prestigious “The 10 Most Iconic Business Leaders to Watch in 2024” edition. Stay tuned to gain valuable insights and practical advice from these visionary business leaders who are shaping the future of business procurement!

Prime Insights: Brief us on the inception story of the company. What were the initial sparks that ignited the idea for this company? What challenges did you face in those early days, and how did you overcome them?

Mr. Milind Mehta: The journey began back in 2010, fueled by a shared dream of establishing a “self-made” career. I was finishing my Masters in Business Information Systems Management from Middlesex University, London, when the idea sparked during a casual Skype call with my school friend, Imran. Neither of us imagined that a simple conversation would evolve into a platform empowering thousands of companies.
Imran, with his background in public procurement, saw a need for a streamlined system. He challenged me, then a tech student, to develop a SaaS platform. We started by gathering tender information, a far cry from what Tender Impulse is today. Now, we source data from over 1,000 sources in 190+ countries, offering a state-of-the-art procurement digest.
From the beginning, our vision was to “export” services, delivering from India to the world. Today, with over 950 paid subscribers, we serve companies of all sizes, helping them navigate the international bidding landscape. We’ve come a long way, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see Tender Impulse empower businesses around the globe.

Prime Insights: How have you kept a balance between your personal life and your professional one?

Mr. Milind Mehta: Balancing work and personal life can be tough for any entrepreneur. Like most middle-class families, Imran and I juggled financing the business with our passions. While I love to roam around the world and Imran enjoys filmmaking, dedicating time to both wasn’t easy at first. The key to balancing lies in the ability to “plan” and “devote” quality time, be it on the personal or professional front. Thankfully, we’ve found a good rhythm and are grateful for the rewards, both personal and professional.

Prime Insights: Being a business leader, is your story of struggle any different from others?

Mr. Imran R. Sheikh: The story of struggle is a rather misleading term; it’s more of a story of proving it right, and when it is about proving it right, the struggle is replaced by “desire.” We believed in the idea of starting a business at a time when the social milieu in Indian families was more bent towards securing financial stability through a professional job. But my MBA in marketing and Milind’s Masters degree gave us the foundation we needed. We strongly believe in patience for success. There were tough times, and that is exactly when our “Education Prevailed,” and that unwavering belief kept us going. We faced societal resistance due to our backgrounds, but our commitment to the cause was our shield. We dealt with financial pressures, doubts, peer pressure, material cravings, and societal stigma, but perseverance and hard work saw us through.

Prime Insights: Could you describe the clientele your company serves, with any notable mentions?

Mr. Imran R. Sheikh: Our clients are our biggest motivators. Right from our inception, Tender Impulse has always attracted top companies from Europe to the Americas and Australia to Asia with the same resolve. Within the first 2 years, we were serving the top 3 currency manufacturers: the British Sterling Pound, the US Dollar printing company, and the Japanese Yen, giving us the confidence to march forward with immense pride. As 23-year-olds, we were invited to a trade conference for defense manufacturers in the UK to present our services, where we were referred to as “young boys” who had conviction and belief in the service offering. Over a decade later, we still maintain a client retention rate of more than 60%, with governments and municipalities trusting us for their tender information needs.

Prime Insights: How do you keep up the pace with the changing market trends?

Mr. Milind Mehta: Tender Impulse has constantly evolved over the years to produce services that are of immense help to companies all across the world. Initially, we worked by just collecting tender notices through online newspapers and magazines and providing snapshots of these notices on our website. Over the years, the company mastered the art of using the Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV) code system, which was implemented in the company to categorize the tenders. The best part about the CPV journey is that Tender Impulse now provides tender information to the company that incepted the CPV codes until today. We’ve constantly upgraded our technology to seamlessly adapt to the e-procurement world.

Prime Insights: Do you consider research and development (R&D) critical for driving company growth?

Mr. Milind Mehta: R&D is our secret weapon! We transformed how tenders are classified, moving from sectors to the advanced CPV system. We even identified gaps in CPV and created custom vocabularies to better serve our clients. Our focus on continuous innovation ensures we stay ahead and build a lasting legacy.

Prime Insights: What level of importance do you assign to maintaining employee satisfaction, and what strategies do you employ to achieve it?

Mr. Imran R. Sheikh: Employees act as the fuel for any organization. You need pumped-up and enthusiastic people who really want to work for you in order for your work to transform into material benefits. Our employees are the heart of Tender Impulse. In the service industry, a motivated team is key. We treat our staff with respect, offering paid relaxation leave and developing a friendly, politics-free environment. We reward them well, both financially and through recognition.

Prime Insights:What message would you like to convey to business leaders who abandon their aspirations due to societal stereotypes?

Mr. Milind Mehta: The most important thing is to “start.” No matter if the idea is in a nascent stage, the ability to start is what sets successful businesses apart from failed ones. Iterative development and lots of patience are keys to stabilizing a business idea. The only advice to business leaders would be to start early and keep going. The joy of breaking stereotypes must motivate leaders to continue on with their dreams and believe in the idea.

Prime Insights: What are the company’s future plans and objectives?

Mr. Imran R. Sheikh: The company has explosive plans for the future. We’re expanding into new industries and regions, gaining traction in other industries outside of manufacturing, defense, healthcare, IT, and offices planned for the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. We’re even exploring research reports to become the #1 global destination for public procurement information. Overall, brighter days await us as we are constantly evolving with the changing dynamics of public procurement.