Anmol Upadhyay is co-founder and a managing director of Valere, an AI development, implementation and consulting firm in Boston, Massachusetts, that he started in 2019 with Guy Pistone. From Neemuch, India, he built Valere’s delivery team from India while Pistone sold in the US, and the two did not meet in person until 2022.
From Neemuch to a Mysterious LinkedIn Message
He grew up fascinated by technology and wanting his own company, studied information technology and joined a large digital engineering company, moving from quality assurance engineering into business development and growth roles (Valere). He met Pistone through LinkedIn. “Guy piqued my interest when he sent me back a mysterious message saying ‘I have an opportunity,’” he recalled.
Building Valere on US Hours from India
They began part-time while both held other jobs, then went full-time. Pistone bid for work on Upwork under his own name while Upadhyay recruited developers, working US hours so distance never slowed them down. “Trust is what started Valere,” he said. Pistone calls him “an amazing culture builder.” Valere now has offices in Boston, in Indore, India, and in Lima, Peru. His advice to other co-founders: “It is the sailor’s responsibility to sail, not the passengers.”