I’m delighted to share that our efforts at Hornet have recently been recognized by the leading global newspaper, The Telegraph.
Seeing our picture in a print newspaper, especially on the first page of the Business section, evoked a deep sense of gratitude and fulfillment.
With this Holi weekend providing a moment of reflection, I wanted to take a step back and appreciate how far this journey has come.
A Childhood Fascination with Electronics
Growing up in the small town of Adra, Purulia (West Bengal), I was fascinated by electronics — robots, radios, toys, and anything with circuits. While resources were scarce, my constant companions were transistors, capacitors, and circuit boards. Soldering on PCBs became my favorite pastime as early as the second or third standard in school.
I still remember wandering into grocery stores, asking if they had any books on electronic circuits. Every time, I was turned away — but my father always accompanied me on these little quests.
Over time, school and college took over, and my childhood passion faded into the background. I never really enjoyed formal education — except for the friendships and one special friend 😃.
Taking the Leap: Leaving a Stable Career for a Bigger Purpose
In late 2022, I made a life-changing decision: I left my well-paying engineering job at Imperva. It was an amazing workplace with incredible colleagues, but I felt something was missing — a sense of higher purpose.
After a period of deep introspection, I found my calling: defending people’s financial security. With my background in cybersecurity and newly acquired knowledge of blockchain, I knew this vision could be realized through Hornet. It was my perfect Ikigai — where passion, mission, profession, and vocation aligned.
The Birth of Hornet
I started writing code alone in January 2023. But soon, I realized that building something of this scale alone would be challenging.
As luck would have it, my school junior and brother-like friend, Subhro Jyoti Mondal, joined forces with me in March 2023. He is like the brother I never had, fully believed in my vision, and gave his 100% to learning and contributing.
The Turning Point
Our major turning point came when Hornet won the STPI (Software Technology Parks of India) CHUNAUTI 5.0 grant and the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India grant through IDEAS Technology Innovation Hub @ Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata. This secured our pre-seed funding, helping us move forward.
That phase — building both the product and the company from scratch — was one of the toughest in my life.
Making an Impact with Law Enforcement
We poured our blood and sweat into Hornet, and the results speak for themselves. Within one year of incorporation, our state-of-the-art Crypto Forensics solution helped multiple police departments solve critical cases.
A major milestone was when Telangana Police — one of India’s leading law enforcement agencies — purchased Hornet. Not only did they renew their subscription, but they also opted for a higher-tier plan, proving the value and trust we bring.
Attracting Investors & Scaling Up
Our success caught the attention of several investors, and finally, one of India’s marquee VCs — Artha Venture Fund (investor in Agnikul Cosmos, Exotel, and more) backed us. This investment, supported by Webel-BCC&I Tech Incubation Centre and Deepak Daftari, gave us the momentum to scale further.
Looking Ahead
This milestone solidified Hornet’s position as a leader in Crypto Compliance and Forensics on the global stage. But for us, this is just the beginning.
Each day, we strive to be better than yesterday — to innovate, to grow, and to make a real difference.
Here’s to the journey ahead!