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22nd Century Technologies, Inc: Surpassing the $500 million milestone by pioneering government contracting and IT innovation

Business Fortune

Anil Sharma looks back on his journey as a first-generation immigrant motivated by the American dream and thanks his team and customers for their contributions to the company's success. Anil, his partner Satvinder Singh, and 22nd Century Technologies flourished after the company was founded in 1997, right as the Y2K problem was starting to show signs of seriousness. However, they soon faced setbacks, including the dot-com bust, the 9/11 attacks, and industry downturns like the 2007 financial crisis, which forced them to make tough business decisions and even temporarily halt operations.

Despite obstacles, Anil Sharma, the CEO, spearheaded the business's rebirth in 2008 by concentrating on the public and government sectors, which resulted in significant development. The company has grown from a consultancy startup to a $500+ million revenue run-rate behemoth with over 6,000 workers under his direction.

With unwavering commitment, Anil turned a small IT consulting firm into a dominant force in government contracts, generating 30% annual revenue growth and business expansion.

Anil credits the company's success to its dedication to innovation, which has produced specialized software products and customized solutions like its suite of managed services and software products, including HoldFort for ITSM and HelpDesk services, Futurity for Cybersecurity, and the ML and AI-driven CallCare Contact Center. Intelligent Document Processing (IDPBot), an emergency management system, a case management system for law enforcement, and a complete ERP suite designed specifically for state and local government agencies are among the software products offered by the company.

With its current headquarters in McLean, Virginia, 22nd Century Technologies continues to take a customer-centric approach, actively supporting its clients' endeavors in cybersecurity, cloud migration, and digital transformation in addition to providing help for other vital IT disciplines. The primary objective of the organization is to provide customized solutions to communities, government agencies, and citizens by leveraging technological developments such as GenAI, AI, and ML.

While acknowledging the difficulties encountered in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and the 2007 financial crisis, Sharma stresses the value of having a solid team, clear objectives, and a positive mindset in order to overcome obstacles. With employees at the center of the plan, the company's growth and achievement of its status are credited to a culture of cooperation, support between colleagues, and a shared dedication to success.

Going forward, 22nd Century anticipates that its staff will be in charge of generating client value. The group works hard to stay current with emerging technologies, learn new things, and use what they learn to solve client issues and support customers in realizing their goals. 22nd Century Technologies actively assists clients in cloud conversions, especially in light of the increased threat landscape and current market trends, with a focus on cybersecurity. The business has successfully provided comprehensive cyber preparedness solutions to over 40 clients.

Sharma highlights the company's role in addressing important challenges with noteworthy success stories, such as their partnership with the IRS to achieve a paperless system by 2025. The company's expansion has been largely attributed to its dedication to encouraging employee loyalty.

The CEO, Anil Sharma, expressed his sincere gratitude to his incredible team, which he believes is the key to their success. A special thanks goes out to their fantastic clients, whose assistance has been essential to both sustaining and expanding their company. To all of them, let us toast.

With an eye toward the future, 22nd Century Technologies is broadening its approach to growth by acquiring other companies, pursuing novel goods and services, and investigating prospects within the semiconductor and hardware industries. In closing, Sharma thanks the staff and clients and restates the company's dedication to organic growth, worker welfare, and client pleasure.

About Anil Sharma

Anil Sharma, a first-generation immigrant, began his entrepreneurial journey in 1997 when he founded 22nd Century Technologies, an IT consulting firm. Anil skillfully led the company through difficult times, including the 2007 financial crisis and the 9/11 events in 2001. An important choice to concentrate on the public and government sectors in 2008 was a turning point that propelled the company's growth from around a million dollars in initial revenue to over $500 million today, creating a presence in all 50 states.

22nd Century Technologies, which stands out for its flexibility and customer-focused philosophy, has developed into a full-service organization that specializes in managed IT services with a strong focus on cybersecurity. The company's array of software solutions, which make use of cutting-edge technologies like AI and GenAI, clearly demonstrates its commitment to innovation.

The company has produced noteworthy success stories, primarily catering to the public sector, which includes federal agencies as well as state and local governments. Among the highlights are working with the IRS to go to an entirely paperless system and assisting the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in the biggest digital transformation in American history.

Anil Sharma emphasizes the importance of the company's workforce, describing the corporate culture as close-knit and encouraging teamwork. With an eye on the future, 22nd Century Technologies is well-positioned to pursue inorganic growth via acquisitions, broadening its approach to providing cutting-edge goods and services, and investigating prospects in the semiconductor and hardware industries. An unwavering commitment is made to customer satisfaction, employee well-being, and organic growth.

"My sincere gratitude goes out to our incredible team, who are the main contributors to our success. A huge thank you also goes out to our fantastic clients, whose help has been essential to both sustaining and expanding our company. To all of you, cheers!"

"The company has grown from a consulting startup to a powerhouse with over 6,000 employees and a revenue run-rate of $500+ million under Anil's leadership."


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