New Delhi, June 25, 2026: Blackstraw, a global data and AI services firm that helps Fortune 500 and large enterprises turn complex data into measurable business outcomes, was, on Tuesday, awarded the Data and AI Foundation Excellence award at the recently held ET Edge AI Summit & Awards 2026.
The award comes at a time when organizations are shifting AI spending from experimentation to execution. As more enterprises move past proof of concept (PoC), the ability to operationalize AI at scale has become a defining priority, and data readiness, integration, governance, and operational scalability remain the factors that most influence whether enterprise AI initiatives succeed.
Blackstraw has built its business around perfecting the groundwork since its inception in 2018. Even before generative and agentic AI reached enterprise floors, the company was cleaning and connecting data, setting up governance, and making sure its AI systems held up in production. Over the years, it has delivered more than 200 successful AI implementations for 60+ global customers, with work spanning data engineering, enterprise AI platforms, genAI and agentic AI solutions, computer vision, and legacy modernization. The recognition from Economic Times validates an approach the company has stood by from the start, and it reflects the results that approach has delivered consistently for clients.
“The focus is shifting from experimentation to execution, and the success of any AI initiative depends on the quality of the data foundation beneath it,” said Atul Bansal, Head of AI at Blackstraw. “Generative and agentic AI keep expanding what is possible, but sustainable outcomes require infrastructure and processes that can support AI at enterprise scale.”
Commenting on the broader enterprise AI landscape, Hemendhira Muralidharan, VP Marketing at Blackstraw, said, “The enterprise AI conversation has evolved significantly over the past 12-18 months. Organizations are increasingly moving beyond pilot programs and proofs of concept to focus on measurable business outcomes. We are also seeing enterprises test and validate AI capabilities within their own operations before deploying them more broadly across customer facing and business critical functions. In that environment, strong data foundations, governance frameworks, and operational readiness become strategic priorities. This recognition reflects the growing industry understanding that long term AI success is built on these core, non-comprising fundamentals.”
The ET Edge AI Summit and Awards brings together policymakers, data and AI leaders, technology innovators, investors, and industry experts to examine the evolving role of artificial intelligence in business and society. The awards recognize organizations and leaders driving progress across AI innovation, implementation, governance and impact.
About Blackstraw
Blackstraw is a global data and AI services firm that helps Fortune 500 brands and large enterprises transform complex data into measurable business outcomes. By combining deep data engineering, AI/ML expertise, and production-grade GenAI and agentic AI solutions, Blackstraw enables enterprises to move beyond pilots and proofs of concept to scalable, secure, and high-impact AI. Founded in 2018 by Atul Arya, Blackstraw is headquartered in Tampa, Florida, with delivery centers in Halifax, Canada, and Chennai, India. The company serves clients across North America, Europe, and global markets.
