Scaling Across Continents: A Tech Startup Story with Passionfruit
Aditya Jain, co-founder and CEO of Passionfruit, joins us for episode 12 of Tech Startup Stories to share how he and his team are building a truly global Martech company. In this episode, Adi discusses the challenges and advantages of operating across multiple continents, how they’ve built a remote-first culture, and why diversity of thought and experience has been central to their success.
Listen to the Podcast
Available on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
Why Building Global Was Intentional
From the outset, Passionfruit was designed to be international. With headquarters in the US, a team spread across Europe, and India, and a growing global customer base, the company embraces the power of distributed talent. Adi shares that remote work made global hiring more accessible, but more importantly, it made local client understanding possible. Each time they entered a new market, they brought in talent from that geography to ensure cultural fit and deeper customer insight.
Working Around the Clock
One of the team’s biggest operational advantages has been their ability to work across time zones. By building a "buddy system" that allows work to be handed off as the day rolls forward, Passionfruit has created a 24-hour workflow without overloading anyone. This round-the-clock productivity has helped them ship features faster and deliver client results at an accelerated pace.
Global Thinking, Local Execution
Passionfruit’s multicultural team brings a variety of perspectives to each challenge. Adi emphasises how this diversity leads to better decision-making and product innovation. But working globally also comes with its challenges, especially in aligning communication and maintaining a unified company culture. To address this, the team invests heavily in onboarding, mission alignment, and internal training to ensure everyone stays connected to the company’s goals.
Lessons from a Global Startup Journey
Building across geographies isn’t easy, but Adi is clear that the rewards far outweigh the complexity. Here are some of the lessons he’s learned along the way:
Hire for time zones strategically, and plan ahead to avoid last-minute resource gaps.
Invest in cultural alignment from day one, not just process alignment.
Create global workflows that support productivity without burnout.
Value different working styles and perspectives — they drive better outcomes.
Make the mission front and centre, so everyone stays grounded no matter where they are.
Advice for Aspiring Global Founders
Adi’s advice for anyone thinking of launching a globally distributed business is to be intentional. Build systems that support your ambition, don’t rely on chance. Embrace frugality early to give yourself room to experiment, and stay laser-focused on the problems you’re solving, not just the tools you’re using. Passionfruit’s success isn’t just about tech, it’s about people, perspective, and a shared commitment to doing things differently.
Listen to the Podcast
Available on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
Get in touch with Adi Jain or learn more about Passionfruit.
