Hakuhodo Data Labs India develops artificial intelligence and commerce tools that help brands manage retail media, pricing, visibility and inventory across marketplaces.
Established in 2024, the Japanese-affiliated company operates on the premise that agencies must combine consulting and services with technology they develop and own.
The company’s e-Genie.ai platform uses agentic workflows to automate budget allocation, bids and product-level decisions. It is also testing AI agents across advertising and commerce systems through active proofs of concept.
“My vision is to build Hakuhodo Data Labs India into an AI-native MarTech company where consulting, technology and owned IP come together to solve business problems at scale,” said Shweta Sharma, chief executive.
Developed by Hakuhodo Japan and AdGlobal360’s Indian innovation team, e-Genie.ai brings media automation together with digital-shelf and commerce data. Pricing and inventory agents respond when products underperform, become unavailable or are incorrectly priced.
“Our larger ambition is to establish India as Hakuhodo’s Retail Commerce Centre of Excellence, providing advanced MarTech capabilities to global brands from India,” Sharma said.
The goal is to expand India’s role beyond technology delivery and establish the country as a source of globally relevant marketing technology and intellectual property.
“My vision is to build Hakuhodo Data Labs India into an AI-native MarTech company where consulting, technology and owned IP come together to solve business problems at scale.”
Shweta Sharma, Chief Executive, Hakuhodo Data Labs India
Sharma also emphasizes workplace cultures that provide women with meaningful roles, mentorship, sponsorship and paths to decision-making positions.
“I am extremely optimistic about the generation of women entering India’s workforce today. They are ambitious, confident and increasingly unwilling to put a ceiling on what they can achieve,” she said.
Her India-Japan outlook for 2026 and beyond places co-innovation alongside investment and trade. Japanese quality and attention to detail complement India’s technology talent, entrepreneurial energy and ability to scale.
“Having worked closely with Japanese partners since 2016, I have developed tremendous admiration for Japanese process excellence, attention to detail and craftsmanship of experience that are so deeply embedded in Japanese business culture,” Sharma said.
People-to-people ties, she said, give the partnership a cultural foundation. Hakuhodo Data Labs India is translating that mutual respect into practical co-innovation, developing technology in India which meets Japanese standards for global markets.
