“One of the deepest lessons I’ve learned is that building something meaningful in the world requires first building yourself. The external challenges, whether funding, clients, scaling, or strategy, are all reflections of your internal state. When I’ve been grounded, intentional, and aligned, the right opportunities and people have flowed into my path. When I’ve been reactive or ego-driven, things have often fallen apart. In that sense, entrepreneurship is one of the most rigorous forms of spiritual practice and has shaped me as an individual.”
35 Under 35 recipient Pankhuri Bansal is the founder and CEO of Blockom Consulting, a global innovation firm that guides businesses, governments, and international organisations through the strategic adoption of emerging technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and the internet of things. Based in London and Mumbai, she has built a diverse team that delivers projects for clients including the United Nations, ISO, and the UK government.
Before launching Blockom, Pankhuri honed her expertise at JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and United Nations, as well as with impact-driven start-ups across fintech and deep tech.
Here is an inside Scoop from the 35 Under 35 Interview with Pankhuri Bansal
Interviewer: To start off, could you tell our readers a bit about your educational background?
Pankhuri: “I come from a deeply interdisciplinary background, having earned master’s degrees in Economics & Finance, AI & Machine Learning, and IoT & Entrepreneurship from the U.K. This academic foundation, combined with over a decade of hands-on industry experience, allows me to approach challenges with a unique perspective that merges economic insight, technical depth, and strategic vision.”
Interviewer: Can you share what inspired the start of your business and how you got it off the ground?
Pankhuri: “The genesis of Blockom Consulting emerged organically from my diverse professional journey across finance, international development, and the start-up ecosystem. Whether I was collaborating with fintech innovators at JP Morgan, supporting social initiatives at the United Nations, or advising agile tech start-ups, I noticed a recurring theme: many organisations were intrigued by emerging technologies but lacked a clear strategy or trusted partner to implement them effectively.
What stood out to me was the widening gap between technological potential and practical execution. Many institutions were either paralysed by the velocity of innovation or enthralled by the hype, without a grounded understanding of how to integrate these technologies into their core business models. I saw a clear opportunity to bridge that gap with a consulting firm that could deliver strategic clarity, ethical guidance, and executional excellence.
So, I started Blockom Consulting with a clear mission: to democratise access to advanced technologies and make them actionable, responsible, and scalable. I began by leveraging my network from previous roles to secure a few initial consulting projects, focusing on delivering value through pilot programs and measurable results. These early successes, coupled with our ability to translate complex technologies into real-world value, catalysed our evolution into a globally respected advisory firm recognised for its innovation, integrity, and systems-level thinking.”
Interviewer: What do you believe gives your business its edge over competitors?
Pankhuri: “Blockom Consulting stands out because of our multi-dimensional expertise, global perspective, and commitment to sustainability and ethical innovation. Most consulting firms tend to specialise either in strategy or in technical delivery. We excel at both, and we operate at the intersection of technology, business, and policy.
First, we are uniquely positioned with deep academic and industry backgrounds across finance, economics, engineering, AI/ML, and blockchain. This allows us to offer not just technical solutions, but solutions that are grounded in economic feasibility, regulatory compliance, and long-term sustainability.
Second, we don’t offer cookie-cutter services. We work collaboratively and contextually with each client, tailoring our approach based on their industry, size, and strategic goals. We’ve helped tech start-ups build AI-powered platforms, guided the government in developing blockchain strategies, and advised global organisations like the UN and ISO on innovation standards and frameworks.
What also differentiates us is our deep commitment to social and environmental impact. For example, we’ve led pilots to use blockchain for land registry in regions plagued by corruption and land disputes. We’ve implemented food supply chain traceability solutions for Agri-tech start-ups, ensuring transparency from farm to fork. We’ve developed carbon credit tracking platforms that help organisations meet their ESG mandates with integrity.
Lastly, our credibility is reinforced by the global platforms we’re invited to. I’ve been honoured to speak at international tech summits globally, advise innovation boards, and recently consulted the UK Parliament on public sector reform using blockchain. These invitations are a testament to our influence, insight, and impact in the global technology landscape.”
Interviewer: What difficulties did you encounter while growing your business, and what helped you push through?
Pankhuri: “Building Blockom Consulting from the ground up has been both incredibly rewarding and intensely challenging.
One of the initial challenges was educating clients and stakeholders about emerging technologies, particularly blockchain. In the early days, many clients associated blockchain only with cryptocurrency, and convincing them of its broader utility for things like identity verification, land registries, or supply chain transparency required a lot of advocacy and trust-building. We addressed this by developing clear, real-world pilot projects that demonstrated how these technologies could solve existing problems and create tangible value.
Another major challenge was hiring and building a specialised team. We needed people who were not only skilled in technical areas like AI, ML, and blockchain, but who also understood business strategy, governance, and ethics. Recruiting such cross-functional talent wasn’t easy. We overcame this by investing heavily in culture, creating an environment of continuous learning, and building partnerships with academic institutions and accelerators to tap into emerging talent.
Lastly, growing globally while maintaining quality, especially when advising across sectors—finance, public policy, development—required us to develop flexible delivery models and robust frameworks. We standardised our core methodologies while ensuring our solutions remained adaptable across borders and industries.
Through every challenge, our focus has been on authenticity, results, and resilience. Our growth has come not just from ambition but from delivering consistently high value and earning long-term trust.”
Interviewer: How do you track your business’s growth, and what have been some standout accomplishments?
Pankhuri: “We measure success not just in terms of profit or client volume, but by asking: Are we making a real difference? Are we solving meaningful problems? Are we empowering innovation that lasts?
Some key indicators of our success include:
- The transformative outcomes we deliver for clients, from start-ups scaling AI products, to governments reforming public infrastructure using blockchain.
- The strategic trust we’ve earned from global institutions like the United Nations, ISO, and the UK Government.
- The global platforms we’re invited to contribute to, where our insights shape policy, innovation strategies, and ethical frameworks.
A few of our major achievements include:
- Leading a blockchain-based land registry project in a developing country to reduce fraud and promote secure property rights.
- Partnering with Agri-tech firms to launch food traceability platforms powered by IoT and blockchain to ensure farm-to-fork transparency.
- Building a carbon credit tracking system to help businesses meet their ESG targets with audit-proof documentation.
- Advising the UK Parliament on how blockchain can modernise the public sector and improve transparency and efficiency.
- Supporting ISO in setting global standards around blockchain and digital trust systems.
- Rolling out blockchain and AI pilot programs with the UK universities and start-ups across the fintech, climate tech, and logistics sectors.
These are not just wins for us, they are signals that we are living our mission and delivering the kind of sustainable impact that drives us.”
Interviewer: Where do you see your business headed, and what steps are you taking to make that vision a reality?
Pankhuri: “Our long-term vision is to establish Blockom Consulting as a global leader in ethical, sustainable, and high-impact digital transformation.
Our plans include:
- Expanding into emerging markets in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, where digital infrastructure can leapfrog development barriers.
- Launching a proprietary suite of SaaS tools for easy integration of blockchain and AI into public services, SMEs, and social enterprises.
- Establishing a Global Innovation Lab that brings together policymakers, technologists, and business leaders to co-develop responsible tech frameworks.
- Deepening our partnerships with governments and IGOs to implement national-level reforms using blockchain and digital identity systems.
- Growing our work in climate tech and ESG, offering advisory and tech solutions for carbon markets, sustainability reporting, and circular economy projects.
We will achieve these goals by doubling down on R&D, scaling our talent network, and continuing to build thought leadership and trust through our results. With strong partners, a global footprint, and a mission-driven approach, the path ahead is exciting and full of possibility.”
Interviewer: Looking back, what have been your biggest takeaways, and what message would you give to those just starting out?
Pankhuri: “I’ve come to see technology not just as a tool, but as a force of consciousness. It can either fragment or unify, exploit, or uplift, depending on the intention behind it. That’s why I believe so deeply in leading innovation with integrity, empathy, and clarity. Especially in the age of AI, where decisions are scaled instantly and empathy risks becoming a rare commodity, we must pause to ask not just, “Can we build this?” but, “Should we? Who benefits? And what kind of future are we shaping?”
I am just getting started in my entrepreneurial journey, but some of the other most important lessons that I have learnt so far are:
- Vision is not enough; execution is everything. You can have the best idea in the world, but without persistence, discipline, and daily action, it remains just that—an idea.
- Adaptability is a superpower. Whether you’re dealing with new technologies, changing regulations, or shifting client needs, your ability to learn, unlearn, and evolve will define your success.
- Interdisciplinary thinking is the future. My ability to blend finance, economics, and tech has helped me see patterns others miss. I encourage every entrepreneur to break out of silos and embrace diverse knowledge streams.
- Authentic leadership matters. The teams, partners, and clients who stick with you will do so because you lead with integrity, transparency, and purpose.
For me, success isn’t just what you achieve, it’s who you become while creating!”
