In the heart of Dublin’s vibrant tech ecosystem, CozmoTec is quietly transforming how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operate in a fast-paced digital world. At the helm is Cuty Gupta, a founder whose journey defies convention. Trained as a dentist in India, Cuty moved to Ireland to pursue her career in healthcare, only to pivot entirely after facing systemic hurdles that made requalification near impossible. Rather than retrace old steps, she built a new path — one that would take her from accounting graduate to Director of Technology and eventually to the founding of CozmoTec in 2022.

Today, CozmoTec is a growing software innovation company with teams in both Ireland and India, helping SMEs automate, scale, and thrive through tailored digital solutions. In our conversation, Cuty shared insights from her unorthodox career shift, spoke candidly about the challenges of being a non-technical founder in a male-dominated industry, and offered her vision for a more inclusive and accessible tech future — one where automation empowers every business, no matter its size.

Your career path is quite unique – from dentistry to tech entrepreneurship. What inspired you to make such a bold transition?

My career path has definitely not been a straight line. I began as a qualified dentist in India and was passionate about helping people, building trust with patients, and working in a field that demanded precision and care. However, when I moved to Ireland, I encountered regulatory and systemic barriers that made it almost impossible to continue practising dentistry without starting the entire qualification process from scratch. At that point, I had two choices: hold on to a career that was no longer viable or adapt, learn, and find a new way to make a meaningful impact.

That moment of uncertainty became the catalyst for change.

I have always had an interest in systems and how things work. While dentistry was about solving medical problems, I became fascinated with solving operational problems in businesses. I started working in an accountancy firm, initially handling projects and quickly progressed into a role that involved innovation and technology. I pursued further qualifications in leadership, data analytics, and project management and began helping companies improve efficiency, automate processes, and reduce manual work.

What inspired me to keep going was seeing how small changes in technology could make a huge difference in business performance and in people’s daily working lives. That’s what led me to launch Cozmotec and, later, RecruitPro, a SaaS platform that simplifies workforce operations for companies that manage temporary staff.

For me, the transition from dentistry to tech was not just about changing careers; it was about changing mindsets. I went from being a service provider to becoming a problem solver and entrepreneur. It was bold, yes, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. The skills I gained as a dentist, empathy, attention to detail, and discipline, have all carried over into my work in tech. I just apply them in a different context now, helping businesses scale and thrive through innovation.

What were some of the main challenges you faced during this career shift, especially as a non-technical founder?

One of the biggest challenges I faced during my career shift was rebuilding my identity from the ground up. I had spent years training and practising as a dentist, and that title came with a clear role and a sense of professional confidence. When I stepped away from that and entered the world of business and technology, especially as a non-technical founder, I had to navigate a space where I wasn’t an expert and where I constantly felt I had to prove myself.

The first hurdle was learning the language of technology and business. I didn’t have a computer science background, so I had to invest significant time in upskilling. I took courses in data analytics, leadership, project management, and business process mapping. I immersed myself in learning not just the tools, but the strategy behind how businesses operate, how they scale, and where technology can make a measurable difference.

Another major challenge was credibility. In a male-dominated tech world, being a woman, an immigrant, and a former dentist entering entrepreneurship came with its share of doubts from others and, sometimes, from myself. I had to build my network from scratch, gain the trust of clients, and consistently demonstrate that I could deliver value, even if I wasn’t the one writing the code.

Then, there’s the challenge of making decisions without all the technical answers. As a non-technical founder, I’ve learned to ask the right questions, surround myself with the right people, and bridge the gap between business goals and technical implementation. I don’t need to code, but I do need to understand what’s possible, what’s scalable, and what’s aligned with our vision.

Lastly, funding and growth as a first-time founder without a traditional tech CV has its own set of challenges. But I leaned into my strengths, process thinking, empathy, leadership, and communication, and used those to connect with clients, motivate teams, and grow the business.

This journey has taught me that you don’t have to fit the mould to succeed; you just need to be willing to learn, adapt, and stay focused on the problems you’re solving.

CozmoTec focuses on helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) navigate digital transformation. What gaps did you notice in the market that led you to create the company?

The idea for Cozmotec came from working closely with small and medium-sized businesses and seeing the same pain points repeated across different industries: manual processes, disconnected systems, missed deadlines, rising staff costs, and an overwhelming sense that technology was moving too fast for them to keep up.

Many of these businesses had incredible potential, but they were bogged down by inefficiencies such as using spreadsheets for operations, relying on email for approvals, or duplicating tasks across departments. What struck me most was that digital transformation felt out of reach for them. They didn’t know where to start, what tools to trust, or how to make those tools work for their business model.

That was the gap.

Tech providers were either too generic, too expensive, or too focused on enterprise-level solutions. Nobody was speaking the language of the SME. That’s why I started Cozmotec: to make digital transformation accessible, affordable, and relevant for smaller businesses.

We don’t just sell software. We map out processes, identify inefficiencies, and then tailor solutions using the right mix of tools, sometimes off-the-shelf, sometimes custom-built. Whether it’s automating timesheets, streamlining onboarding, integrating systems, or using AI to surface insights, our goal is always the same: save time, reduce errors, and help businesses grow with confidence.

In short, I saw a gap between technology and practical implementation for SMEs, and Cozmotec was established to bridge that gap.

How do you manage a growing international team across Ireland and India? What has that experience been like?

Managing a growing international team across Ireland and India has been both rewarding and challenging. The key has been building a strong foundation of trust, communication, and clarity, not just in tasks but in culture.

From the beginning, I knew that having a cross-border team meant dealing with different time zones, working styles, and expectations. But instead of seeing that as a barrier, I treated it as a strength. Our Indian team brings incredible technical depth and speed, while our team in Ireland ensures we stay close to the client, understand the local business context, and deliver a high standard of service.

To make it work, I focused on three things:

Clear processes and ownership: We use tools like Trello and Notion to create full visibility of tasks, responsibilities, and progress. Everyone knows what they’re accountable for.

Communication structure: We hold regular stand-ups, weekly retrospectives, and milestone check-ins. We’ve also defined what should go on Slack, what needs a Zoom call, and what should be documented.

Culture and connection: One of the biggest lessons was that even the best systems fail without human connection. So, I make time for casual catch-ups, celebrate small wins, and ensure the team feels seen and valued, regardless of location.

The experience has taught me that leading international teams isn’t about micromanaging across borders; it’s about setting a shared direction, removing friction, and trusting your people to deliver. It’s made me a better leader and allowed Cozmotec to scale faster than we could with a single-location setup.

As a woman leading a tech company, how do you view the role of diversity in innovation and leadership?

As a woman leading a tech company, I see diversity not just as a checkbox but as a critical driver of innovation and effective leadership. The best solutions come from different ways of thinking, and diversity, whether it’s gender, cultural, or experiential, brings fresh perspectives that challenge assumptions, spot gaps, and create more inclusive products.

When everyone around the table looks and thinks the same, you end up designing for a narrow slice of the world. But when your team reflects the real world, people from different backgrounds, roles, and walks of life, you create technology that’s more adaptable, relevant, and impactful.

Being a woman in tech has not always been easy. I have walked into rooms where I was the only woman or the only non-technical founder and had to prove I belonged. But over time, I’ve learned to see that difference as a strength. It allows me to lead with empathy, listen more closely, and build a culture where everyone feels empowered to contribute.

At Cozmotec, we prioritise collaboration over hierarchy, clarity over jargon, and growth over perfection. That’s a direct reflection of the values I bring as a woman founder, and I believe it’s one of the reasons we’ve been able to create such practical, human-centred solutions.

Diversity in leadership does not just benefit the business; it shapes how we hire, how we build products, and how we serve our clients. And I genuinely believe the future of tech will be built by inclusive teams who understand that difference is not a weakness; it’s our greatest asset.

What is your vision for the future of automation in SMEs? Where do you see the biggest opportunities for growth?

My vision for the future of automation in SMEs is simple: automation should no longer be a luxury or an afterthought; it should be a core part of how small and medium businesses operate, scale, and stay competitive.

Historically, automation has been associated with large enterprises because of the high cost and complexity of implementation. But with today’s low-code platforms, AI assistants, process mapping, and API integrations, SMEs can now automate with speed, affordability, and agility.

The biggest opportunity lies in eliminating repetitive, manual tasks, whether that’s timesheet approvals, invoicing, onboarding, data entry, or reporting. These tasks eat up valuable time, increase the risk of errors, and keep teams away from high-value work like customer service, strategy, and innovation.

I also see huge potential in the following:

AI-powered decision-making: Giving SMEs real-time insights into their business, finances, and forecasting.

Connected systems: Moving away from siloed tools toward integrated platforms that speak to each other.

Hyper-personalised automation: Workflows tailored to each business’s exact needs rather than forcing them to adapt to rigid software.

At Cozmotec, we are already seeing the impact. Our clients are saving 30–40% in operational time, reducing human error, and making faster, smarter decisions. The next wave is about empowering SMEs to design their own digital ecosystems without needing to be technical experts so they can grow sustainably and confidently.

Automation is no longer about replacing jobs; it’s about freeing people to do the work that really matters. That’s the future I’m building toward.