In a stirring celebration of global collaboration and resilience, tech entrepreneur Hiten Bhuta was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Indo-US Chamber of Commerce at the 2025 Banyan Ball in Tampa, Florida.
The event, which drew over 400 high-profile guests, including global business leaders and policymakers, recognised Bhuta’s transformative role in building inclusive, cross-continental tech innovation.
What made this recognition particularly notable was the tribute paid to the diverse workforce behind Bhuta’s company, Cyberweb Hotel, including numerous professionals from Nigeria, Kenya, the Philippines, Colombia, Vietnam, and Brazil, underscoring the crucial contributions of the Global South to the international tech ecosystem.
Bhuta, who hails from a modest rural community in Asia where English was scarcely spoken, rose to global prominence by founding Cyberweb, now one of America’s leading hotel technology firms. In his acceptance speech, he described the award not as a personal accolade, but as a “shared victory” for the hundreds of consultants, developers, and creatives working from distant time zones and different continents.
“This award belongs to every consultant who stayed up late on another continent. It’s proof that where you’re born doesn’t limit where you can go,” Bhuta said.
Over the years, Cyberweb and its nonprofit arm, the Sakar Foundation, have employed talent from across Africa, Asia, and Latin America via remote work platforms demonstrating the growing potential of virtual collaboration in today’s global economy.
Among the skilled professionals celebrated were software engineers in Manila, digital marketers in Nairobi, and content creators in Medellín. Nigerian tech talents, long recognized for their ingenuity and adaptability, have been key contributors in building Cyberweb’s digital infrastructure.
The event also spotlighted Tampa’s role as a melting pot for immigrants, with Mayor Jane Castor reiterating the city’s legacy of inclusion. The award, she noted, reflected not just individual excellence, but the power of diversity in shaping the future of global enterprise.
Bhuta’s personal journey, enabled by the US immigration pathways for individuals with extraordinary abilities, serves as inspiration for professionals across the Global South. He encouraged aspiring talents to “develop world-class expertise” and trust that “the doors will open.”
The Banyan Ball brought together leading institutions across finance, healthcare, education, and law including JP Morgan Chase, TD Bank, the University of South Florida, and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel underscoring the cross-sector commitment to global unity and opportunity.
For many in the audience, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, the night affirmed one message: that talent knows no borders.
“From the farms of Asia to the forums of global leadership—it’s not just my story,” Bhuta said. “It’s a celebration of what we can all become when we believe in our shared humanity.”
