Icertis anouced the passing of Samir bodar

Samir Bodas, co-founder and former CEO of contract intelligence unicorn Icertis, has died at 61 after battling cancer.

Bodas founded the Bellevue-based software company in 2009 alongside Monish Darda and grew it into a $5 billion enterprise serving over one-third of Fortune 100 companies. The company announced his death on January 30, 2026, describing him as a visionary entrepreneur who shaped the contract management industry.

Career Journey

Bodas arrived in the United States in 1982 from Pune, India, to study computer science at the University of Texas at Austin. He began his career as a software programmer at National Instruments.

After graduating from Wharton Business School, he joined Microsoft in 1992. He held various sales and marketing roles at the tech giant before pursuing entrepreneurship in the early 2000s at iMandi, Jamcracker, Disha Technology, and Aztecsoft.

Building Icertis

In 2009, Bodas met Darda and launched Icertis during the emergence of cloud computing. The company developed the Icertis Contract Management (ICM) platform, an AI-powered product that manages enterprise contracts across different transaction types.

The startup achieved unicorn status in 2019 after raising $115 million in a funding round led by Greycroft and PremjiInvest. Icertis has raised over $560 million in total funding and was last valued at $5 billion during its 2022 fundraise.

The company's investors include B Capital Group, Meritech Capital Partners, and SAP. Icertis serves clients across financial services, healthcare, retail, and manufacturing sectors.

Leadership Response

"Samir was a pioneer in every sense of the word. His foresight and leadership set the bar for the company that Icertis is today," said Anand Subbaraman, CEO of Icertis. "His belief in Icertis—its mission, its people, and its potential—was unwavering."

Monish Darda, co-founder and CTO of Icertis, said: "Samir had a rare ability to inspire others with his vibrant spirit and to lead with undeniable conviction. He challenged all of us to think bigger, act with integrity, and to create a consequential and enduring company."

Legal Tech Impact

Bodas served as CEO before transitioning to Executive Chairman. Under his leadership, Icertis established itself as the leader in contract intelligence, making contracts a source of clarity and value for organizations worldwide.

His vision transformed contract management from an administrative function into a strategic asset for enterprises. The AI-powered platform he helped build now processes contracts across multiple jurisdictions and transaction types for the world's largest companies.

The legal technology community mourns the loss of a pioneer who fundamentally changed how enterprises approach contract management. DreamLegal extends its deepest condolences to Bodas's family, friends, and the entire Icertis team during this difficult time.