Thread by @alexrkonrad

Three years ago, UiPath was an unknown little Romanian startup. Today, it's a $7 billion global leader in a red-hot new area of tech called RPA.

Beyond excited to share my latest @Forbes cover story on UiPath CEO Daniel Dines, the first bot billionaire.

forbes.com/sites/alexkonr…

@Forbes I flew to Bucharest in July to meet with Dines, who moved his HQ to NYC but still goes back to Romania each summer. My goal: figure out how @UiPath had gone from off the radar to #Cloud100 No. 3 company, 3,200 employees and a $7B valuation overnight.

forbes.com/sites/alexkonr…

@Forbes @UiPath What I found: Daniel Dines isn't your typical tech billionaire. He wakes up each morning and reads a novel until he gets bored, then takes a nap before rolling into the office around 11 am -- or later.

Conversations with Dines are a trip of their own.

forbes.com/sites/alexkonr…

@Forbes @UiPath But the $$$ involved in RPA is huge. Companies are saving many millions using its automation -- and spending millions.

So it's no surprise that SoftBank and Masayoshi Son were interested. More of a surprise: Dines turned down Masa's $1 billion check.

forbes.com/sites/alexkonr…

@Forbes @UiPath So SoftBank poured hundreds of millions into UiPath's closest rival in response: fellow #Cloud100 company Automation Anywhere, whose CEO boasted to @Forbes his product makes UiPath look like Nokia to his iPhone.

It's a rivalry unlikely to slow down soon.

forbes.com/sites/alexkonr…

@Forbes @UiPath To get more of a sense of UiPath and Dines, I encourage you to watch this video put together by my great colleagues @Forbes, too -- I think it gives a real sense for what makes Dines unusual, and so worthwhile for study by any aspiring entrepreneur.

forbes.com/video/60849842…

@Forbes @UiPath I hope you read the cover story and our full #Cloud100 package live today. It was fascinating to report. I hope it shows that you can build a multi-billion juggernaut from anywhere.

Get big enough, and @Forbes will even fly me through Moscow to visit :)

forbes.com/sites/alexkonr…