Experience

Tamil Nadu Technology Hub (iTNT)

• India
• Technology, Information and Internet
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Executive Officer

  • Sep 2022 - Present

  The Tamil nadu Technology Hub is India's first Emerging and Deeptech Innovation Network. It has been established with the support from the Government of Tamil Nadu and Government of India, to create a vibrant innovation ecosystem in the state, to spur the growth of emerging and deeptech startups, to build vibrant corridors between innovation ecosystems and to solve hard problems using emerging and deeptech. As the founding Chief Executive Officer of the Organization, my role is to lay the foundation for what will be an institution of profound impact, not just for the state but also for the country - in the years to come. Show less



Chennai Tricolor Initiative Trust

• Trustee

  • 2016 - Present

  The Chennai Tricolor Initiative is a non-profit, volunteer organization formed by the Youth of Chennai after the Floods last year as a way of promoting responsible and participatory citizenship - and as a way of involving the youth in the matters that affect everyday lives, and to influence it in a positive manner. We, the people. The Chennai Tricolor Initiative is a non-profit, volunteer organization formed by the Youth of Chennai after the Floods last year as a way of promoting responsible and participatory citizenship - and as a way of involving the youth in the matters that affect everyday lives, and to influence it in a positive manner. We, the people.



Information Technology Department, Government of Tamil Nadu

• India
• Government Administration
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Committee Member at Advisory Council (Technology)

  • Oct 2021 - Present

  The Advisory Committee on IT, Emerging & Deeptech will act as a think tank to give inputs on: 1. To promote Emerging Technologies that will be beneficial to the state. 2. To act as a think tank to suggest proactive policy changes that would enable the state to benefit from innovations and technology of the future. 3. To support the state to develop a technology vision plan for the long term economic development of the state of Tamil Nadu. 4. To exchange ideas on some of the most pressing issues where emerging technologies may present sustainable solutions for Tamil Nadu across economic activity in the State. Show less



The Startup Centre

• India
• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Founder CEO

  • Apr 2011 - Aug 2022

  The Startup Centre is an accelerator for Early Stage technology startups, and also a hub for the entrepreneurial community. More at http://www.thestartupcentre.com The Startup Centre is an accelerator for Early Stage technology startups, and also a hub for the entrepreneurial community. More at http://www.thestartupcentre.com



CII South (International Linkages) Committee

• Committee Member

  • Jun 2019 - May 2021

  To promote the Southern Region as an ideal destination of choice for international linkages and businesses. To facilitate trade across borders for the Southern Region Membership, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. To provide platforms for addressing issues affecting exporters & importers with special reference to statutory regulations & Government policies. To provide regular global market updates through CII’s network of domestic & overseas offices. To promote partnerships & exchanges through global institutions & entities (such as World Bank), state & central Governments, Consulates & Embassies, foreign trade offices, bilateral chambers of commerce, regulatory bodies and CII / international trade missions abroad. To organize / facilitate sector based outward missions, thereby promoting learning of best practices & new business opportunities To host incoming delegations from various countries across southern region, providing membership with new business opportunities To add value to CII membership on enhancing business through B2B meetings, webinars, mycii and networking sessions & To advise the Regional Council on policy issues concerning International Trade in goods and services. Show less



GreySquared Innovation Services

• Partner

  • 2011 - Jun 2018

  GreySquared enables Enterprises to improve their existing processes of value creation, and in untapping the innovation potential within the organization. The firm also offers strategic consultancy services in terms of acquisition targets to grow the larger scope of the organization. GreySquared enables Enterprises to improve their existing processes of value creation, and in untapping the innovation potential within the organization. The firm also offers strategic consultancy services in terms of acquisition targets to grow the larger scope of the organization.



Arogyam Organics Pvt. Ltd

• India

• Director

  • Apr 2011 - Apr 2012

  Arogyam Organics works with communities of small and marginal farmers in Tamil Nadu, ensuring that they get access to the best practices, equipment and market support. They get a good price for their produce, and the consumer gets top quality, affordable organic produce. Working closely with Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems, an organisation that has been working with farmers on indigenous organic agriculture for over a decade, Arogyam Organics has put into place processes, practices and systems that ensure that the produce goes from farm to consumer efficiently, keeping costs under control without compromising quality. Show less



Uniphore Software Systems

• Director

  • Jan 2010 - Nov 2011

  In an every increasing world of Information, the divide between those who have access to Information and those who don't continues to grow. The one key contributor to this divide has been the access to this information - primarily because of content that is dependent on the devices that deliver them. Uniphore is a company that is betting on voice being the enabler for information to be accessible everywhere and anywhere - leveraging applications from simple voice based applications, to speech recognition, to sophisticated voice biometric systems, this young startup has kicked off with a tremendrous impact among the masses in emerging markets. Show less



CyberMedia

• Puerto Rico
• Advertising Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Columnist at Dare

  • Jul 2009 - Jun 2011

  DARE is the Entrepreneur focused magazine out of the Cybermedia Group - one of India's largest and well known media company which has entrenched itself with the technology space with its offerings such as PC World, DataQuest etc DARE is the Entrepreneur focused magazine out of the Cybermedia Group - one of India's largest and well known media company which has entrenched itself with the technology space with its offerings such as PC World, DataQuest etc



Entrepreneur

• Netherlands
• Furniture and Home Furnishings Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Columnist

  • May 2010 - May 2011

  India’s first magazine for entrepreneurs and their businesses. Here, at your fingertips, is a powerful resource for the risk-taking individual who is set on making a mark on the business landscape. Entrepreneur’s pedigree comes from the country’s fastest growing media company, Network 18, and Entrepreneur U.S., a 32-year-old magazine with a dedicated readership of 3 million readers… and growing. India’s first magazine for entrepreneurs and their businesses. Here, at your fingertips, is a powerful resource for the risk-taking individual who is set on making a mark on the business landscape. Entrepreneur’s pedigree comes from the country’s fastest growing media company, Network 18, and Entrepreneur U.S., a 32-year-old magazine with a dedicated readership of 3 million readers… and growing.



NASSCOM

• India
• Information Technology & Services
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Program Chair - Product Conclave / EmergeOut

  • Mar 2010 - Mar 2011

  NASSCOM has been at the forefront of what the Indian IT Industry is today. While their role in shaping the new frontiers of the IT Sector continues to grow, there is a new effort shaping up in supporting product companies that are starting to blossom out of India. The NASSCOM Product Conclave, along with the Emerge Out Conferences will seek to drive the next set of initiatives, knowledge and awareness among companies transitioning and starting off in the Product Space. NASSCOM has been at the forefront of what the Indian IT Industry is today. While their role in shaping the new frontiers of the IT Sector continues to grow, there is a new effort shaping up in supporting product companies that are starting to blossom out of India. The NASSCOM Product Conclave, along with the Emerge Out Conferences will seek to drive the next set of initiatives, knowledge and awareness among companies transitioning and starting off in the Product Space.



RTBI (IITM's Rural Technology and Business Incubator)

• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Vice President (New Ventures)

  • Oct 2006 - Feb 2011

  Can Entrepreneurship be a mode of development was the question that RTBI was started with, back in 2006. As the first member, and as such the founding member of the organization, have been responsible for quite a bit of what this entity and vision has grown into - which currently stands with close to 15 startups, a capable research and support team, and a senior management team that manages the entire process. Currently manage the Incubation process of the Incubator, all the way from the entrepreneur who comes in, interacting with them, identifying areas that they can work in, helping them find a focus, formulate a concept note, build a lean startup, prove the market, if not reiterate, and scale. In the past four years, Six of the companies are nearing graduation, most of them raising institutional capital. Have been involved in the process of getting them ready to receive funding, building the review processes for early stage startups, monitoring them, setting up their advisory teams and mentors, and also in the formation of the board of directors as they emerge and mature. As part of my job, my responsibility is to constantly interact with the teams that manage technology innovation, and the teams that have constant ground/field level interaction to map opportune areas for new businesses, and as we come across entrepreneurs in that domain, to give them an array of venture ideas, market research data and a few plug-n-play technologies that enable them to go to market quickly to prove their model. Have also been responsible for the ideation and development of a set of processes, which seem rather unique to cases where not enough is known about the market and requires a research/technology initiated entrepreneurship development approach. Have been responsible for raising a fund for the incubator through which we can provide working capital loans/seed fund for companies, and in forging alliances with the investor community for subsequent growth. Show less



Proto.in

• Business Consulting and Services

• Advisor

  • Jun 2009 - Jan 2011

  Following the phase of Founding Proto.in, the community today has grown to more than 120 Volunteers active in more than seven cities across the country, and more than 3000 supporters and entrepreneurs who come together every six months to showcase some of the promising startups in the Indian Landscape.In an effort to grow this initiative, I have stepped back as an Advisor to this platform, while the team continues to grow the momentum and the effort. At the moment, am involved in understanding some of the other gaps that need such focus, in making entrepreneurship viable in India Show less

• Founder and Curator

  • Sep 2006 - Jun 2009

  Proto.in is the platform for young startups and entrepreneurs to showcase their grandiose visions and innovations to an audience that really matters - investors, technologists, veteran entrepreneurs, journalists, bloggers and executives. Entrepreneurs drive the economy. It is the grand visions and resourcefulness of an entrepreneur that utilizes the society to the maximum, creates opportunities and pushes technology to its limits to create a better lifestyle - be it an enterprise or an end-consumer. Proto.in is a platform derived to support, help and nurture such visionaries.Proto.in comes together once in six months in a city across the Indian subcontinent ever since its inception in the January of 2007.Currently serving on the team on an Advisory Capacity, while the 100+ volunteering team manages the showcase event. Show less



NEXGE Technologies

• India
• Telecommunications
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Product & Strategic Alliances Manager

  • Jan 2006 - Oct 2006

  Responsible for identifying and evaluating the opportunities in the Telecom market (current needs and market opportunities in the VoIP/IMS Domain) and driving the product decisions about the future direction of the NEXGE solution. Also responsible to drive the product related communications internally and externally to NEXGE. Required to work closely with the Sales force, Channels, Marketing and Engineering organizations. Through close interaction with the field, channels and customers, understands the commercial drivers for specific features, define the high level requirements of those features, and determine feature phasing over coming releases. Responsibilities span the entire product life cycle from concept through development, launch, growth and succession. Specific responsibilities include driving decisions on Pricing, Positioning, Promotion, Product codes, bundling of components, and launch. Show less



LeadStep Technologies Inc., Canada

• Founder CEO

  • 2003 - 2006

  LeadStep focuses on building wireless solutions for both carriers and consumers in an attempt to revolutionize the way people live, act and think. We pride ourselves in solutions that are powerful, yet simple and in products that don't make the end user feel inadequate, but empowers them to bring out the best. Focus Sectors: Content and Media Delivery Systems, Location-Based Services LeadStep focuses on building wireless solutions for both carriers and consumers in an attempt to revolutionize the way people live, act and think. We pride ourselves in solutions that are powerful, yet simple and in products that don't make the end user feel inadequate, but empowers them to bring out the best. Focus Sectors: Content and Media Delivery Systems, Location-Based Services