The IndUS Entrepreneurs (TiE), Bengaluru, launched its Mangaluru satellite chapter here on Thursday, April 20.
TiE founded in 1992 in the Silicon Valley by a group of successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives and senior IT professionals is a global non-profit organisation to foster entrepreneurship through mentoring, networking, education, funding and incubation.
Addressing press persons during its launch, Madan Padaki, president of TiE Bengaluru and Rohith Bhat, president, TiE, Mangaluru said that its focus is on generating and nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Rohith Bhat (second from Right) Founding president, TiE Mangaluru speaking at a press conference in Mangaluru on April 20. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
Mr. Bhat, also the founder of 99 Games and Robosoft Technologies, said that the Silicon Beach ecosystem (coastal Karnataka region comprising Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts) is home to over 225 technology companies, including startups. The region has more than 25 engineering colleges graduating 10,000 plus engineers every year. Coastal Karnataka has more than 15 incubation centres supporting 125 startups. There are over 100 technology companies employing 15,000 plus engineers and generating over ₹3,000 crore in revenue per annum. Reputed companies like Infosys, Cognizant, Mphasis, Cogent, Robosoft, GlowTouch, Novigo and Niveus each employ 1,000 personnel. “We are well on our way to becoming the next technology hub in India,” he said.
Mr. Padaki and Mr. Bhat said that TiE has plans to infuse the entrepreneurship spirit from the school level itself by organising competitions to students studying from Class 8 to Class 12. It will organise monthly workshops and inspirational sessions for college students and budding entrepreneurs. The quarterly product showcase sessions and quarterly investor connect programmes will be organised.
In addition to Mr. Bhat, the Mangaluru chapter has nine other founding charter members. They are Praveen Kumar Kalbhavi, Co-founder, MD and CEO at Novigo Solutions; Ram Acharya, CTO, Global Delight; Shylaja Rao, Secretary, TiE, Mangaluru and founding general partner, Ventana Ventures; Rathnakar Bhat, CEO, Karmic Designs; Suyog Shetty, CEO, Niveus Solutions; Shyamprasad Hebbar, Senior Vice-President, Glowtouch Tehnologies; Ravi Haldipur, Founder and Director at eSamudaay; Prasanna Shenoy, Group President and CFO, Invenger Tehnologies and Shilpa Bhat, Vice-President, Games at 99Games. It has 10 associate members and 10 mentors to start with.
He said that the TiE Mangaluru is open for membership from individuals and companies from coastal Karnataka.
Mr. Padaki said that the TiE had earlier opened its chapters in Hubballi and Mysuru. It will aim at creating an eco system to retain the talents by changing the default mindset that one can be successful only by going out or abroad.
