Track: Social Entrepreneurship

Dr Angelina Seow Voon Yee is an expert in university-industry collaborations. She is currently based at the Asia Pacific University in Malaysia. Her work spans innovation management, coaching and mentoring systems, governance and accountability, and cross-cultural collaboration, with a special focus on ASEAN-Japan and broader Asia partnerships.

She also researches the implementation of accounting and auditing standards in the Malaysian context, as well as issues related to business valuation. Dr Yee has contributed to national policy through engagements with the Ministry of Higher Education, the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, the Innovation Agency Malaysia, and the Malaysian Institute of Accountants.

Previously, she served as Director of Industry Collaboration at Nottingham MyResearch and Nottingham MyRIAD Solutions, and was a Council Member of CPA Malaysia Division. She has led commissioned research for firms such as COB Holdings Berhad and remains a key voice in advancing research-driven innovation in Malaysia and Asia.

Track: Women Entrepreneurship

Prof. Dr Florian Täube is a distinguished economist and academic leader currently serving as the Head of Department for Start-ups at the RKW Competence Centre, where he spearheads initiatives to bolster the German entrepreneurial ecosystem. With a career spanning prestigious institutions such as the Wharton School and Imperial College London, he combines high-level research with practical policy advisory work, notably as a co-leader of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Germany and a member of the EXIST Expert Advisory Board for the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs. His expertise centres on the intersection of innovation, international management, and social networks, with a particular focus on how migrant entrepreneurship and diverse demographics drive economic growth. In addition to his leadership roles, he continues to shape future business leaders as a Professor of International Business and Entrepreneurship at the CBS International Business School.

Track: Entrepreneurial Economics

Dr Sreevas Sahasranamam is a Professor of International Business and Entrepreneurship at the Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow. His research focuses on the strategic and ecosystem enablers of innovation and startups that address the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). His current projects explore entrepreneurship in rural ecosystems, innovation ecosystems for grand challenges, and the role of digital public infrastructure in entrepreneurship development. These are funded by the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust, the British Council, and the Government of India.

A regular contributor to the World Economic Forum and other global outlets, he won the 2024 Management Publication of the Year (Sustainable Futures) Award for his blog collection. In 2018, he was also shortlisted for the Financial Times–McKinsey Bracken Bowen Prize. He is a co-leader of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) UK and has co-authored the GEM global report. His research has influenced national and international policy, featuring in the 2023 G20 Startup Policy Paper and UK and Scottish government reports. It has also received recognition from Indian government officials, including the Prime Minister.

Dr Sahasranamam co-chaired the G20 Startup20 Sustainability Taskforce (2023) and advised the ESG Taskforce under the Brazilian G20 presidency (2024). He is the Director of Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEIS), the UK’s leading social enterprise support agency.

Before joining the University of Glasgow, he was with the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship at Strathclyde Business School. He holds a PhD from the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM K), which awarded him its inaugural Young Alumni Achievers Award.

Track: Technology Transfer and Commercialization

Prof. M.R. Narayana is a distinguished economist and public policy expert associated with the Fiscal Policy Institute, Government of Karnataka, Bengaluru. He holds a PhD from the University of Tsukuba, Japan. He is widely recognised for his contributions to fiscal policy, demographic economics, public finance, education financing, ageing, inequality, and sustainable development.

He has held several prestigious national and international positions, including membership in the Collegium of Eminent Social Scientists of the ICSSR and on the editorial boards of leading journals such as Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Journal of Social and Economic Development, and Review of Urban and Regional Development Studies. He has also served on expert committees for the Government of Karnataka and national policy institutions.

Prof. Narayana has an extensive research portfolio, with publications in reputable journals and policy forums on topics such as the demographic dividend, pensions, intergenerational equity, public education expenditure, and economic inequality in India. He has presented his work at global conferences organised by UNFPA, the United Nations, Stanford University, Harvard, the National Transfer Accounts Network, and other collaborators across countries, including the USA, Thailand, Mexico, Senegal, and India.

Track: Entrepreneurial University/ Technology Transfer and Commerialization

Dr Charan Singh is the CEO and Founder Director of the EGROW Foundation. He was also the Non-Executive Chairman of Punjab & Sind Bank in two stints - May 2018 to May 2021 and November 2022 to November 2024. He continues to pursue his academic interests by regularly teaching courses on Macroeconomics, Monetary Policy, Global Economics (International Finance), and contemporary issues in the Indian Economy at IIM Visakhapatnam and IIM Rohtak. Earlier, he taught a course on International Finance at UCLA Anderson in LA, in 2018 (April to June). Earlier, he was the RBI Chair Professor of Economics at the prestigious Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, India; Senior Economist at the IMF, Washington DC (August 2009-December 2012); and Research Director (Economic Policy, Debt Management; 1997-2009) at the RBI, where he joined as Research Officer in the economics department in 1984. He started his career in 1983 as a management trainee in Punjab National Bank. Among other positions, Dr Singh served on the Board of NHB and NABFINS

His expertise is on Fiscal Policy (especially Market Borrowings, Debt Management); Monetary Policy (especially Public Sector Banks, Interest Rates, Inflation Targetting); Financial Markets (especially Money Market, Financial Inclusion) and he has worked extensively on issues like External Trade, International Reserves, Global Hunger Index, Old Age Pension, and other development issues related to India's Growth and Public Policy.

Dr Singh has published extensively and has two academic books to his credit, one published by Springer and the other by Cambridge University Press. He has also contributed significantly to the public domain through his writings in professional journals. He also contributes to discussions on current affairs in leading newspapers and important TV channels.

Dr Singh completed an M.Phil in Applied Economics from JNU, Delhi, and a PhD in Economics from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, in 1997. He followed it up with postdoctoral studies at the Department of Economics at Harvard University from Aug 2003 to Aug 2004, and at Stanford University from August 2004 to Jan 2006.

Track: Pitch Deck

Ravi Jain leads India investments for TDK Ventures, the corporate venture arm of TDK Corporation—a global leader in magnetics, sensors, electronic components, power electronics, and energy solutions.

A technology entrepreneur and business leader, Ravi has a proven track record of taking companies from 0 to 1 and driving innovation at scale. He most recently spearheaded the launch of Ola Krutrim, India’s pioneering AI unicorn, after heading strategy for Ola, India’s leading ride-sharing company and GTM for Ola Electric, India’s leading EV company which went public.

Earlier, Ravi founded GenY Medium, a marketing technology firm that enabled enterprises and funded startups across India and North America to achieve tech-led growth. He also served as Principal of Investments at VenturEast, focusing on early-growth healthtech and cleantech, where his portfolio delivered strong M&A outcomes.

Ravi began his career as a Scientist at Procter & Gamble’s Technology Development Centre in Kobe, Japan, deepening his expertise in technology and innovation. He holds an Engineering degree from IIT Bombay and an MBA from the Indian School of Business.

Beyond work, Ravi is a badminton enthusiast, and passionate follower of emerging technologies.

Track: Entrepreneurial Innovations and Technology

Dr Roland Haas is a serial entrepreneur, researcher, startup mentor, and author. He has 30 years of professional experience in senior techno-managerial, business innovation and business development assignments in Europe, the US and Asia. Roland Haas has a broad experience in Automotive R&D, Aerospace R&D, Engineering & IT services, Consulting and Strategy. He is the Co-founder & CEO of ARAI Solutions, a deep-tech AI startup, and an Adjunct Professor at the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B). His teaching and research span a wide area of topics, including Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cyber-Physical Systems, Cyber Security, Automotive Software Technologies, and Information Management.

Track: Innovation and Startup Competitiveness

Joanna Stryjek is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of International Studies at SGH Warsaw School of Economics (SGH) in Poland. Her education covers degrees in: Political Science (Bachelor’s, Uppsala University, Sweden); Economic and Political International Relations (Master’s, double diploma – SGH and Sciences-Po Paris); Finance and Banking (Master’s, SGH); Economics (PhD, SGH). She specialises in innovation policy, national innovation systems, start-up ecosystems, and the economic, political, and security aspects of air pollution. Dr Stryjek participated in research and educational projects funded, e.g. by the European Commission, the National Bank of Poland, and the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education. In the years 2016-2020, she was the Vice-Dean of Undergraduate Studies (SGH).

Track: Entrepreneurial Innovations and Technology

Dr Bhaskar Bhowmick is an Associate Professor at the Rajendra Mishra School of Engineering Entrepreneurship, IIT Kharagpur, and is associated with the Centre of Excellence for Safety Engineering & Analytics. A Fellow of IIM Ahmedabad, he has academic interests in strategy, techno-entrepreneurship, and leadership. He has 13 years of prior industry experience and leads several national-level innovation and entrepreneurship projects funded by the Government of India. His research—published in international journals and conferences—explores dynamic capabilities, strategic responses to environmental discontinuities, and leadership in emerging economies. He mentors through the Techno-Entrepreneurial Leadership Lab (www.tellab.in), integrating research, teaching, and innovation practice.

Track: Technology Transfer and Commercialization

Dr. Arun is currently a Professor of Finance & Accounting at the Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India. Arun holds a PhD from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. His research interests are “Corporate Governance, Start-up Valuation, and Development Finance.” He has co-authored a few books, viz. “Management Accounting”, “Public perception of security” which encompasses food and health security, and on social issues, “Muscle to the Mind”, and another in vernacular titled “In search of the Horizon”. He has undertaken a host of consulting and training assignments ranging from Corporate Restructuring to Economic analysis of infrastructure projects. His current focus is on ‘Evidence-Based Impact Assessment’ for various development agencies worldwide, including the Department for International Development (DFID) and the UK Government. His work extends to assessing field-level interventions for developmental issues. He is a certified social impact assessment practitioner.

Track: Financing of Startups and MSMEs

Prof. Gourav Dwivedi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management Studies at IIT Delhi. He holds a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering from HBTI Kanpur and is a Fellow (PhD) of IIM Lucknow. Before his academic career, he spent six years at Larsen & Toubro Technology Services Limited, where he was involved in plant design and execution for Fortune 500 CPG companies. His current research expertise is in Operations and Supply Chain Management. He is also a co-author of a widely used Supply Chain Management textbook published by Pearson India. His research is centred on innovation, sustainability, and technology in emerging economies, with key contributions to Industry 4.0 adoption, circular economy models, and mobility. In addition, he leads project initiatives that empower women entrepreneurs at the grassroots level, effectively bridging the gap between academic theory and practical, real-world impact.

Track: Science Commercialization & Financing of Startups and MSMEs

Dr. Jon Thomas is Director of the Esposito Family Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (EFCIE) and the BC Regional Innovation Chair in Canada-India Partnership Development at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), where he is also Associate Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship. He holds a PhD in Technology Management and Strategy from IIT Delhi, an MBA, and a degree in Statistics. Before UFV, he was a post-doctoral researcher at Simon Fraser University and held a Mitacs Elevate Fellowship. Dr Thomas’s interdisciplinary research has appeared in journals such as Nature Nanotechnology, Technovation, and the Journal of Cleaner Production. His work focuses on the emergence of science-based ventures, regional innovation ecosystems, and early-stage entrepreneurship. He is a dedicated mentor and speaker, supporting aspiring entrepreneurs in Canada and India for over two decades. At UFV, he champions interdisciplinary, innovation-driven education to prepare students for the complexities of the modern workforce.

Track: Entrepreneurial University and Education

Dr Gayithri Karnam was a Professor at the Institute for Social and Economic Change and made an extensive contribution to policy research and PhD training. She specialises in public economics, industrial economics, and public policy studies. She has conducted extensive research in state fiscal studies, public expenditure planning and management, budget reforms, and fiscal incentives. She has served as an advisor to several state government committees and as a consultant to international donor agencies, such as USAID and DFID, on state-level fiscal studies. She has received the Shastri Indo-Canadian Faculty Research Fellowship twice to undertake comparative fiscal studies at Carleton University in Canada. She has undergone training at the Duke Centre for International Development, Duke University (Durham, USA) on aspects relating to ‘public budgeting and financial management’. She has also participated in the executive education program on ‘Public financial management in a changing world’ at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Boston. Served as a Senior Consultant, Fiscal Policy Institute, Government of Karnataka and currently is serving as Consultant, UN Women.

Track: Startup and Innovation Policy

Living in Australia since 1997, passionate about Movies and Education, fortunate to work in both industries. Dr Rajeev Kamineni started his career in a bookstore three decades ago and later held roles as an area sales manager, director, executive director, chief officer, and head of program. With 4 start-up ventures, he has worked in Australia, Dubai, Japan, India, Singapore and South Africa. Rajeev was actively involved in financing 35 films and producing 14 films in the Indian film industry. With a lifelong passion for cinema, Rajeev has authored a book on Indian cinema, published by Routledge in the UK. He was also actively involved as an organiser and a member of the executive committee of the Chennai International Film Festival (CIFF). Currently, the Associate Head for accreditation and Academic Director, Dr Rajeev, teaches and researches in entrepreneurship and international business at The Adelaide University. Rajeev has published in leading academic journals in the areas of Marketing, Entrepreneurship, International Business and Project Management. Rajeev Kamineni is on the editorial board of the Journal of Management and Entrepreneurship and advisory board of Woxsen University, is a regular reviewer for the International Journal of Arts Management, Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Review of International Business and Strategy, Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, and is the co-chair of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship in International Business track for the AIB Oceania 2025 symposium

Track: Pitch Deck

Mr Thejasvi D.S. is the Founder of IREU School for Startups and CEO of IREU Group, an organisation focused on advancing entrepreneurship-led education and innovation ecosystems.

With over two decades of global experience across technology and investment banking, he has held senior leadership roles at leading international financial institutions, including ANZ, Barclays, UBS, JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank, and Citibank.

Through IREU School for Startups, he is committed to nurturing entrepreneurial talent and building platforms that enable aspiring founders to transform ideas into scalable ventures. He actively mentors early-stage startups and collaborates with universities and incubation ecosystems to promote deep-tech innovation and strengthen the startup ecosystem.

Track: Empowerment of Entrepreneurs

Prof. Shyam is an academic in Strategic Management with expertise in strategy, general management, geopolitics, technology management, and science & technology policy. He is currently an Associate Professor at IMT Nagpur (since July 2022), having served there as an Assistant Professor from 2013 to 2022. Earlier, he was a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.

His teaching and research interests span Strategic Management, Geopolitics and Business, and Multisided Platforms. Prof. Shyam is a recipient of the Indian Economic Association Medal for the best PhD thesis in Management Studies at IISc, and has also received recognition for best paper presentation at the Asian Society for Innovation and Policy 2022 Meeting. He is also a recipient of the CSIR Foreign Travel Grant and has qualified for the UGC-NET in Economics.

Track: Entrepreneurial Leadership

Mr Naoto Nakadate is a Senior Director of the Japan-India Startup Hub at Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Bengaluru office. He is a transferred employee from the Japanese national government's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). His career has spanned startup/VC, academia, and government. He studied the Toyota Production System (TPS) at the University of Tokyo, joined a Japanese IT startup, Bebit. He transitioned from the startup sector to the government sector, joining METI. There, he promoted AI/IT and DX/Industry 4.0 policies and researched disruptive technologies such as Quantum computing, Advanced Semiconductors, Neuroscience, and Genome editing. After decommissioning the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and committing to COVID-19 vaccine promotion, he studied biotechnology [Genome editing and Opto-genetics] in a master’s degree at the University of Tokyo as a second major. He worked as a venture capitalist [Indian startup investment team leader, academia incubation team] at the Japanese deep tech VC UMI. He is certified in the Innovation, Science and Technology Policy Program at The National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Japan. He plays a key role in bridging the cross-sector of Government, Academia, and Startup. He also bridges cross-industry areas, including AI/IT, Quantum/Semiconductor, Biotechnology, and Automotive.

Track: Entrepreneurial Education

Sundara Nagarajan ("SN") is the Managing Director of Innovation Scaleup Advisors (ISA), an enterprise development firm that helps innovation-driven enterprises grow business outcomes.

ISA serves deep-tech & digital-tech ventures, enterprises undergoing transformation or diversification, incubators, and investors. SN is an accomplished technologist with over four decades of experience in large global enterprises and early-stage companies.

Before ISA, SN served global technology majors NetApp, HP, Philips, and Wipro. He also served IIIT-Bangalore, IndusAge Partners, IPValue, and Bluefont. He is an alumnus of IIT Madras and GEC, Thrissur. He authored “This Book is Not for Edison.

Track: Entrepreneurial Innovations and Technology

Professor Olubayi Olubayi is the Chief Academic Officer at Maarifa Education Holding and serves as Chairman of the University Council at Cavendish University Uganda. A scientist and educator, he holds a PhD in microbiology from Rutgers University, where he taught for more than 16 years. His research includes a patent on bacterial flocculation and numerous publications in microbiology, biotechnology, and education.

Previously, he was Vice Chancellor of the International University of East Africa (IUEA). He has taught critical thinking at the MBA level and advised governments in Kenya and South Africa, as well as the UNDP, on education, literacy, and sustainable development.

Prof. Olubayi is also a social entrepreneur. He co-founded Kiwimbi International and the Global Literacy Project, which promotes global service learning and library access. He is the author of Education for a Better World and a PhD advisor for Oxford University’s Wellcome Trust Program in Kenya.

Track: Entrepreneurial Education

Professor Takahiro Sato is Professor and Deputy Director at the Research Institute of Economics and Business Administration, Kobe University, Japan. He holds a PhD in Economics from Osaka City University and previously served as a full-time lecturer at Fukuoka University, an Associate Professor at Osaka City University, and an Associate Professor at Kobe University before assuming his current position.

Professor Sato specialises in development economics, with a particular focus on the contemporary Indian economy and structural transformation in emerging markets. His research has significantly contributed to understanding India’s economic reforms, globalisation, and growth dynamics.

He is the author and editor of several influential books in Japanese, including Economic Development: India’s Structural Adjustment Program and Globalization (2002), which received the Japanese Association for South Asian Studies Award, as well as Macroeconomic Analysis of the Indian Economy (2009), Modern Indian and South Asian Economy (2011), India in Upheaval III: Dynamism of Economic Growth (2014), Illustrated Compendium of Indian Economy (2021), and Opportunities and Challenges of the Economic Superpower India (2023). His forthcoming co-edited volume, New Trade Theory and Indian Economy, is expected in 2025.

Professor Sato has also published extensively in leading international journals, including the Journal of Policy Modelling, Economics of Governance, Oxford Development Studies, Journal of Asian Economics, European Journal of Development Research, and Economic and Political Weekly.

Track: Entrepreneurial University

Dr Y. Vijaya Kumar is a distinguished academic leader and researcher in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Operations Research, with over 33 years of academic experience and 5 years of industrial experience. He has served in several senior leadership roles, including Professor, Principal, Dean, Vice Principal, and Head of Department, across reputed engineering institutions such as GM Institute of Technology, Sri Sairam College of Engineering, Jain University, MVJ College of Engineering, and Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering.

He holds a PhD in Operations Research & Statistical Quality Control, an M.Tech in Industrial Engineering from NIT Calicut, and a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering. His research interests include machinability optimisation using Taguchi techniques, reliability engineering, supply chain management, welding process optimisation, entrepreneurship development, and advanced manufacturing systems. He has successfully guided numerous doctoral scholars and completed sponsored research projects funded by VTU and other academic bodies.

Dr Vijaya Kumar has published extensively in national and international journals, filed patent applications, and delivered keynote addresses at conferences in India and abroad. His contributions to engineering education and institutional development have earned him several honours, including the Best Educationist Award, Lifetime Achievement Award in Industrial Engineering, and Best Principal Award.

Track: Entrepreneurial University

Before joining IIM Visakhapatnam, Dr Gaurav worked as an Assistant Professor at IMI New Delhi. He has previously worked at IMT Ghaziabad, IISc Bangalore, and Toyohashi University of Technology in Japan. He holds a PhD degree from IISc Bangalore. His doctoral thesis topic is "Predicting Innovation Capability at Team Levels: An Exploratory Analysis". His research primarily focuses on Management of Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Track: Domestic Entrepreneurship & Entrepreneurial Education

Rekha Rao-Nicholson is a Professor of Management at the University of Essex. She holds degrees in Electronics & Telecommunication, Software Engineering, and a PhD in Economics and Management. Her research focuses on business strategy, cross-border acquisitions, and public-private partnerships in emerging economies. Before Essex, she held academic roles at Newcastle University, Bristol Business School, and the University of Bath. She has received several grants, including from SPARC (India), BA-Leverhulme, and ESRC. Before academia, she worked in large MNCs and startups, including Siemens and Metaware Spa, and consulted on business development in emerging markets.

Track: Entrepreneurial Economics

Prajakta Khare is Associate Professor of Economics and Social Entrepreneurship at Meiji Gakuin University in Yokohama, Japan.

Her core research areas are social entrepreneurship, social capital, and entrepreneurial ecosystems (with a focus on Japan). She has conducted fieldwork in India, investigating the social networks of social enterprises and their scaling strategies. She pursued her postdoctoral research at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo and has been teaching both undergraduate and graduate-level courses in Japan for over a decade. Apart from her academic writing, she has also contributed to dailies like The Japan Times, The Hindu, and The Hindu Business Line.

Track: Entrepreneurial Networking & Entrepreneurial Innovations and Technology

Mr Laxmikanth is a Managing Partner at Pavestone, a venture capital firm, with over 35 years of experience in Global Leadership in Business Strategy and Sales, Product and Technical Innovation, Mergers and Acquisitions.

As a pioneer of the Indian IT industry, he has been the India MD and a Member of the Global Executive Committee of Broadridge Financial Solutions for the last 15 years. Before this, he established and grew India offices for Global Enterprises such as ADP, D.E. Shaw and Intergraph. He was a Member of the Investment Committee and an LP in Parampara Early-Stage Opportunities Fund. He is also part of the NASSCOM GCC Council.

He has extensive experience in building, deploying, and supporting large-scale enterprise-grade products on a SaaS model for a global clientele. Additionally, he has established centres of excellence for AI/ML and Big Data and supported the development of Blockchain technology in India.

Track: Social Entrepreneurship/Family Entrepreneurship/ Technology Transfer

Dr Parveen Arora is a senior science administrator and policy expert associated with the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India. He has held key leadership roles in national science and innovation programs, contributing significantly to research policy, technology development, and strategic initiatives for scientific advancement in India.

Track: Entrepreneurial Economics/ Domestic Entrepreneurship

Dr. Ajay Manrai is a Professor of Marketing at the University of Delaware’s Lerner College of Business and Economics. He earned his PhD from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, and a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Delhi. Before joining Delaware in 1991, he taught at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Manrai has published over 100 scholarly articles in journals such as Marketing Science and the Journal of International Marketing. His research focuses on consumer choice modelling, multinational marketing strategies, and cross-cultural consumer behaviour. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Global Marketing and serves on the editorial boards of leading journals. A Fulbright-Nehru Scholar and recipient of multiple teaching awards, Dr Manrai has taught MBA and EMBA programs globally and travelled to nearly 120 countries. He is recognised for his excellence in research, global academic service, and impactful teaching in marketing.