Saturday, Aug 31, 2024; Time: 11 AM – 4:00 PM ET
BUSINESS FORUM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
- Networking, Networking, Networking: Facilitate a platform for networking!
- Involve 2nd generation Youth in AKKA Biz Forum activities
- Sustainability of AKKA Business community Beyond AWKC 2024 (LinkedIn Group) [Mentors, Mentees]
- Govt. of Karnataka and AKKA partnership
- Cross-Border Entrepreneurship between INDIA and USA
- Create a program beyond AKKA WKC 2024 to support Business/Entrepreneurship.
AGENDA
| TIME | SESSION | DETAILS |
| 11:00 – 11:15 AM | Welcome + Introduction | |
| 11:15 – 11:45 AM | Keynote | **Topic pending** |
| 11:45 – 12:15 PM | Panel 1 | Pathways for more Kannadigas for business opportunities in the Public Sector |
| 12:15 – 12:45 PM | Panel 2 | Cross border Business Opportunities. Karnataka and USA |
| 12:45 – 1:45 PM | Lunch Break + Networking | |
| 1:45 – 2:30 PM | Business Pitch Competition (Top 3 Finalist): | |
| 2:30 – 3:00 PM | Panel 3 | Launching a Business: Overcoming Challenges and Leveraging Advisors |
| 3:00 – 3:15 PM | Thanks You & Acknowledgments | |
| 3:15 – 4:00 PM | Reception & Networking |
AKKA BUSINESS FORUM : KEYNOTE SPEAKER BV JAGADEESH
Don’t miss the golden opportunity to hear from one the best in the industry. A renowned entrepreneur, venture capitalist and a philanthropist.
Topic: “AI for Prosperity and Purpose: Creating Wealth and Impacting Society”
Time and Date: Saturday Aug 31 at 10:30AM
BVJ is a successful Silicon Valley serial entrepreneur and angel Investor. BVJ was the Founding investor & CEO of NetScaler, pioneering the concept of Application Delivery, acquired by Citrix for $325M where BVJ served as Group VP and GM for Citrix’s Application Networking division. Prior to Netscaler, BVJ was Founder & CTO of Exodus communications, pioneering the concept of Internet Data Centers resulting in a highly successful IPO.
BVJ is currently a Board member or advisor at Cohesity, Tetrate, Inhabitr, Rexera, Monetize360, PineGap, Neysa Networks, Aarna, and many others. He was a seed investor behind Nutanix (IPO), Yodlee (IPO), Ankeena (ACQ: Juniper), Arkin (ACQ: VMWare), NetMagic (ACQ: NTT), Ocarina (ACQ: Dell) and Attivo( ACQ: S1).
BVJ is an adjunct faculty member at the Leavey School of Business SCU and also teaches entrepreneurship class in several Universities in India Such as IIT BHU, IIT Gandhinagar, PES Bangalore etc.. He is very actively involved with non profits for the betterment of the world such as UVCE Foundation – providing scholarships to deserving students, One School At A Time – providing physical and digital infrastructure for dilapidated govt schools across India, Akshaya Patra – providing mid-day meals to 2.2 Million children everyday. Also in the USA supporting Boys and Girls Club of Peninsula, and Digital Health Labs at Stanford University.
SEEKING DYNAMIC YOUTH LEADERS TO FACILITATE THE PROGRAM
The 12th AKKA Business Forum committee is dedicated to empowering Kannada youth across North America. We invite enthusiastic high school seniors and college students with a passion for business or entrepreneurship to volunteer at our upcoming Business Forum. This exciting event will take place on Saturday, August 31st, in Richmond, VA, as part of the World Kannada Conference.
Why Volunteer?
Becoming a volunteer offers a unique opportunity to:
- Gain valuable experience in organising and conducting business activities.
- Make a meaningful impact on the Kannada community.
- Network with 200+ business leaders and professionals, industry leaders, and like-minded peers, expanding your professional network.
- Interact with experienced professionals which can lead to mentorship and valuable career advice.
- Other benefits include: Resume enhancement, Personal Growth, Career Opportunities, Recognition
Requirements
College students: Must have a keen interest in business or entrepreneurship. High School seniors: Must have a keen interest in business or entrepreneurship.
Must be registered for both AKKA and the Business Forum.
What you are expected to do during the business forum:
Selected volunteers will be assigned to one of the following roles:
Emcee of the business forum
Introducing the topics and speakers
Facilitation of the panels
Facilitation of business idea pitch competition
Checking in audience and helping with other logistics
One of the business forum officers will guide you through the process.
How to Apply (Deadline: July 15th, 2024)
Google Form: Complete the details in the provided form and submit.
Video Submission: Send a short video (maximum 3 minutes) that should include your answers to following questions:
- A brief intro about yourself (include your connection to Karnataka)
- Your Public Speaking Experience: Can you describe any previous experience you have with public speaking or emceeing events?
- What does entrepreneurship mean to you? Can you share an example of an entrepreneurial endeavor you have undertaken or are currently working on?
- Why are you interested in volunteering in this business forum?
Submit your video to: business@akkaonline.org
Following your selection, the AKKA Business Forum committee will work with you to define your role during the Business Forum.
AKKA START-UP PITCH COMPETITION
Dare to Dream, Dare to Pitch, Dare to Win exciting prizes!
We are delighted to announce that a Startup Pitch Competition will be held at the “Business Forum” during the prestigious 12th AKKA Convention on Aug 31 at Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Virginia.
The Business Forum team is organizing a Startup pitch competition in order to select the best business idea, a unique opportunity to showcase the entrepreneurial skills to a worldwide audience by presenting their business ideas live at the prestigious Convention.
Pitches should be submitted online by all applicants and only the 3 best pitches will be selected to present their big ideas during the convention.
During the Live Pitch Competition at the convention, a panel of judges will decide the final winning pitches and the winning team will be eligible to win exciting prizes.
OVERVIEW OF THE COMPETITION
Desired Outcome: This competition is dedicated to empowering Kannadigas worldwide by offering a platform to showcase their startups and connect with potential investors and mentors, enabling them to build, scale, and elevate their startups to new heights.
Process:
- Call for Applications: Invite young entrepreneurs to apply for the startup pitch competition. Applications accepted until Aug 1st.
- Initial Judging: Panel of judges evaluates all applications and selects the Top 10 based on a well-defined rubric. (August 1 to August 15)
- Top 10 Pitch Presentations: Top 10 finalists present their pitches to the panel of judges via Zoom. (August 15 to August 25)
- Finalist Selection: The panel selects and announces the top 3 finalists from the Top 10 on August 25.
- AKKA Presentation: The top 3 finalists present their startups in-person at AKKA on August 31. Each Presentation will be 15 minutes.
PRIZES
- 1 hour each month with the likes of BV Jagadeesh for the next 12 months. (We can line up 5-10 more mentors like BVJ)
- 10 hours of Marketing consulting with XXX over the next 12 months
- Total of 5 hours of legal / immigration services with the attorney
- Total of 10 hours of CFO / CPA Work
- 10 hours of consulting work with Product experts in each field such as Cybersecurity, Cloud, Consulting, Govt Sector, Health Care, Retail, Finance, Hospitality etc.
- 10 hours of GTM consulting with experts
- Fundraising Assistance
- Provide Intellectual Property / Patent / Trademark Support
- Press Coverage
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE / APPLY
Eligibility:
- Any Kannadiga around the world who is a founder or co-founder of a startup.
- Must have had tangible activities to build the startup within the last six months such as:
- Fundraising initiatives
- Product Development efforts
- Entity Registration and Business Plan
- Putting together team and subject matter experts
- Must be registered to AKKA business forum to participate in this competition.
Application Process: Submit a slide deck or a video presentation by Aug 1st using the form
IMPORTANT TIMELINES & ACTION ITEMS
Important Timelines:
- Application Deadline: August 1st
- Remote Evaluation by Judges: August 1st – August 15th
- Zoom Evaluation for Shortlisted 10: August 15th – August 25th
- Final Presentation by Top 3: August 31st