Speakers

Thiru. Udhayanidhi Stalin

Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister

Dr. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan

Hon'ble Minister for Information Technology & Digital Services

Dr. J Jeyaranjan

Executive Vice Chairman

State Planning Commission

Thiru. Brajendra Navnit I.A.S.

Principal Secretary to Government

IT & DS Department

Ms. Vanitha Venugopal

CEO

Tamil Nadu Technology Hub (iTNT)

Ms. Debjani Ghosh

Distinguished Fellow at NITI Aayog

Debjani Ghosh serves as a Distinguished Fellow at NITI Aayog and the Chief Architect of the NITI Frontier Tech Hub, India's pioneering think tank dedicated to advancing the country’s readiness in frontier technologies for accelerated economic growth and societal development. With a stellar career spanning over 28 years, including pivotal leadership roles at Intel and as the first female President of Nasscom, Debjani has been at the forefront of driving India’s emergence as a global innovation powerhouse.

Commodore Amit Rastogi

Chairman & Managing Director National Research Development Corporation

Commodore Amit Rastogi (Retd.), is the Chairman & Managing Director of National Research Development Corporation, a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt of India, New Delhi. He had an illustrious career in the Indian Navy for 34 years wherein he has had diversified experience of serving on Frontline Warships, Naval Dockyard, Naval Headquarters, Missile establishment and Directorate General Quality Assurance.

Mr. Shivarajah Ramanathan

MD & CEO

StartupTN

As Mission Director & CEO of StartupTN, he leads the Government of Tamil Nadu’s startup ecosystem initiative, backed by over a decade of experience as a founder and angel network CEO. He drives innovation through funding access, mentoring, networking, and policy advocacy. He actively engages with stakeholders like CII, TiE, NASSCOM, and academic institutions to strengthen the startup landscape.

Ms. Sudha Ramen IFS

Member Secretary

Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission

Member Secretary of the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission, anchoring governance innovation through TANII and India’s first Centre for Innovation in Governance. She has led tech-driven reforms in land use, forest fire control, SDG coordination, and climate resilience, earning multiple state and national awards. Her pioneering work includes Zoo transformation, spatial platforms, AI-driven systems, and public apps for environmental awareness.

Mr. Rajeshwar Singh Janwar

Head - Software Industry Promotion Division

MeitY

Rajeshwar Singh Janwar is currently serving as Scientist-F and Head of the Division in the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), Government of India.He has earned his engineering degree in Electronics from NSIT, Delhi University and IIT Delhi plus MBA degree in Public Policy from IIM Bangalore.Before joining the Government of India in 2014 as lateral hire, he has IT industry experience of 11 years and worked in Top Global IT MNCs like Samsung and Cisco as Lead Engineer and Manager Software Development leading and managing large national and multinational team to build world class products in the area of Embedded Systems, Linux and Network Security. He holds 4 international publications and 2 US Patents.He is closely associated with Digital India programme and has successfully designed, drafted and implemented many programmes/scheme under Digital India related to Industry Promotion like India BPO Promotion Scheme in Tier-2/3 cities, National Policy on Software Products, Start-up Accelerator Programme of MeitY (SAMRIDH), Champion Services Sector Scheme for IT Industry and Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Then, he designed and worked on a Mission mode for National Language Translation Mission (Bhashini) in the area of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in MeitY as COO. Currently, he is serving as Head of Division (Software Industry Promotion Division), MeitY.He is passionate about taking digital technology-based solutions to all citizens, to solve bigger problems for society and the growth of the IT industry and the economy.

Ms. Shweta Rajpal Kohli

President & CEO

Startup Policy Forum (SPF)

Shweta is the President & CEO of the Startup Policy Forum, representing India’s leading high-growth startups in policy advocacy and global engagement. With over 25 years in public policy, media, and tech, she has held leadership roles at Peak XV, Salesforce, and Uber. An award-winning former journalist, she covered global economic events and India’s policy landscape for nearly two decades.

Mr. Shankar Venugopal

Vice President

Mahindra & Mahindra

Dr. Shankar Venugopal, a prolific inventor with 30 International and Indian granted patents, is the Vice President at Mahindra & Mahindra, leading the technology innovation and intellectual property portfolio for Mahindra’s automotive and farm business. He is also the Dean of the Mahindra Technical Academy. IISc’s Best Thesis Award, GE’s Edison Inventor Medal and Prolific Inventor Award at the World Intellectual Property Forum are among the feathers on his cap.

Mr. Suresh Kalpathi

Chairman & CEO

Kalpathi Investments

Kalpathi S. Suresh is a visionary entrepreneur and seasoned angel investor with a strong focus on entertainment, education, investment, and renewable energy. As the driving force behind Veranda Learning, he is committed to delivering accessible, high-quality education solutions globally. With a proven track record of identifying and nurturing high-potential ventures, he continues to empower aspiring entrepreneurs and students to achieve their goals and build sustainable futures.

Mr. Suresh Sambandam

Founder & CEO

Kissflow

Suresh Sambandam is the Founder & CEO of Kissflow, a global SaaS leader serving 10,000+ customers across 160 countries. A self-made entrepreneur, patent holder, and co-founder of SaaSBoomi, he actively mentors founders and champions India’s SaaS ecosystem. Through Dream Tamilnadu, he envisions a trillion-dollar economy and inspires youth toward job creation and mass entrepreneurship.

Mr. Bhaskar Verma

Regional Director

Nasscom

Bhaskar is Regional Director of Karnataka , Tamil Nadu and Kerala at Nasscom. He focuses driving various Nasscom Forums and Initiatives for Global Capability Centers (GCC’s), IT Services, BPM and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). He is Board of Director at Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM). He is Member of IT Vision group of Karnataka. Prior to this position he has held varied leadership positions in the IT Industry.

Mr. Naved Narayan

Vice President & Head R&D Center

BOSCH Global Software Technologies

With over 25 years of experience at Bosch, Naved drives innovation in AIoT, software-defined vehicles, electrification, and cybersecurity. A graduate of Cochin University and IIM Bangalore, he has held leadership roles in Germany and Japan. He is also a certified leadership coach and actively supports initiatives in education, youth development, and technology-led social impact. His work bridges industry and academia, contributing to India’s growing leadership in deep tech and digital transformation

Mr. Kewyn george

GCC Head

Expeditors

Kewyn George is a technology thought leader with over 20 years of experience, currently heading the India Technology Centre for a global logistics giant. Formerly a CxO advisor at Gartner and a key leader at AstraZeneca, he is also a Forbes India columnist and author of Digital First. A passionate mentor, he actively coaches students and startups and contributes to industry forums like CII and NASSCOM.

Ms. Elizabeth Puthran

Founder Partner

Puthran & Associates

With over 29 years of experience in the field of Intellectual Property, Elizabeth is deeply passionate about enabling, protecting, and inspiring innovation through IP. A trusted advisor to clients across the globe, she has represented a diverse range of stakeholders in all aspects of IP and has been actively involved in shaping the global IP dialogue.

Ms. Subathra Mylsamy

Managing Partner

A.K.Mylsamy & Associates

Subathra Mylsamy, Partner at A.K. Mylsamy & Associates LLP, has over 18 years of experience transforming the firm into a leader in legal innovation and client trust. With an LLM in International Business Law from the University of Manchester, she brings a global perspective to AKM’s six-decade legacy. She drives branding initiatives like "The Lawtree" and "Qikcee," enhancing legal accessibility and knowledge sharing.

Mr. Manu Iyer

Co-founder & General Partner

Bluehill VC

Manu Iyer, Managing Partner at BlueHill Capital, drives investments in deep-tech sectors like clean-tech, mobility, and industrial IoT. An IIT Madras and Duke University alumnus, he is also the Co-Founder & Chief Strategic Officer at Fyn Mobility and an active angel investor with 50+ startup investments. A charter member of TiE Chennai and mentor at IITs and IISc, Manu is widely respected for his expertise in early-stage funding, term sheets, and startup governance, playing a key role in shaping India’s innovation landscape.

Dr. Satish Gokhale

Founder Director

Design Directions Pvt Ltd

Satish Gokhale, an NID Ahmedabad graduate with 40 years of experience, co-founded Design Directions Pvt Ltd in 1988, focusing on industrial, medical, electronic, and consumer product design. He is an award-winning designer, notably receiving the Global Design of the Decade Award for the Tata Swach water filter and multiple Lexus Design Awards India. Gokhale has successfully designed over 850 products, holds numerous patents, and is a prominent figure in design, serving on various committees and as a jury member for design awards.

Ms. Anju Gupta

Partner

IvyCap Ventures

Anju is Partner at IvyCap(A Global IIT/IIM Alumni-based startup engagement initiative of IvyCap Ventures). IvyCamp’s vision is to find and enable research/innovation/entrepreneurs with the potential to disrupt the status quo, and scale into a profitable business. Anju has a B.Tech from IIT Delhi, and an MS./ Ph.D. from Stanford University. She has over 15 years of experience in product management and marketing in the financial software industry in the USA.

Ms. Naveena Reddy

Vice President

Lead Invest

Naveena Reddy is the Vice President & Head of Investments at Lead Invest, India’s leading private angel network. She leads investment strategy, deal sourcing, and portfolio management across early-stage startups. With deep expertise in startup evaluation and fundraising, Naveena works closely with founders to refine business models and accelerate growth. She actively mentors entrepreneurs through leading incubators, playing a vital role in shaping India’s startup ecosystem.

Dr. Sudhir Ravindran

Founder

Altacit Global

Dr. Sudhir Ravindran is an Attorney-at-Law, Solicitor (England & Wales), and Founder of Altacit Global, a leading Indian law firm. An engineer and lawyer with master’s degrees from the University of Warwick and a PhD in Law from NALSAR, he is currently pursuing post-doctoral research (LLD). A published author and frequent speaker at global forums, he has been recognized among the 100 Legal Luminaries and Top 100 IP Leaders of India.

Ms. Swapna Sundar

Legal Strategist & Senior Partner

IP Dome

Swapna Sundar holds a Master’s in International Law from Brussels School of International Studies and taught British Constitutional Law at the University of Kent. After practicing law for five years, she co-founded IP DOME Strategy Advisors to offer niche IPR services. Currently active in legal practice, she also serves on multiple ethics committees and leads legal and policy initiatives at TN-AIPC and the INK Forum.

Ms. Geetha Ramamoorthi

Managing Director

KBR

A progressive leader in engineering and consultancy, she currently serves as Managing Director of KBR India and has held key leadership roles at WS Atkins India. Recognized as a Thinkers360 Thought Leader, she drives innovation, digital transformation, and data-driven decision-making across global markets. Her core strengths include strategic leadership, P&L management, and building high-performing, cross-functional teams.

Mr. Manikumar Krishnamoorthy

Global Head - AI

Virtusa

A global leader in Digital Engineering and GenAI practices, he specializes in enterprise modernization, platform rollouts, and cloud migration at scale. He has built world-class technical talent through career architecture frameworks and scaled communities across Asia Pacific and Latin America. With a strong track record in delivery-enabled sales and Agile transformation, he balances growth with operational discipline.

Mr. Anand Barnabas

Patent Attorney

De Penning & De Penning

Mr. Anand Barnabas is a Senior Patent Attorney and Practice Head (Mechanical & Automotive) at De Penning & De Penning, with over two decades of experience. A Mechanical Engineer with research experience in nanotribology from the Rochester Institute of Technology, he has prosecuted over 4500 patent applications across sectors. Anand advises clients from startups to Fortune 500 companies and leads a dynamic team, while also conducting IP workshops globally.

Dr. Bhavya Manjeera Patruni

Deputy Manager & Scientist

NRDC

A PhD in Chemical Engineering Bhavya with over 15 years of experience, specializes in IP management, innovation mentoring, and STEM advocacy. She has led interdisciplinary collaborations with global organizations like EBTC, WIPO, and USPTO, and advises ministries and research projects across India. She also serves on academic boards and international standards committees, contributing to IP commercialization and deep-tech innovation.

Mr. Ramesh Vinayakam

CEO

Music Temple Private Limited

Ramesh Vinayakam, founder of Music Temple, is an award-winning composer, singer, and educator with deep roots in Carnatic and Western classical music. With a career spanning films, albums, and research, he brings a unique blend of creativity and pedagogy to revolutionize music learning. His vision is to make quality music education more accessible, innovative, and effective

Mr. Srinath Ravichandran

Co-founder & CEO

Agnikul Cosmos

Srinath Ravichandran is the Co-Founder and CEO of AgniKul Cosmos, building small lift launch vehicles for the space industry. With a strong academic background and prior experience as Co-Founder at Space Cooperative, he brings deep expertise in aerospace engineering and a passion for space innovation.

Ms. Kayalvizhi Selvarajan

Director, Operational Excellence

AstraZeneca India Pvt. Ltd

Kayalvizhi Selvarajan joined AstraZeneca in 2023 and serves as the Director, Operational Excellence at AZIPL and is accountable for driving the strategy and operational performance of both AZIPL and the IT Enterprise Capabilities & Solutions (ECS) areas. Kayal's scope includes a range of areas associated with entity governance, performance metrics and tracking, service continuity, portfolio visibility and communications to support business change. As a seasoned IT and business leader Kayal has over 22+ years of experience. Before joining AZIPL in 2022, Kayal was the Centre Head of the Chennai site of Ingram Micro India, where she built the operations for their Shared Services Centre ground up. Kayal holds a BE from the College of Engineering, Chennai, and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Trichy.

Mr. Josh Foulger

President, Electronics,

ZETWERK

A seasoned leader in the electronics sector with 30+ years of global experience across manufacturing and supply chains at Nokia, Foxconn, and beyond. He has built and led large, diverse teams across the US, Vietnam, and India, combining boardroom strategy with factory floor execution. Driven by values and mission, he believes in people-led execution to deliver sustainable impact at scale.

Mr. Natarajan Malupillai

Group CEO, IIT Madras

Research Park

With over two decades of leadership spanning corporate strategy, innovation ecosystems, and startup incubation, Nats currently leads IIT Madras Research Park, its Incubation Cell, and the Rural Technology Business Incubator. An alum of NIT Trichy, Texas A&M University (M.S.), and Cornell (MBA), his experience includes senior roles at Flextronics, Target, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, and Deloitte. Combining deep IT and analytics expertise with a passion for climate-focused innovation, he drives industry‑academia collaboration to support impact-driven startups and accelerate India’s transition to a sustainable, technology-led future

Mr. Vignesh Shankar

Founder & Managing Partner

Artha99

Mr. Vignesh Shankar Founder & Managing Partner, Artha99 A seasoned investor and strategic advisor, he brings over two decades of experience in venture capital, corporate strategy, and M&A. As Founder & Managing Partner of Artha99, he leads early-stage investments across sectors like electric mobility, fintech, deep tech, health & wellness, and industry 4.0. Previously, he served as Managing Director of a leading fastening solutions company, driving its expansion into EV and med-tech markets. A Chartered Accountant with a Master's in Commerce from the University of Madras, he actively mentors founders and shares insights on venture building, startup financing, and India's evolving manufacturing and innovation ecosystem.

Mr. Sasikumar

President

ELCINA

A veteran with over 25 years of experience in India’s electronics manufacturing and telecom sectors, he currently serves as President of ELCINA (Electronic Industries Association of India). With leadership roles spanning MD of Salcomp India and executive responsibilities in telecom and component manufacturing, he now champions the growth of India’s electronics ecosystem, advocating for domestic production and policy collaboration. He is known for bridging industry, startups, and academia to accelerate electronics innovation and supply‑chain evolution in Tamil Nadu and beyond

Shri. Siva Kumar Padmanabhan

MD & Head of Global Innovation & Technology Center

AstraZeneca India Pvt. Ltd.

Shri. Siva Kumar Padmanabhan MD & Head of Global Innovation & Technology Center, AstraZeneca India Pvt. Ltd. Over 20 years of global senior leadership experience in leveraging IT for business innovation and digital transformation across healthcare, CPG, and hi-tech sectors. Currently Managing Director at AstraZeneca India, leading a 2500-member Global Digital Technology Center and overseeing global software shared services, AI/ML, RPA, ERP, and data platforms. Previously held leadership roles at Flex, TCS, McKesson, and PwC, driving large-scale digital and business transformation programs.

Mr. Naveen Andrew

Joint Controller Of Patents & Designs,

Indian Patent Office, Chennai

With over two decades in the Indian Patent Office, currently serving as Joint Controller of Patents in Chennai, he has held key roles including Deputy Controller and Examiner, with deep expertise in patentability assessments and legal-technical reviews. He holds a Master’s in Communication Systems and has represented India at international IP conferences in Geneva, Vienna, and Germany. His responsibilities include supervising patent examinations, evaluating invention disclosures, and ensuring compliance with IP laws

Ms. M.Mahalakshmi

Assistant Registrar,

Trademarks Registry

M. Mahalakshmi Assistant Registrar, Trademarks Registry A law graduate with an M.L. degree in Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), she currently serves as the Assistant Registrar of Trademarks, Geographical Indications, and Copyright. Since joining the Trademarks Registry in 2013, she has gained over 12 years of extensive experience in the field of trademarks.

Mr. Balamurugan Palani

Joint Controller of Patents & Designs

Patent office – Govt. of India

A Joint Controller of Patents & Designs at the Indian Patent Office, bringing over two decades of expertise in mechanical engineering patent examination and opposition adjudication, following a career start in hydraulics and pneumatics engineering. His commitment to research and IP protection is noteworthy.

Transforming Tamil Nadu into a Global Innovation Capital

Creating a Better Creating a Tomorrow with Intellectual Properties Properties Leading the Way

IP Masterclass by Domain Experts

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