Second International Confluence Conference on Startups and Innovation
Committee
Prof. Thillai Rajan A
Professor, DoMS, IIT Madras
Prof. Thillai Rajan A
Professor, Department of Management Studies, IIT Madras
Thillai Rajan is a Professor in the Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Madras. He is also an associate at the Mossavar Rahmani Center for Business and Government, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University. His research interests encompass start-ups, ventures, and SMEs. During 2009 – 18, he edited the annual India Venture Capital and Private Equity Report. In 2020, he played a key role in the formation of innovation, Venturing, and Entrepreneurship in India Network (iVEIN), a multi-institutional consortium to research on innovation and venturing in India. He is also a co-founder of YNOS Venture Engine, a start-up set up to address the pain points of early stage entrepreneurs.
Prof. Raj Krishnan Shankar
Associate Professor and Program Director, PGDM, Great Lakes Institute of Management
Prof. Raj Krishnan Shankar
Associate Professor and Program Director, PGDM, Great Lakes Institute of Management
Raj Krishnan Shankar is an associate professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at Great Lakes Institute of Management, with prior experience at Nord University, Norway. He holds a doctorate from the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India and a postdoctoral fellowship from Nord University. His research spans corporate entrepreneurship, sustainability, and organization theory, with publications in top journals. A nationally recognized educator, Raj designs executive programs and teaches entrepreneurship globally. He also serves on editorial boards and academic committees across India, Europe, and the US.
Prof. Sankalp Pratap
Associate Professor, IIT Bombay
Prof. Sankalp Pratap
Associate Professor, IIT Bombay
Sankalp Pratap, with a PhD and MBA from IIM Calcutta and a BTech from MERI Kolkata, has over a decade of corporate experience before moving into academia. He has taught at IIM Tiruchirappalli, IIT Jodhpur, and now DSSE IIT Bombay, focusing on entrepreneurship ecosystems and DeepTech ventures. His research also spans entrepreneurship education and support for the craft economy. A travel enthusiast and storyteller, he is open to mentoring doctoral and post-doctoral researchers.
Prof. Sonali Gupta
Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship, M. S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences
Prof. Sonali Gupta
Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship, M. S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences
Dr. Sonali Gupta has over 25 years of experience in technology, entrepreneurship, business incubation, and education, working with organizations like TCS, SchlumbergerSema, and IIM Bangalore. An entrepreneur herself, she focuses on building entrepreneurial ecosystems and communities of practice. She holds degrees from BITS Pilani, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Indore, where she completed her PhD on business incubation. Her research explores entrepreneurship, public policy, gender, and qualitative methods, with work published in international journals and conferences.
Prof. Iman Chakraborthy
Assistant Professor, DoMS, IIT Madras
Prof. Iman Chakraborthy
Assistant Professor, DoMS, IIT Madras
Iman Chakraborthy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management Studies at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. Previously, he served as an Assistant Professor at the School of Management, Bennett University. He holds a PhD from IIT Delhi and the University of Queensland, Australia (2023). His research interests include digital transformation, information systems in healthcare, artificial intelligence, and digital entrepreneurship. He was awarded the Researcher Development Award at the University of Queensland in 2022 and 2023, and the 'People’s Choice Award' at the Digital Health Week 2023 conference.
Prof. Ramesh Kuruva
Assistant Professor, IIT Bombay
Prof. Ramesh Kuruva
Assistant Professor, IIT Bombay
Dr. Ramesh Kuruva is Assistant Professor at the Desai Sethi School of Entrepreneurship at IIT Bombay, teaching and researching Entrepreneurial Finance, Startup Ecosystem and Venture Funding. Ramesh comes with a great background of both academia and having been an entrepreneur himself. He holds a PhD in Entrepreneurial Finance from IIT Madras, where his research explored into venture capital (VC) contracts, valuation, and exits. A gold medalist in both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees—the latter in Accounting and Finance—Ramesh also received multiple prestigious fellowships from the Central Government during his academic journey. As Co-founder and former CEO of YNOS Venture Engine (founded in 2017) an IIT Madras-incubated startup, he was instrumental in building India's largest early-stage entrepreneurial ecosystem platform, connecting startups, investors, and incubators. YNOS raised significant funding from angels and VCs, amplifying its influence across India's startup landscape.
Sofiya Mehake N
Conference Manager
Sofiya Mehake N
Conference Manager
Sofiya Mehake, an MBA graduate with a dual specialization in Human Resource and Finance, brings valuable experience from the recruitment field to her role as a Project Associate. In her position, she plays a pivotal role in coordinating and supporting project activities within CREST. She is responsible for maintaining project documentation, tracking milestones, preparing detailed reports, and ensuring project timelines are met with precision. With her strong communication skills and people-oriented approach, she fosters collaboration across teams and ensures seamless stakeholder engagement. Her HR background further strengthens her capabilities in team development, making her a vital asset in driving project success. Sofiya’s proactive attitude, attention to detail, and commitment to excellence consistently reflect in her work, contributing significantly to the growth and efficiency of CREST initiatives.