Come Aug 11, US tech tycoons to converge on Bangalore

Kavitha Vivek in Bangalore

US-basede entrepreneur, founder and vice president of Nasdaq-listed $500 million plus Brocade Communications (market cap $8.67 billion) — Kumar Malavalli — is visiting Bangalore on August 11.

Kanwal Rekhi and Kumar Malavalli

Other US-based entrepreneurs and angel investors including TiE founder Kanwal Rekhi, TiE president Kailash Joshi and acting CEO of American India Foundation (AIF) will also be accompanying Mr Malavalli.

The key agenda of the visit will be the launch of an education initiative in Karnataka in association with Edurite Technologies, an education software company (in which Mr Malavalli also has a stake holding) and attending the TiE Bangalore chapter meeting on the second anniversary of the chapter.

The ‘digital equaliser center’ scheduled to be launched in Karnataka is aimed at bridging the digital divide among the regions in the
state and is expected to be attended by prominent members of the industry and IT ministry including Union IT minister Pramod Mahajan.

All the three members are also trustees of AIF — a foundation with a charter to provide financial, technological and managerial resources towards helping the people of India and strengthening the bonds between the US and India. Incidentally, former US president Bill Clinton is the honorary chairperson of AIF.

Speaking to The Financial Express, Mr Kailash Joshi said the centers would be funded by Mr Malavalli and were being handed over to AIF to manage the centers as a project in India. “As the projects take off we hope more people will contribute,” Mr Joshi said.

The team will also visit Delhi and Dheradun and address a technology conference in Bangalore on August 12.