Startup Village hails nomination of Arun Kumar to key US post

TechnoparkToday.com(Oct,2013): Startup Village, India’s first telecom technology incubator, has hailed the nomination of Arun M Kumar, a member of its Advisory Council, to a key position in the US administration.

On Friday, President Barack Obama nominated Mr Kumar as the Assistant Secretary and Director General of the US and Foreign Commercial Service, International Trade Administration in the Department of Commerce.

Kerala-born Mr Kumar, who was a partner and member of the Board of Directors at consultancy firm KPMG, has also been a member of the Startup Village Advisory Council since the incubator’s inception in April 2012, alongside other stalwarts including Infosys Co-Founder and Executive Vice Chairman Kris Gopalakrishnan, Member Secretary NSTEDB, Dept of Science and Technology, Dr H K Mittal and former NASSCOM president Kiran Karnik.

“The Startup Village team extends its heartiest congratulations to Mr Arun Kumar on a well-deserved appointment. His guidance and mentorship has been a very crucial element in our success and we hope to have his continued support,” said Sanjay Vijaykumar, the Chairman of the Startup Village Board of Governors. “We believe his nomination will greatly strengthen our efforts to build a bridge between the Silicon Valley and the Indian startup scene and to help young entrepreneurs here take their businesses global.”

In his long and successful career as a business manager, strategist, and consultant Mr Kumar has advised a number of startup founders and invested in numerous successful entrepreneurial ventures.

He was present at the Emerging Kerala Global Connect in September 2012 when the state government announced its landmark Student Entrepreneurship Policy. He is expected to visit the state again sometime in the next couple of weeks.

Chief Minister Shri Oommen Chandy is understood to have spoken with Mr Kumar who has assured every possible support for young entrepreneurs in the state.

“His association with our incubator has been a matter of pride for us and very valuable in terms of the backing and encouragement we have received,” said Startup Village CEO Sijo Kuruvilla George. “We wish Mr Kumar the very best in his new role.”