What working together looks like
In their words, not mine
You are probably deciding whether I am worth an hour of your leadership team’s time, or a seat next to you through a difficult year. I could tell you. It is better that the people who have been in your seat tell you instead: a CEO who brought his founder friends together to understand AI, a founder I stood beside through two acquisitions, a customer of many years, and the professor who taught me.
On AI · For founders · For technology leaders · The long view
When you need to know what AI means for your business
You have heard enough about AI tools. What you need to know is what AI means for your business and your people, and what to do about it. Murugavel brought together a group of founders he has known for over a decade to find out. This is what he took away.
“People strategy is AI strategy. That’s a point I very much cherish.”
Murugavel Janakiraman
Founder & CEO, Matrimony.com
“Venkat took our group of founders through generative AI and how it can be used in each of our businesses. One point stayed with me: people strategy is AI strategy. That’s a point I very much cherish. AI is an opportunity, and it is also a threat. It’s important that companies convert the threat into opportunity.”
Sessions run 30 to 60 minutes, for leadership teams, founder groups and industry bodies, in English or Tamil. → Explore keynotes
When the stakes are personal
Growing a company comes with a sequence of hard questions. How to get ready for your next round of funding. What to build next. How to price it. Who to hire as your first senior leaders. How to prepare for a board that expects answers. And, when the time comes, whether to sell. You mostly make these decisions alone. This is what it looks like when you don’t have to.
“Both times when Cerebrata was being acquired … Venkat was there to guide me throughout the process.”
I have known Venkat for almost 15 years now. From his very first advise (“do not make your users hunt for features in your application”), he has been an indispensable pillar of support for me during my entire entrepreneurial journey so far. He has been and continue to be a trusted advisor, mentor, and a very dear friend.
Both times when Cerebrata was being acquired (first by Redgate and then by Kovai), Venkat was there to guide me throughout the process. He provided me invaluable guidance on all aspects of acquisition (legal, commercial, and personal) which really made the whole process easy for me.
Venkat’s deep knowledge and pragmatic approach towards building things are some of the qualities that I frequently rely on for guidance and inspiration whenever I come up with new ideas.
Having him beside me is a blessing for me and I am thankful to him for his continued support through all these years.
Gaurav Mantri · Founder, Cynapta
Two acquisitions, three kinds of questions: legal, commercial and personal. The personal ones are the ones nobody prepares you for.
When it simply has to work
Advice is cheap when the adviser has never had to deliver. For close to two decades, my company delivered software for some of the most demanding clients in the world. Here are two of them.
“His company was truly great at delivering expected results in a timely manner, anytime.”
Venkat is an excellent business leader and high-tech professional who knows technology management. His expertise spans across web-based solutions, process kaizen, quality assurance, internationalization, etc. in many platforms. I really enjoyed working with him when I managed the entire msn.co.jp development team. His company was truly great at delivering expected results in a timely manner, anytime.
Ken Inoue · Global CTO, Macromill Group
Vishwak, my company, was a vendor-partner to MSN Japan (msn.co.jp) while Ken managed its development team
“On time and on budget.”
Venkat is committed to delivering quality on all products and services and their outcome, on time and on budget. He has the desired focus of the business needs.
Rohit Dadwal · CEO, MMA Global APAC, Singapore
Long-term customer and partner. Vishwak was a vendor-partner to Microsoft India while Rohit managed MSN India Mobile
That discipline is what I bring to AI conversations now. A pilot that never ships is not a strategy.
People who have known me a long time
Before you trust someone with your company or your stage, you want to know how they behave over years, not over one engagement. One of these notes is from a fellow entrepreneur, one is from the professor who taught me engineering, and one is from a reader of my book who knows me personally.
A fantastic Achiever full of passion I have ever seen. Mind you, he is one of the great Techie too. My best wishes for all his endeavours.
Sarada Ramani · Founder & President, Computers International
Fellow TiE Chennai member and partner
Venkatarangan is very detail-oriented in SVCE and has in-depth knowledge in the computer domain. His expertise in programming and passion towards Entrepreneurship made him a solid entrepreneur now. I was able to visualize his current standing when he was a student. He is very inquisitive and passionate. I am extremely delighted and feel proud to write this appreciation note for him. I wish him all success in future.
Amal Juswanth · Executive Director, United Overseas Bank (UOB)
My professor at Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering
Venkatarangan’s book is an absolute must-read! He shares authentic insights and wisdom from his remarkable business journey with refreshing honesty. Having had the privilege of witnessing parts of his path and knowing him personally, I wholeheartedly endorse this work.
Damir Tomicic · Former CEO, Axinom, Germany
Fellow Microsoft Regional Director who has followed my journey first-hand for decades. From his verified Amazon review of The Founder Catalyst.
What they keep coming back to
“trusted advisor, mentor”
Gaurav Mantri
“in a timely manner, anytime”
Ken Inoue
“people strategy is AI strategy”
Murugavel Janakiraman
“on time and on budget”
Rohit Dadwal
“pragmatic approach towards building things”
Gaurav Mantri
“inquisitive and passionate”
Amal Juswanth
What would you want to say a year from now?
Every one of these started with a conversation. If you are planning a leadership event, or your company is outgrowing the way you lead it, let’s have that first conversation.
Speaking
For conferences, leadership offsites, founder groups and industry bodies. Generative AI through a business lens.
Advisory
For founders and CXO teams: strategy, pricing, senior hiring, board readiness, acquisitions.
If it helps you decide, I’m glad to introduce you to someone I’ve worked with.