The Startup Guy

Vijay Anand, an Indian entrepreneur, passionate and driven by technologies related to the Mobile, VoIP, and Emerging Internet space, with a wide range of interests from simple economics to biotechnology and genetics, with a biased corner for anything related to artificial intelligence and neuro-science.

The Curator of Proto.in, the startup ecosystem body, and has been a driving force in being involved in community events such as Barcamp Chennai, Blogcamp, Wikicamp, Podworks, Open Coffee Club in Chennai and seeding such similar initiatives across the country.

Affiliations:
The Startup Centre | Proto.in | Barcamp Chennai | Wikicamp | Blogcamp | Podworks | Mobile Monday (MoMo) Chennai | Open Coffee Club Chennai | I Fix Chennai | Startup Lunch

35 people have recommended Vijay Anand

“Dynamic, entrepreneurial young leader.” — Laura Parkin, Executive Director, Co-founder, NEN (Wadhwani Foundation), was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“During each of the interactions that Vijay and I have had, he has impressed me with him passion for entrepreneurship and his determination to help build India’s early-stage ecosystem. Both investors and entrepreneurs continue to leverage Proto as an invaluable resource.” — Raj Chinai, Principal, SVB India Capital Partners, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay is a great networker and has done wonderful work for young entrepreneurs in the software industry in India.” — Sucharita Shome Eashwar, Regional Director, NASSCOM, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay’s enthusiasm and energy started Proto. But it’s his ability to build a team and co-opt everyone else to his vision that’s gotten Proto to where it is today. If you’ve aligned your interests with Vijay’s you can be sure that you’re in for a hell of a ride – ‘cos he’s definitely going places!” — Prasanna Krishnamoorthy, Product Architect, Elina Networks, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“This was long pending for Vijay, a person with all the will and determination to support and help in the growth of the Entrepreneurship spirit. The very concept of “Proto” is a very niche initiative of bringing the investor community closer to thousands of individuals and organizations with unique ideas of their own. Keep up with the good work Vijay & all the very best in all your future endeavours. – Rayan (Thinkways)” — Rayan Castelino, Owner, Thinkways Software Technologies Pvt. Ltd., was with another
company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Over the last few years, Vijay has worked tirelessly to grow the early stage ecosystem in India. Given his passion and comittment levels, I’m confident that Proto.in will stand the test of time.”— Rahul Khanna, Director, India, Clearstone Venture Advisors, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay is a Live Wire. He knows how to energise an organization into action. Ive seen him takeProto.in from nowhere to make it a well known name in Indian/ Asian entrpreneurship circles.” — George John Vettath, Managing Director / CEO, Kallos Systems, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay comes across and a bright and motivated individual. It is a pleasure working with him.” — Suvir Sujan, Managing Director, Nexus India Capital Advisors, was a consultant or contractor to Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay is a spirited entrepreneur and a big force behind Proto. The event is growing and attaining more promising participation and is an effort worthy of recognition.” — Sampathkumar Pudhukottai, Senior Associate, NEA-IndoUS Ventures, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“I have known Vijay over the last year. Vijay is a very enthusiastic person with a wide variety of interest – Technology, Startups, Branding, Venture funding. He is actively involved in Proto (www.proto.in) and is an avid blogger. He brings in a non-straight jacketed perspective to RTBI especially in the above areas of work. He is also a fun guy with initiative- you could find him rounding up a team to fill pot holes on a rainy weekend.” — Lakshmi Vaidyanathan, Senior Manager (Technology), RTBI, managed Vijay indirectly at TeNET, Indian Institute of Technology – Madras

“Vijay is one of the most energetic and committed entrepreneurs I’ve ever known. He is also a dedicated and helpful mentor to others. I recommend including him at least as an advisor (if not
more!) in any startup situation, especially in India.” — Lin Chase, Partner and Sr. VP Technology R&D India, Accenture, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Finds a complex problem, analyzes it, talks to the relevant stakeholders, finds a solution and most importantly, rolls up his sleeves and leads from the front in execution. Look around you and tell me how many can do the same. He is an asset in any situation. This is what separates Vijay from the rest.” — Subbu Murugan, Director, Ventuno Technologies Pvt Ltd, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay has done an awesome job in brining Proto to this stage. I haven’t worked with Vijay or seen him closely; however, progress of a platform like Proto speaks a lot about his organizational and leadership capabilities. Having been seen similar initiatives all across the country, I think Proto is one of the better managed and branded events. Vijay is well entrenched in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of India. I have read Vijay’s thoughts around entrepreneurship and respects his views” — Mukul Singhal, Ventures Investments, Canaan Partners, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“I have seen Vijay work through Proto.in. The scale that it has attained now is unbelievable if you see that it was one man who started it all. He should be credited for bringing the various pieces of the start-up ecosystem together single-handedly almost. There will be so many entrepreneurs who will vouch for Vijay’s enthusiasm in creating the start-up ecosystem. Almost non-existent in Chennai before Vijay Anand!” — Aditya Nataraja, Investment Manager – Ventureast Tenet II Fund, Ventureast Fund Advisors Private Limited, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“I have known Vijay from the early days of Proto and I have been in touch with him since then. Others have already applauded his passion for entrepreneurship. I would like to point out that he is not only passionate about entrepreneurship, but about creating real products rooted in technology. It is very unlikely you can get past him by using mere catch phrases. He is also technically sound especially in the areas of VoIP. Most of all, he keeps in constant touch with the startup community and I believe he has correctly identified what needs to be done to foster the spirit of innovation in India.” — Vivek Rajagopalan, was Vijay’s client

“I have known Vijay for the past two years at his position at TeNeT and have also interacted extensively with him on other issues such as incubation and new ventures. I have found him to be an extremely pro-active person who thinks through issues, is highly focussed and energetic. I would specially commend his efforts at starting and growing proto.in as a forum for start-ups.” — Anuradha Ramachandran, Venture Partner, Ventureast Tenet fund, worked with Vijay at TeNET, Indian Institute of Technology – Madras

“Vijay is a excellent thinker and implementer. My interaction with him started with Proto.in first edition. I believe he has taken tremendous initiative with proto in form of providing a platform for product based companies. I was also amazed at the efficiency of implementation. As a person he tends to remember each individual he meets and provides value add whenever you have interaction with him. I wish him success in all his endeavors.” — Sachin Bhatia, Buiness Development, Drishti Soft Solutions Pvt Ltd, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“It was amazing to attend the proto event in Chennai that Vijay spearheads. I was so impressed by his ability to attract industry leaders, leading VC’s, start up entrepreneurs and media folks to one single event. The execution and the program was flawless and indeed a very special event in India. Vijay possesses very strong entrepreneurial and management skills and will create significant value in the organisations he creates and works for” — Alok Kejriwal, Founder & CEO, Games2win India, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay Anand is a dynamic, determined and perseverant entrepreneur who has contributed to the new revolution of startups in India through his Proto.in. He has brought together various elements of entrepreneurship, startups, entrepreneurs, VCs, investors, academic institutions, professional bodies, etc, to create the necessary ecosystem to jumpstart the new phase of Indian entrepreneurship- that of technology product making startups. Such a forum was much needed and was lacking in India. Vijay Anand has made it happen, and done it with success. Vijay continues to contribute to the ecosystem by keeping all the elements in the loop, constantly working towards making the right connections and introductions, bringing various elements together on forums. He listens to people, takes ideas, and is always willing to help and contribute. His intentions are genuine and he is actively seeking to create the necessary ecosystem in India that will fuel the new wave of startups where India will be a market leader, not just a follower.” — Sujai Karampuri, CEO, Sloka Telecom, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay is at the heart of the startup community. Well networked and appears to making a fundamental impact on the ecosystem.” — Paul Murphy, Director of Innovation, Microsoft India, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay has done a fantastic job of creating an entrepreneurial eco system in India. He has built a team of dedicated volunteers who run Proto which is India’s premier start up showcase. I met him when Lucid become one of the participants at Proto. I was impressed by the passion that he brings to supporting entrepreneurs and by his networking abilities. Highly recommended.” – Madhusudan CP, Business Head and Entrepreneur, Lucid Software Ltd., was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay’s thought process, vision and execution capabilities are an example for the all the entrepreneurs to learn from. I count him among the next generation visionaries to observe. His contribution (Proto.in) to the entire Indian Entrepreneurial ecosystem is unarguably an important asset today. Its a sheer pleasure to see his dedication and focus he brings to his execution. Given a chance, I’d like to work closely with you. Vijay is recommended for any organization to benefit with the wide experience that he embraces. All the best.” — Piyush Gupta, Co-Founder, RouteGuru, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay is a highly intellectual and social person, making a signifcant difference in building India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through proto.in. His power lies in his endless energy and passion which is highly contagious to those that he meets.” — Raj Datta, Vice President, Knowledge Management, MindTree Consulting, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“I have seen Vijay since the days he conceived the first edition of Proto.in. He, along with his team, moved heaven and earth to ensure that his dream fructified into reality, even better than expected. Proto.in, now of course, has gone onto become one of the signature events for Indian tech entrepreneurs. As someone who has seen him fro close quarters, I would describe him as an incredibly passionate, results oriented person with an ability to multi-task. I wish him well and hope that we get to work together someday soon.” — Varadharajan Ragunathan, was Vijay’s client

“Vijay’s passion, enthusiasm and relentless focus has made Proto the pre-eminent platform for startups to showcase themselves in India today. He’s demonstrated admirable abilities in reaching out to scores of startups, industry watchers, investors, academics and sponsors to almost single-handedly create the Proto platform. Great stuff!” — Sanjay Anandaram, Managing Director, Jumpstartup Venture Fund, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay has been a key driver of the Proto.in initiative, which is an interesting effort to create a more vibrant entrepreneurial eco-system.” — Samir Kumar, Partner, Inventus Capital Partners, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“I have interacted with Vijay several times in the context of Proto and some other start-up, early
stage and investing related opportunities. His energy, commitment and enthusiasm are infectious and he has done a great job of making Proto the launch pad for early stage companies in India and neighbouring geographies.”- Ganesh Rengaswamy, India Investments, Greylock Partners, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay, in my experience, has an extra-ordinary combination of (a) drive (b) good intentions, (c) capability, and (d) commitment to execute. His work in nurturing entrepreneurship in India, through TeNet @ IIT Chennai and Proto, is no small feat. We presented RouteGuru’s product at Proto II and there is no better-attended and better-organised startup-event I have seen. Owing to Vijay’s able leadership and consistent efforts, Proto has quickly become “the-most-sought-for” platform for startups in India to showcase their technology products and initiate relationships with important clients and partners. I highly recommend Vijay for any leadership role.” — Avinash Agrawal, Founder & CEO, RouteGuru.com, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“If there’s on thing about Vijay, he’s passionate. He’s doing a great job organizing Proto.in. His enthusiasm for startups & entrepreneurship coupled with his execution skills make Proto.in a great platform for emerging companies.” — Tejus Sawjiani, Partner, Singularity Ventures, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay has extreme passion for entrepreneurship and he is able to infect others with the same. This is a key leadership quality that lets him enlist supporters. Further, he has an ability to organize, as is demonstrated in the progress that he has made with Proto.in” — Alok Mittal, Managing Director, Canaan Partners, India, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“I know Vijay as Founder and evangelist of Proto.in – a pioneering initiative in India’s nascent entrepreneurial ecosystem. He has selflessly dedicated his time, energy and other resources in sculpting this phenomenal launch pad that enable startup entrepreneurs to present their innovative technology and applications to VCs, mentors and other service providers for an early look in. He is a true visionary, a prolific blogger and a brilliant team builder endowed with awesome skills of execution. A very large hearted human being, to top it all.” — Krishna Mony, CEO, SEQUEL VENTURES, worked with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay is live wire. He has been the power behind Proto.in -India’s leading start-up platform. I have known Vijay for over 3 years now and have seen him transition from his previous role with aplomb. Yet behind the energy is a gentle and understanding person thats a pleasure to work with. Watch this man to do more! Sridhar T. Pai” -Sridhar Tonse Pai, ceo and founder, www.tonsetelecom.com, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay’s work with PROTO.IN is driven by passion and a clear understanding of what startups are all about and what they need. I have watched him set up PROTO.IN, and nurture it into one of the most relevant and important startup-oriented events in India. He knows how to connect people, and how to get them to work together – a rare and much appreciated ability. It’s a pleasure to be involved with his work.” — Atul Chitnis, Senior Vice President (Product Technology and Strategy), Geodesic Information Systems Limited, was with another company when working with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay did a great job as the lead organiser of Proto.in. He was extremely dedicated to his vision of seeing a world class event for startups in India. He worked tirelessly over the previous months to ensure that the event would be successful. A substantial portion of the success of the event can be directly attributed to his dedication and passion.” — Siddharta Govindaraj, Organizer, Proto.in, worked directly with Vijay at Proto.in

“Vijay is very intuitive and is able to lay his finger on to the next wave of technology which will impact the lives of lesser mortals such as us. His strengths in reengineering process together with business strategies lead to continuous improvement in the process while managing people is very refreshing – positively leverage his entrepreneurial instinct to drive change.” — Philip Thomas, Strategic Facility Consultant / Project Manager, Optum+, worked with Vijay at LeadStep Technologies Inc., Canada