Malaysian entrepreneur Harsha Ravindran, Co-Founder & CEO of Ascendance and Executive Director at NextGen Entrepreneurship Network (NGEN), recently played a pivotal role in bringing together over 120 of the brightest student entrepreneurs from top universities including Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Wharton, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell and NYU. The third prestigious Trailblazers Conference, was held at Lowenstein Sandler LLP in New York City on Friday, and showcased the power of young entrepreneurial minds connecting to create change.
Harsha, a recipient of the esteemed Diana Award and recognized in Prestige Malaysia’s 40 Under 40 list, co-founded NGEN with Jackson Lehner and William Borges. Their aim was to foster collaboration within the undergraduate entrepreneurship community and bring together student ventures through a dynamic intercollegiate platform.
“This is a place for people to exchange ideas and learn from one another, and that was definitely something we observed during this conference. The quality of the entrepreneurs we brought in was reflected in the quality of the conversations and the impact they would have on each other’s careers,” said Harsha, emphasizing on the importance of passion and purpose in driving entrepreneurial success.
The Trailblazers Conference showcased keynote speeches and panel discussions led by industry leaders and executives from top organizations like Morgan Stanley, Mastercard, Mercury, and others. Attendees also participated in interactive workshops and breakout sessions featuring tech innovators and business attorneys, fostering a collaborative atmosphere for exchanging ideas. The event wrapped up with a networking mixer at the New York Marriott Marquis, where participants had the opportunity to continue sharing insights and building valuable connections in a lively setting.
Seema Hingorani, Managing Director at Morgan Stanley IM and Founder of Girls Who Invest, shared her inspiring story about growing up and choosing her path to give back by simply following her heart. She said, “If by the end of college, you can think and you can write, you’ve hit a home run. Push yourselves, explore, learn how to think, learn how to write, and have fun! You really can do whatever you want to do—you just have to figure it out.”
The lineup of speakers at the conference included notable executives, entrepreneurs, and VCs such as Chiro Aikat, Co-President (United States) at Mastercard; Seema Hingorani, Managing Director at Morgan Stanley IM and Founder of Girls Who Invest; Kenan Saleh, Co-Founder at Halo (acquired by Lyft); Louis Ciano, COO & Co-Founder at Crosby Health; Tiya Gordon, COO & Co-Founder at itselectric; Max Rimpel, Partner at General Catalyst; Eric Chen, Co-Founder & Partner at OVO Fund; Anand Deshpande, Strategic Partnerships at Mercury & Angel Investor; Lacey Allen, Associate Partner, Learning Solutions at NewSchools Venture Fund; and Cobi Stancik, Customer Learning Manager at ProtoPie.
Picture Courtesy: ET Boost
One of the attendees, Aryaditya Lankipalle from the University of Pennsylvania, commented, “Being an aspiring entrepreneur can seem like you’re stuck in your own bubble. So being able to connect with different students from different universities with different perspectives is probably my favorite part of the conference.”
Harsha’s role in NGEN exemplifies her commitment to youth empowerment and the future of entrepreneurship. Her leadership in both NGEN and Ascendance, one of Southeast Asia’s largest youth-led organizations, underscores the significant influence that young leaders are having on the global stage.
The Trailblazers Conference owed much of its success to the generous support of sponsors such as OVO Fund, Mercury, Lowenstein Sandler, and ProtoPie, all of whom are dedicated to promoting innovation and empowering emerging leaders. As NGEN continues to grow, it seeks to invite more young, purpose-driven entrepreneurs into its community, creating a global network of students committed to addressing the world’s most urgent issues.
All the information are provided by Ascendance.
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