Santa Clara, November 15, 2023 – The Sikh Foundation is set to host a groundbreaking quarterly startup series aimed at fostering knowledge exchange and empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds—students to professionals— and connecting with audiences in California, Europe, Asia and all across the world. The series will provide invaluable insights into the uncharted territories of entrepreneurship, delving into the personal and emotional aspects often overshadowed in typical discussions.

The Sikh Foundation, renowned for its unwavering dedication to fostering cross-cultural understanding and education, is embarking on a pioneering endeavor by launching this groundbreaking series. This initiative, which aspires to narrow the knowledge gap and empower aspiring entrepreneurs from all walks of life, is deeply rooted in the foundation's rich history. Founded in 1967 by the visionary scientist, philanthropist, and education advocate Dr. Narinder Kapany, the Sikh Foundation draws inspiration from his legacy and is collaborating with several key stakeholders, including the University of California Santa Cruz's Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (CIED), Baskin School of Engineering, where Dr. Kapany contributed for decades, and the UCSC Silicon Valley Extension.

The series will serve as a beacon for those seeking invaluable insights into the uncharted realms of entrepreneurship, with a special emphasis on the often-neglected personal and emotional aspects that play a pivotal role in the entrepreneurial journey. The series is set to redefine the conversation around entrepreneurship by addressing topics less explored in traditional panels, such as the emotional journey of starting a business, the challenges and triumphs of building a team, navigating funding and venture capital, recruitment strategies, effective management, day-to-day operational hurdles, and striking the elusive work-life balance.

What sets this series apart is its aim to provide a global perspective. The events will be held in a hybrid format, with hosted webinars featuring interviews with prominent figures from the startup world. Each event will include a 40-45 minute in-depth interview followed by a 15-minute Q&A session.

One of the primary objectives of the series is to shed light on the inspiring stories of entrepreneurs who have overcome significant challenges. Raj Kapany, a Trustee of the Sikh Foundation, enthusiastically emphasizes the flexibility of the series and aims to deliver a compelling narrative about the individual behind a mattress company that evolved into a multi-million-dollar business, all against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The inaugural event of the quarterly startup series will be live-streamed November 15 at 5-6 pm PST with Host Mandeep Arora, a startup board member (Reuzel/Underlining), founder of Cantaloupe Systems (Nasdaq), general partner with Nordic Ventures and executive director of business development and strategy with VC-funded Furno Materials. Mandeep will interview notable guest Dr. Ratinder Ahuja, CTO & vice president at Pure Storage, with previous work and exits with Intel, McAfee, and Cisco. Both are prominent Sikh figures and associated with TiE.

Raj Kapany's vision for this series is to empower and inspire individuals from all walks of life, transcending geographical boundaries, and ultimately contributing to a global community of innovative and resilient entrepreneurs. Here is the registration link for the event.

For media inquiries or more information about the event, please contact:

Tanmeet Gujral, The Sikh Foundation or

tgujral@sikhfoundation.org

Ph:650.863.6351

Nada Miljkovic, UCSC’s CIED

nada@ucsc.edu

Ph: 831.824.4804 ###