Date:13/03/2007 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/03/13/stories/2007031301092100.htm

Back `Technology provides niche opportunities'

Our Bureau

Getting it across: Mr Anant Koppar, CEO, KTwo Technology Solutions, addressing a BL Club meeting at Surana College P.G. Centre at Kengeri Satellite Town in Bangalore on Monday. - G R N Somashekar

Bangalore March 12 Global recognition along with the emergence of well-defined eco-systems that encouraged entrepreneurship should inspire youngsters to take calculated risks to grab opportunities to emulate role models such as the Infosys Chief Mentor, Mr N. R. Narayana Murthy, and Wipro chief, Mr Azim Premji, to build strong and successful enterprises.

There has been a sea-change in the last 15 years since reforms when there were virtually no role models for entrepreneurship nor venture capital support. "Today India is well positioned with an international recognition of brand strength and the financial markets are willing to put money into the system here," said Mr Anant R. Koppar, CEO, KTwo Technology Solutions.

Addressing students of the post-graduate management programme of Surana College here on Monday, Mr Koppar said rapid changes in technology from mainframe to mobile phones presented niche opportunities in services and product spheres for young entrepreneurs.

With employment opportunities in government sectors drying up, young aspirants can become employers themselves through openings thrown up by global markets for products and services not only in technology but in other sectors also.

Mr Koppar, who founded Kshema Technologies and sold it to MphasiS(now part of EDS), has launched his latest venture, KTwo Technology Solutions.

The start-up will focus on product development for healthcare and automotive sectors.

He warned students against complacency and said any venture should be carefully thought out through focused business strategy and constant re-evaluation to minimise risks and failures. It was important that young entrepreneurs build a team of like-minded people with strong communication skills and multi-tasking ability to handle issues dealing with finance and marketing.

They should possessbaseline attributes of enterprise management skills, he said.

He urged entrepreneurs not to follow the tendency to believe that "the biggest risk is not to take risk" but to take calculated risks to run an enterprise successfully.