Articles and Interviews
The Hackathon COVID Couldn’t Stop: Season 9 of the Yarl Geek Challenge
A staple event of the Sri Lankan tech calendar, Season 9 Finale of the Yarl Geek Challenge (YGC) has come to an end. A competition organized annually by the Yarl IT Hub, the YGC is known to attract the best in entrepreneurship and technology from
The Hackathon COVID Couldn’t Stop: Season 9 of the Yarl Geek Challenge
A staple event of the Sri Lankan tech calendar, Season 9 Finale of the Yarl Geek Challenge (YGC) has come to an end. A competition organized annually by the Yarl IT Hub, the YGC is known to attract the best in entrepreneurship and technology from
An interview with Dr. Mrinmayee Bhushan, founding Director of the start-up firm, Mindfarm Novatech Private Ltd; consultant for IP and innovation for a DSIR-approved, not-for-profit research organization, APT Research Foundation, and a biosecurity analyst.
Tell me about the product you developed.
Mrinmayee: It all started because of the reluctance shown by a relative of mine to face the public after hair grew abnormally on her face during menopause. That prompted me to find a remedy for the problem. As a
An Interview With Dr. Mugdha Potnis-Lele Senior Manager – Social Innovations, Venture Center
John Hoffmire: What is the Venture Center?
Mugdha: Venture Center is India’s award-winning, leading technology business incubator for science and technology startups. We offer entrepreneurs and startups the widest suite of incubation programs, services, resources, and
An interview with Jayant Sitaram Karve, Director and Chief Executive Officer of RCupe Lifesciences Private Limited
John Hoffmire: Tell me about your company, RCupe Lifesciences Pvt. Ltd.
Jayant: RCupe Lifesciences is a biomedical device start-up focused on developing, manufacturing, and commercializing innovative solutions for unmet clinical needs in emerging and other markets. Currently we are focused on a much needed ‘Ozyn-D™’, an
An interview with Karon Shaiva, Chief Impact Officer – IDOBRO & Managing Trustee – RISE Infinity Foundation
John Hoffmire: You are the founder of the RISE Infinity Foundation. Tell me more about this social enterprise.
Karon: I started the RISE Infinity Foundation in 2014 as an organization committed to serve those in India who are vulnerable, poor, and sick. Our vision is to
Efficiently Measuring Progress Toward Poverty Alleviation
What did you have in mind that made you want to start Outline India?
Prerna Mukharya – Good data leads to robust policy making.
Before starting my journey with Outline India, I was a researcher working on grants with think tanks and universities. I realized that as a
Following Up On The Link Between Poverty And Mental Illness
It almost goes without saying, sometimes a person’s mental health problems can lead to poverty. And sometimes mental health problems don’t correlate with poverty. But, often, one comes with the other. The World Health Organization has made it fairly clear that the two interact closely
Honoring the dignity of employees includes having them own more of the company
George Clason, in his classic book titled “The Richest Man in Babylon,” wrote this line: “A part of all I earned was mine to keep.” In the 1950s, a lawyer named Louis Kelso coined the term “Employee Stock Ownership Plan” (ESOP). The intent of ESOPs
Personal Finance and Mark Twain
Like many people, I am a Mark Twain fan. Therefore, on a recent trip to Hartford, Connecticut I visited his historic home.
Browsing through the gift shop after the tour, the following book caught my eye, “Ignorance, Confidence, and Filthy Rich Friends: The Business Adventures of
Efficiently Measuring Progress Toward Poverty Alleviation
John Hoffmire: What did you have in mind that made you want to start Outline India?
Prerna Mukharya – Good data leads to robust policy making.
Before starting my journey with Outline India, I was a researcher working on grants with think tanks and universities. I realized that
It’s not income that determines charitable giving
The American people are no strangers to the spirit of charitable giving. A phenomenal figure from Charity Navigator shows that as many as 50 percent of American households donated money when the 2010 earthquake devastated Haiti.
This giving accumulated to $1.4 billion. Another example of American