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NASSCOM InnoTrek USA 2026

Investor Connect &
U.S. Market Readiness Day

Capital. Market access. U.S. growth.

19 Indian DeepTech companies. A curated investor session followed by focused U.S. market-entry and growth conversations.

When
Monday, 21 September 2026
Time · New Jersey local time
9:00 AM–3:15 PM EDT
Where
New Jersey, USAVenue to be announced

Supporting partners

NJ AI Hub, PrincetonTiE New JerseyNew Jersey–India Commission

Part I — The morning

Investor Connect

9:00 AM–1:30 PM EDT

21 September 2026 · EDT

Part I · Investor Connect

Morning agenda

  1. 9:00–9:30 AM

    Investor arrival & welcome

    Registration, arrival and informal introductions before the pitch programme.

    Audience: Founders + invited investors

  2. 9:30–10:10 AM

    How U.S. Investors Think: From Story to Term Sheet

    From story to term sheet: valuation, investor expectations and what makes a pitch investable.

    Audience: Founders + invited investors

  3. 10:10–11:15 AM

    DeepTech Investor Pitches: Block I

    Startups 1–13 present in the Pecha Kucha format to a curated group of relevant investors.

    Audience: Investor-only pitch access

  4. 11:15–11:30 AM

    Break

    A break before the second pitch block.

    Audience: Founders + invited investors

  5. 11:30 AM–12:30 PM

    DeepTech Investor Pitches: Block II

    Startups 14–19 take the floor with the same curated investor group.

    Audience: Investor-only pitch access

  6. 12:30–1:30 PM

    Investor networking lunch

    Deeper founder–investor conversations, with time to explore relevant follow-up opportunities.

    Audience: Founders + invited investors

1:30 PM — Investor Connect concludes

21 September 2026 · EDT

Part I · Investor Connect

Meet the investors

Gaurav Patankar

Gaurav Patankar

Managing Partner & CIO, Mission1 Investments

View profile: Gaurav Patankar

Gaurav is an investment professional with 25 years of global experience across public and private markets. He has held leadership and advisory roles with organizations including the World Bank, Shriram Asset Management, Niyogin Fintech, Stanford University and the University at Buffalo, and senior investment roles at Citi, Millennium Management, BNY Mellon, Lockheed Martin and Bloomberg. An entrepreneur and investor, he has helped build financial platforms in India and holds degrees in engineering, finance, strategy, and social economics and governance.

Siddharth D. Jain (SID)

Siddharth D. Jain (SID)

Co-Founder, HVB 88 Angels · President, AAUM OM

View profile: Siddharth D. Jain (SID)

Siddharth has more than 30 years of financial-services experience with pension funds, endowments, hedge funds, family offices and investment firms. He co-founded HVB 88 Angels, which has made over 20 early-stage investments and facilitated successful exits. Previously, he spent over 10 years at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods as an equity research analyst, developing financial indices and ETF strategies linked to over $10 billion in assets under management. He also supports entrepreneurship, education and the Indian diaspora through community organizations.

Stephen J. Socolof

Stephen J. Socolof

Managing Partner, Tech Council Ventures

View profile: Stephen J. Socolof

Stephen invests in entrepreneurs across healthcare, cleantech, enterprise and fintech in the Mid-Atlantic region, with an interest in cleantech, hardware and software. He began his venture-capital career running an incubator for Bell Labs at Lucent Technologies, where his team created 35 startup companies. He later co-founded New Venture Partners to invest in corporate spinouts. He holds an MBA from Dartmouth's Tuck School and degrees in economics and mathematical sciences from Stanford University.

Depinder Grewal

Depinder Grewal

Managing Partner, Tiger Alternative Investments

View profile: Depinder Grewal

Depinder is a business operator, executive and investor with over 35 years of experience investing in and advising privately held companies from pre-seed through Series A. His experience spans flowers and events, cannabis, travel plazas, real estate, venture capital and private equity, with additional expertise in agtech, fintech, biotech, biomedical, SaaS, AI and IP-driven businesses. He supports founders through mentorship, strategic alliances, business advisory, corporate structuring and go-to-market guidance.

Pravin Patil

Pravin Patil

Managing Partner, Prana Tech Ventures

View profile: Pravin Patil

Pravin is a venture capitalist and angel investor with deep expertise in cybersecurity and technology companies. He has built and exited companies, including deals with private-equity firms such as Carlyle. His experience also spans deep tech, pharmaceuticals and real estate. He provides strategic guidance and financial support to early-stage companies, helping founders innovate and grow.

Mark Kolb

Mark Kolb

Partner, Tech Council Ventures

View profile: Mark Kolb

Mark is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist focused on healthcare. He previously served as CEO of Bergen Medical Products and Dynamic Clinical Systems, helping companies scale and prepare for successful exits. He founded Taratec Development Corporation and grew it with venture capital before its acquisition by Patni Computer Systems, where he led the global life-sciences business. His experience includes startup companies, strategy, finance, operations, fundraising and business development, with service on corporate and nonprofit boards.

Dr. Keshab Panda

Dr. Keshab Panda

Non-Executive Director, L&T Technology Services

View profile: Dr. Keshab Panda

Dr. Panda is a technology and engineering leader with over 31 years of global industry experience building, transforming and scaling complex technology businesses. As CEO and Managing Director of L&T Technology Services, he led the company through its IPO and strengthened its focus on innovation and emerging technologies. Earlier, he worked with ISRO and the Aeronautical Development Agency and held leadership roles at Mahindra Satyam and Satyam Computer Services. He holds a Ph.D. from IIT Bombay and advanced degrees in aeronautical and aerospace engineering.

21 September 2026 · EDT

Part I · Investor Connect

Meet the 19 companies

19 Indian DeepTech companies across enterprise and agentic AI, healthcare, industrial automation, climate and energy, physical AI, logistics, voice AI, and e-commerce technology.

View startup profiles — NASSCOM booklet ↗

Logos represent the 19 companies profiled in the supplied booklet. Final event participation and pitch order are to be confirmed.

Part II — The afternoon

U.S. Market Readiness
& Growth Connections

Afternoon agenda

  1. 1:30–1:40 PM

    Afternoon Guest Arrival & Transition

    A 10-minute handover closes the investor-only segment and welcomes confirmed afternoon participants.

    Audience: Confirmed strategic participants + NASSCOM startups

  2. 1:40–2:05 PM

    Strategic Expansion: Random vs. Ready

    A practical framework for determining whether a company is truly prepared to expand into the U.S.

    Audience: Confirmed afternoon participants + startups

  3. 2:05–2:30 PM

    Landing in the U.S.: From First Entry to First Customer

    Market entry, operational presence, talent, customer development and building the right local relationships.

    Audience: Confirmed afternoon participants + startups

  4. 2:30–2:55 PM

    Your U.S. Launchpad: Programs, Resources & Ecosystem Connections

    Soft-landing programs, economic-development resources, corporate programs, incentives, universities and other relevant pathways.

    Audience: Confirmed afternoon participants + startups

  5. 2:55–3:10 PM

    Curated Growth Connections

    Focused introductions between NASSCOM founders and selected corporate, market-access and ecosystem participants.

    Audience: Confirmed afternoon participants + startups

  6. 3:10–3:15 PM

    Closing & Next Steps

    Key takeaways, follow-up pathways and the connections to carry forward.

    Audience: All afternoon participants

3:15 PM — Program concludes
21 September 2026 · EDT

Part II · Market access

Speakers & panelists

Mayank Gautam

Mayank Gautam

Director, Global Trade, NASSCOM

View profile: Mayank Gautam

Mayank has over 15 years of international business experience, including more than a decade at NASSCOM. He leads initiatives to expand Indian technology companies' global presence and strengthen India's position as a digital partner across the U.S., Canada, Middle East, Japan and Taiwan. His work spans partnerships, policy advocacy and cross-border investment facilitation with governments, industry leaders and think tanks. He is a Coventry University graduate with an MBA in International Business.

Aditya Khurjekar

Aditya Khurjekar

2× exited founder · Board advisor · Angel & LP investor

View profile: Aditya Khurjekar

Aditya is a builder and entrepreneur focused on creative disruption, technology and solving real-world problems. His experience spans semiconductors, enterprise software, mobile, payments, fintech, identity and AI. Over 13 years, he built two companies from concept to successful exits, leading fundraising, product, branding, global expansion and revenue growth. His corporate experience informs his approach to strategic thinking, problem-solving, leadership and cross-functional collaboration.

Sridhar Iriventi

Sridhar Iriventi

Advisor

View profile: Sridhar Iriventi

Sridhar is a strategic growth leader and trusted CXO partner with over 18 years of experience helping SMEs and Fortune 2000 companies scale through digital transformation, cybersecurity and people-first leadership. His expertise spans AI, cloud, CRM/ERP, sales, marketing and organizational growth. He focuses on measurable business outcomes, sustainable growth and secure digital transformation, drawing on experience delivering multimillion-dollar projects and building high-performing teams.

Jayanti Chandrasekar

Jayanti Chandrasekar

Chief Growth Officer

View profile: Jayanti Chandrasekar

Jayanti is a sales and marketing leader with over 30 years of experience in business development, strategic planning and revenue growth. She specializes in market entry, key account management, partnerships and global business development, with experience across food and beverages, medical devices, automotive, international trade, defense and aerospace. Her work at Entry USA includes building multimillion-dollar deals, driving growth and developing strategic partnerships.

Dinesh Gurupur

Dinesh Gurupur

Chief Growth Orchestrator, nTrusters

View profile: Dinesh Gurupur

Dinesh is a growth strategist and cross-border business advisor who helps technology startups and scale-ups accelerate revenue and expand into global markets. With more than three decades in technology, sales, marketing and entrepreneurship, he specializes in repeatable growth strategies for the United States. As founder of nTrusters, he supports B2B SaaS founders with practical go-to-market strategy, inbound and outbound programs, and multichannel tactics that combine technical knowledge with AI-driven growth approaches.

Geetha Rajavarapu

Geetha Rajavarapu

Immigration expert

View profile: Geetha Rajavarapu

Geetha is a certified immigration paralegal and HR specialist who spent over 16 years working with multinational corporate IT companies in India and the United States. Her experience includes immigration matters involving USCIS, the U.S. Department of Labor, state employment agencies, the State Department, U.S. embassies and consulates overseas.

Aashima Malhotra

Aashima Malhotra

Corporate Vice President, Persistent Systems

View profile: Aashima Malhotra

Aashima has over two decades of IT-services experience, partnering with life-sciences and medtech organizations to align technology investments with business priorities. She builds executive-level relationships and helps clients navigate complex IT landscapes. Her expertise spans enterprise transformation, AI-led innovation and operating-model redesign, including large-scale initiatives to modernize technology ecosystems and improve the adoption of value-enabling tools. She connects strategy and execution through cross-functional leadership and sustainable ways of working.

Anthony DeStefano Sr.

Anthony DeStefano Sr.

Technology Solutions Advisor, TenrecX

View profile: Anthony DeStefano Sr.

Anthony helps organizations make confident, results-driven technology investments by understanding their business needs and identifying suitable solutions. Through TenrecX, he works with technology experts and service providers across AI, cloud, cybersecurity, networking, connectivity, IoT, telecom and more. His consultative approach emphasizes trusted relationships, seamless implementation and measurable results.

Devon Fanfair

Devon Fanfair

Venture Builder & Ecosystem Leader, DEVLAND

View profile: Devon Fanfair

Devon is a venture builder, investor and ecosystem leader with more than a decade of experience helping entrepreneurs build, fund and scale companies. He previously led the Build in Tulsa Techstars Accelerator and managed Rose Rock Bridge, a corporate pilot deployment studio. Through DEVLAND, he has supported more than 100 founders and built venture and innovation programs across U.S. markets. He also supports Audible's Business Attraction Program in Newark, helping founders and growth-stage companies evaluate expansion opportunities and connect with the local business and innovation ecosystem.

Shyam Kumar

Shyam Kumar

Serial entrepreneur · Investor · Advisor · Technologist

View profile: Shyam Kumar

Shyam is a serial entrepreneur, AI strategist and technologist with more than two decades of experience building and scaling ventures. He specializes in artificial intelligence, enterprise data intelligence, smart-city solutions, environmental health and safety, and grant-management programs for U.S. state and local governments. His technology-driven solutions have facilitated over $15 billion in grant funds for government programs. He is building Aarohaa while enabling enterprises to establish and operate Global Capability Centers across India.

21 September 2026 · New Jersey