Michael McLeod is the Chief Executive Officer at Republic Fire Protection Inc. Previously, he was the CEO at Vio Smart Security. He spent over a decade as the President and Chief Operating Officer for Interface Security Systems. He holds over 30 years of success in electronic security and managing network service industries. Throughout his career, he has helped businesses grow rapidly with digital transformation strategies, progressive business models, and market strategies. He has played a key role in transforming a regional security monitoring organization into an international service provider for network management, physical security, interactive video, and business intelligence services. He has built a culture of continuous improvement through innovation and by leveraging technology to drive improvements in process and customer experience.

As founder and CEO of Go North Ventures, Sanjay Jesrani provides strategy inputs to high-growth early-stage companies and SMBs wanting to move to the next level. Go North Ventures is an angel investment and advisory firm focused on investing in and mentoring startups. As an active member of the Indian Angel Network, Sanjay has investments in startups across the health care, education, impact, consumer, and fintech sectors.

Sanjay has over 20 years of execution experience from his multiple executive roles at Hitachi Consulting and Sierra Atlantic, running his family business, and operating a successful chartered accountancy practice. He has helped global companies strategize, merge, and grow into successful businesses. A charter member of TiE Hyderabad, Sanjay is also on the advisory board of Parampara Capital, an independent director on the board of Unimed Health (Star Hospitals), and on the business advisory council at Woxsen School of Business, Hyderabad. He holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce and is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. A keen golfer and art enthusiast, he was also a founding member of Sierra Atlantic’s CSR initiative in India. He is based out of Hyderabad, India.

Ramesh M. Shah is president and CEO of DC Limited, an international business development and management consulting company. His specialty is in providing guidance to startup companies in restructuring and developing offshore research and development, international trade, joint ventures, partnerships, and technology transfer within the United States and overseas. The founder of DataChem, Inc., Dr. Shah has decades of experience in multiple industries including life sciences, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biotechnology, and IT. He is a member of the advisory board of Nesch, LLC; Biosynergetics, Inc; Encompass Media, LLC; Safis Solutions, LLC; and Medical Animatics, LLC. He has also acted as a technical advisor for India to several Indiana-based companies for offshore research and development and marketing. He has published over 20 scientific papers and owns nine patents.

Dr. Shah was elected a fellow of the American Institute of Chemists and licentiate of the Royal Institute of Chemists, UK. In 1988, Dr. Shah was a finalist for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Arthur Young and Venture Magazine. In 1991, he won the Indiana Small Business Exporter award by the US. Small Business Administration.

Shilen Saugunan is the CEO and founder of SS Consulting, a global advisory firm providing expertise on strategy, people, process, and technology to startups and SMEs. Through SS Consulting, Shilen offers high-potential startups mentoring, seed angel investments, and acceleration. Shilen was the lead investor and chief mentor of a successful fintech startup, Paymetry. A part of Paymetry’s equity was acquired by ICICI Bank recently. Before he founded SS Consulting, Shilen was the MD and CEO of Arbitron India. He joined the parent company, Arbitron Inc., as a senior software developer in 1999 and rose through the ranks quickly to the director of IT before coming to Kochi to set up the fully owned subsidiary. He played a key role in the success story of Arbitron at Infopark. Shilen also led the seamless merger and transition of Arbitron India to Nielsen and TCS after Nielsen acquired Arbitron in 2014.

Shilen holds a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from IIT and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from NIT Calicut. His first job was as an engineering scientist at ISRO for eight years. He now gives back to the scientific and IT community as a part of the board of directors at UL Cyberpark; regional council member of NASSCOM, Kerala; member of the board of governors for the Technology Business Incubator at NIT, Calicut; and as chairman for Malabar Innovation Zone, Kerala’s first accelerator with its own Native Angel fund, Malabar Angels. He operates out of Kochi and Kannur.