The technology sector has very few women and one of the challenges in this decade is how to get more women involved in all facets of technology, from developers to coders and all the way to entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, said MR Rangaswami, founder of Indiaspora and Corporate Eco-Forum based out of the US.

Rangaswami was one of the three achievers in the technology sector living in the US to address members of the Rotary Club of Madras South in a virtual meeting on Tuesday. The other two speakers were Smita Siddhanthi, founder of EnDyna Inc and Seema Chaturvedi, founder of AWE Funds. They discussed the significance and mystique of Silicon Valley and the reasons for the success of Indians and Indian-Americans, and narrated with anecdotes the story of their own careers as part of the Indian diaspora story.

“Seema and Smita are great role models for young girls both in India and the US aspiring to be successful in the technology industry,” said Rangaswami.

Closer to customers

In the last few decades, thousands of Indians migrated to the US, first starting with the hardware sector then in the software and then turned entrepreneurs. However, the recent trend is that Indian companies have their management teams located in Silicon Valley to be closer to customers. The most recent success is that of Chennai-based FreshWorks, and many others will follow suit, he said.

Siddhanthi said, interestingly, in recent years, more women are starting businesses and after seeing the success, their husbands are joining at a later stage.

Chaturvedi said, “I saw a significant value in cross-border investment. Our fund is recognising the value that India is offering to the world. We are looking to invest in potent, but latent resources of generally any community but definitely of India as well - its women.”

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