NASSCOM—EMERGE Forum, EMERGEOUT Conclave, and EMERGEOUT Startup Initiative

by Venkatesh Krishnamoorthy, Chief Evangelist, YourStory.in

YourStory is NASSCOM EMERGE Forum’s online partner for two of its programs – Indian Startup NASSCOM EMERGEOUT initiative and the NASSCOM EMERGEOUT Conclave at Chennai on April 30, 2010. This article demystifies what NASSCOM EMERGE is all about and its various initiatives to provide a viable ecosystem for SMEs in the technology industry. Realizing that SMEs are the primary drivers of growth in a nation’s economy, NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Services Companies) has created a separate forum called NASSCOM EMERGE Forum to create a vibrant partnership platform for technology SMEs to share, collaborate, and grow.What is NASSCOM?

NASSCOM is the premier trade body and the chamber of commerce of the IT-BPO industries in India. NASSCOM is a global trade body with more than 1200 members, which include both Indian and multinational companies that have a presence in India. NASSCOM's member and associate member companies are broadly in the business of software development, software services, software products, consulting services, BPO services, e-commerce and web services, engineering services offshoring, and animation and gaming.

What is NASSCOM EMERGE Forum?

The NASSCOM EMERGE Forum is the platform for emerging technology companies and startups initiated with the aim of drawing strategies to explore the huge growth opportunity that exists for SMEs. The forum also presents an avenue for SMEs to share their experiences, ally on critical projects, and even focus on partnerships to cater to customer demands.

The NASSCOM EMERGE Forum has an EMERGE blog for its members to brainstorm and share thoughts within the IT realm. The SME sector forms a significant percentage of the Indian IT industry and the contribution of this segment is expected to be crucial for India to retain its competitive advantage and sustain future growth. In the EMERGE blog, members freely discuss various issues confronting them, provide their perspective on burning issues, engage in thought-provoking discussions on various developments that are likely to impact them. The blog also provides an opportunity for other members to share their point of view.

EMERGE 50 Companies

The NASSCOM EMERGEOUT Forum has identified 50 companies that have scaled in the IT SME sector using strategies, thought leadership, and vision to make a difference and bring about sustained business successes. The successful companies have also applied different business models and have been able to scale their businesses to a reasonable extent that they are now at the cusp of making it to the big league or at least have the foundation to launch into the big league. These EMERGE companies serve as an inspiration for other SMEs to follow suit, take cues from their growth, and plan their own successes.

What is NASSCOM EMERGEOUT Conclave?

NASSCOM EMERGE Forum deepens its engagement with its members (and nonmembers) through NASSCOM EMERGEOUT Conclaves. With specific themes and an impressive program schedule, the one-day conclave brings together the best minds in the IT domain again to present to SMEs the opportunities that they can seek and explore. The conclave has run three editions so far. Starting with the first edition in 2008 in New Delhi, the second edition was hosted in Chennai in April 2009. The third edition again was back to Delhi in August 2009.

The fourth edition at Chennai on 30 April 2010, with the theme of “Nurturing the IT DNA in India’s Growth Sectors,” focuses on the addressable domestic market for the IT BPO sector. This sector is showing phenomenal double-digit growth constantly and is expected to touch US$100 billion in the next decade. This four-fold growth will be driven by the emerging companies and start-ups, who need to make adequate preparations now, in order to leverage this opportunity. So various programmes are lined up at the conclave for SMEs to take note of the emerging trends, opportunities, and major issues inherent in such opportunities. Panel discussions have been structured around various trends in the domestic market in India.

Mr. Bharath Goenka, founder of Tally Software, is the keynote speaker. Tally epitomizes what a visionary can do to bring about technology revolution. Tally is now synonymous with accounting software in India. The product is used by a significant chunk of SMEs across all industry sectors. Mr. Goenka has developed in Indian context a product that is most essential to run a business. Such products are the need of the hour to cater to unique demands of Indian businesses and the general population instead of bringing in foreign technologies that succeeded in markets elsewhere in the world. To signal the maturity of the Indian IT industry, which is now able to spot the Indian DNA, the conclave explores the challenges and opportunities in the domestic market.

Please register for the conference here.

What is NASSCOM EMERGEOUT Startup Initiative?

In the run up to the EMERGEOUT conclave on April 30, NASSCOM came out with a unique idea of showcasing 30 success stories from its EMERGE 50. The entrepreneurs who have succeeded in the IT domain share their views on entrepreneurship to inspire other entrepreneurs and also tell others what was behind their success. One entrepreneur is showcased everyday starting April 1, 2010. So far seven entrepreneurs have shared their perspectives and thoughts.

To know what they are, click the following links:

1. Kishore Mandyam of PK4 Software, http://bit.ly/cVfVRp

2. Anil Pagar of Spadeworx, http://bit.ly/ct4m4H

3. Ajay Sharma of Shristi Software, http://bit.ly/ciV7OW

4. Pallav Nadhani of InfoSoft Global (FusionCharts), http://bit.ly/9VhDWY

5. Manoj Srivatsava of Hanu Software, http://bit.ly/9FKdXv

6. Sriram Raghavan of Comat, http://bit.ly/dtDbvh

7. Sushil Chaudary of Mann-India, http://bit.ly/cphzMi

YourStory will feature interviews with experts, round-up of events at the fourth edition of the EMERGEOUT conclave at Chennai, and also entrepreneur interviews every day till April 30, 2010. Keep visiting this space to get yourself updated.

Mr. Sharad Sharma, NASSCOM Product Chair, has given insight into the Indian Product Software industry in an interview to YourStory. Also a member of the NASSCOM Executive Council, Mr. Sharma is taking various initiatives to help the ecosystem for software products in India. His vision, clarity of thought, and inspiration message is a must read for any entrepreneur. Please visit http://bit.ly/bNzYi4 to engage with his interview.

YourStory is proud to be associated with NASSCOM’s initiatives to encourage the entrepreneurial ecosystem in India.