Romesh Wadhwani, Chairman, CEO and founder of Symphony Technology Group, launched the Wadhwani Foundation in 2000 as a not-for-profit organization that inspires, educates and supports new entrepreneurs, and create environments where they can succeed.

The Wadhwani Foundation believes that successful entrepreneurs create wealth not only for themselves, but for their communities and society; and that successful entrepreneurship requires an exchange of information and ideas from all over the world. To this end, the Foundation develops and funds not-for-profit programs that provide entrepreneurial education, build networks, raise awareness, perform research and help develop a supportive policy environment.

The Foundation also reaches out to certain sections of the population that need extra support. With a focus on helping the disabled gain productive employment, this helps to empower the disadvantaged.

Working with some of the top academic institutions and not-for-profit organizations in India, the Wadhwani Foundation drives programs that help individuals achieve their full potential. These include IIM-A, IIT-Bombay, BITS-Pilani, SP Jain- Mumbai, Spastic Society of Karnataka, Association of People with Disability – Bangalore, and others.

The Foundation’s programs for entrepreneurs are in two areas:

• Education & Development – including the National Entrepreneurship Network and the Faculty Development Program
• Entrepreneurial Climate – including the National Entrepreneurship Study and the Global Entrepreneurship Forum

Additionally, the Foundation funds programs to empower people with disabilities and special challenges. These programs include:

• The Wadhwani Grant Program
• Wadhwani-Ashoka Fellowships

Leading entrepreneurs, financiers, academicians and researchers help shape the Wadhwani Foundation’s strategy and programs. Some of the prominent names who guide the Foundation are:

• K V Kamath, MD & CEO, ICICI – India
• Naina Lal Kidwai, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, HSBC – India
• Harsh Mariwala, Chairperson & Managing Director, Marico Industries – India
• Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder Chairman and Group Managing Director, Bharti Enterprises – India
• Jerry (Jaitirth) Rao, Founder, Chairperson & CEO, Mphasis – India
• Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Founder, Chairperson & Managing Director, Biocon – India
• Prof. Howard Stevenson, Senior Associate Dean & Director of External Relations, Harvard Business School – USA
• Narayanan Vaghul, Chairperson, ICICI – India.

The Wadhwani Foundation has offices in India (Bangalore) and the USA (Palo Alto). For more information on the Foundation, please write to: [email protected].