Raj Alur joined TiE Boston as a charter member in 2002, and founded and served as chair of TiE Boston's Broadband Business Forum and co-chair of the TiE Venture Forum. Alur assumed the role of President of TiE Boston in January 2007. TiE-Boston presidential terms are two years. Alur’s hobbies include playing the guitar, jamming with musicians playing rock, jazz, ghazals and bollywood music

Lokvani asked Raj Alur 3 questions on his new role as President and his
vision for TiE Boston.

  What is your vision as  President for TiE Boston ?

When I became President of TiE Boston, I set forth 4 important goals that I wanted to accomplish. One was to expand TiE-Boston into a broader entrepreneurial community so that TiE becomes the first touch point for any aspiring entrepreneur in the Boston area. I also wanted to build on our programs mentoring young entrepreneurs in high school and colleges and to reach out to inner city youth. Secondly, I want to build a strong financial foundation to ensure TiE sustains in the long term. Thirdly, I want TiE-Boston to become a connect point between Boston area VCs and entrepreneurs and the explosive Indian economy. Finally, as a past SIG chair, I want to
leverage the growth and popularity of the Special Interest Groups in TiE.

  What are some of the new initiatives recently taken at TiE Boston?

We have launched a Universities alliance program so that we can align our mission of entrepreneurship with their entrepreneurship programs. This year we have introduced two new Special Interest Groups. They are Clean Tech and Semiconductors manufacturing. We have a couple more in the making. They will take shape after the TiECON East Conference.

This is TiE Boston annual flagship conference. What are the highlights of this year's TiECON East?

Our team has built this year's TiECON East on the theme 'Building a
competitive edge through innovation and global collaboration'. We have pulled together terrific expertise into 3 panels - Technology, Health and
Enterprise.  Keynotes include Reed Hundt, Author, In China's shadow, Ram
Shriram, Google's early investor, Edward Benz, President, Dana Farber
Cancer Institute, Bob Davis, Founder/ Managing Partner, Lycos/
Highland Capital Partners, people from academia and Presidents ofUniversities like Bob Brown and Jack Wilson, Gloria Larson and many more. To top it off, we have great entertainment by the internationally famed guitarist Prasanna and his band of famous musicians who will blend Indian classical, Jazz, African and western classical music.A great conference for everyone!

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Al Kapoor, Chair for TiECON East comments on why the Conference is important

"TIECON has become the key resource for what is hot, where the opportunities are and how to succeed in their pursuit.  You will hear from the very best leaders in their fields – from Governor Deval Patrick, to BU president Bob Brown to leading VCs Terry McGuire and Bob Davis, to board members of Google and Intel to successful entrepreneurs of six firms from Massachusetts that filed for IPO last month and new leaders in Clean Tech.  What’s Next? How can you benefit from it? How can you collaborate globally? These questions will be answered.

You can network with aspiring and successful people from all walks of like, from social entrepreneurs to dreamers of the next EMC or Biogen.  You can establish global partnerships for competitive advantage.

• How is TiECON East shaping up this year?

It is shaping up better than ever.  As Desh Deshpande said in a recent letter to our volunteers, it will set a new bench mark for us.

• What can a member of TiE expect from this Conference?

Members are the pulse of the organization.  Members come back every year to volunteer their time to organize the conference.  We appreciate their effort and support.

We have initiated new Member Power programs on Thursday night specially designed to provide a forum to pitch and showcase company, network, connect, and empower each other. 

Our registrants list includes an impressive group of  attendees looking for high quality programs.  We are introducing the registration analysis in our future marketing campaigns to help our members, sponsors and other prospective attendees learn who is coming to the conference so they can plan to meet the people they want. 

• Why are TiECON East events been so successful all these years?

Great speakers, high caliber of attendees, extremely professional and well put-together event that delivers highest value to all. 

• Any other thoughts you want to share with Lokvani readers about TiE Boston?

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