Startup Bazaar at University of Maryland on April 20

The inaugural event of the American Bazaar’s Startup Bazaar series will take place at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland on Saturday, April 20th.

The event is held in partnership with the Smith School’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship.

Tailored to early-stage entrepreneurs, potential startup founders, and MBA students, the Startup Bazaar series is designed to serve as a platform for networking, learning, and gaining insights from accomplished industry leaders who have achieved notable success through entrepreneurship.

WHERE: Robert Smith School of Business, University of Maryland
7621 Mowatt Ln, College Park, MD 20742
WHEN: April 20, 2024
Free registration link
For more information, visit the event portal

The series offers attendees a unique opportunity to connect with angel investors, venture capitalists, industry influencers, CEOs, and accomplished executives from a diverse range of companies. Through a lineup of panel discussions, keynote speeches, and networking sessions, participants will have the chance to gather valuable insights, exchange ideas, and establish meaningful connections within the startup ecosystem.

The event is open to the public and free of charge.

The inaugural Startup Bazaar event will feature three panels and five fireside chats.vThe panels for the event are as follows:

1) “Raising Capital from Angels, Family-Friends Networks, and VCs”

Moderated by Hina Mehta, Director of University Programs for the Commercialization Division at Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, this panel will delve into startup financing, offering strategies for securing funding and valuable insights into navigating the fundraising landscape. The panelists include Marc Steren, Co-CEO of University Startups; Sahil Rahman, Co-founder of RASA Grill; and Ramesh Mahal, former CFO of Sodexo.

2) “Launching a Startup with Low Capital and Bootstrapping”

Moderated by Juhi Naithani, Principal at bGlobal Consulting, this panel will feature seasoned founders who have successfully launched and scaled startups with minimal capital. They will share their firsthand experiences and practical advice on bootstrapping strategies, lean startup principles, and alternative funding sources. The panelists include Rohit Bhayana, Founder of InfoCepts; Chiranth Nataraj, Founder of Visitor Guard; Emrah Dilsizoglu, Founder of Value Mortgage; and Asif Mooppan, President of AM Technologies.

3) “GovCon 101 – Navigating Government Contracting Opportunities”

Moderated by Ada Sulejmanovic, Director of Strategic Growth and Partnerships at Global Alliant, this panel will provide insights into understanding government contracts, securing contracts, and navigating compliance and regulations. The panelists include Bill Yarnoff, Co-founder of ACEL 360; Kay Ramesh, President and CEO of Cybermedia Technologies LLC; and Habib Nasibdar, Founder and CEO of Mindcubed.

The Startup Bazaar will feature five fireside chats, presented in chronological order:

1) “From an Academic Prodigy to Budding Entrepreneur”

Dr. Tanishq Mathew Abraham, Founder and CEO of MedARC, will share his entrepreneurial journey from academic prodigy to successful entrepreneur. Moderated by Feras Ismail, this fireside chat will offer insights into Dr. Abraham’s experiences and the challenges he faced along the way.

2) “Transitioning from Invention to Business”

Dr. Newton Howard, Founder of ni2o, Inc., will discuss his groundbreaking startup focused on AI-driven brain-computer interfaces with Ada Sulejmanovic. The chat will explore Dr. Howard’s extraordinary journey and the transformative potential of ni2o’s pioneering work.

3) “Finding the Right Kind of Incubators and Accelerators”

Sanjay Puri, a tech leader and entrepreneur, will provide guidance on identifying the ideal incubator or accelerator program for startup ventures. Moderated by Juhi Naithani, this chat will cover topics such as understanding the differences between incubators and accelerators, researching potential programs, and maximizing program benefits.

4) “Secret Sauce for Success”

Salil Sankaran, President of Ampcus, will share insights from his entrepreneurial journey, offering valuable perspectives on driving revenue growth, mergers and acquisitions, and sustaining organizational excellence. The discussion will be led by Dr. Mahesh Joshi, Dean of Hood College.

5) “Insights from a Winning Startup Founder”

Salim Shah, founder of Sarfez, will delve into his entrepreneurial journey, sharing valuable insights and lessons learned along the way. Moderated by Dr. Mahesh Joshi, the chat promises to offer inspiration and practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

With an impressive lineup of panels and fireside chats featuring accomplished industry leaders, the Startup Bazaar event at the University of Maryland is set to be an invaluable opportunity for entrepreneurs to learn, connect, and gain insights into the world of startups and entrepreneurship.