Kairos Summit Brings Together the Top Collegiate Entrepreneurs With World Leaders
Kairos Summit Brings Together the Top Collegiate Entrepreneurs With World Leaders and Industry Icons to Help Reinvent the American Dream in These Tough Economic Times.
Invite-only event to be held on April 3-4 at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York.
Kairos Society, a non-profit organization, was founded in 2008 to foster an entrepreneurial culture among college students. Kairos is providing the opportunity for the students to bring their innovations from dorm rooms to the center stage under the guidance and mentorship of today’s business leaders. In an age of economic and employment uncertainty, these young entrepreneurs are taking control of their own futures by building ventures that are likely to become the leading businesses of tomorrow. These entrepreneurs are building socially responsible ventures that are not only focused on doing well, but doing good.
The event’s welcome addresses will be given by the 42nd President of the United States of America, President William J. Clinton, and William Gates Sr., co-chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, via video. Other successful leaders who will be addressing these young college entrepreneurs include Admiral Bill Owens, Managing Director AEA Investors & former Vice Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff; Bill White, President Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund; Scott Mednick, founder of Legendary Pictures and Mandalay Entertainment; Ellen Kullman, CEO of DuPont; and Naveen Jain, CEO of Intelius Inc.
Ankur Jain, founder and President of Kairos Society, a sophomore at the Wharton School of Business, credits his father with giving him the tools to develop the mindset of an entrepreneur.
“My father instilled in me the idea that everyone can shape their own destiny; they can’t wait for things to happen, they have to make them happen,” said Jain. “There has never been a better time to be an entrepreneur. Many of the successful enterprises were started during tough economic times. The passion of these young entrepreneurs with their innovative ideas can reinvent the American dream of building a better tomorrow.”
The Summit’s gala event will include a dinner on the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier. There over 1300 years of professional experience will converge with 500 of the country’s most innovative students. The gala will feature several panels and an awards ceremony, which will honor top student innovative ventures for their achievements.
“We are extremely fortunate to live in a country where we have the freedom to be innovative and entrepreneurial,” said Ankur. “We owe this freedom to our forefathers and the men and women who have given their lives in service to our country. For this reason, we are honored to host this event on the USS Intrepid, a symbol of this freedom.”
The Kairos Society’s advisory board is a who’s who of global leadership and includes Scott Mednick; Chris Kitze, founder of Xoom.com; Bill White, President of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund; Rajat K. Gupta, Managing Director Worldwide at McKinsey & Co.; and Bill Owens, former U.S. Vice Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff. Along with Mednick,Kitze and White will be speaking at the Summit.
All of the board members say they got involved with the organization because they believe in what the Society can do to foster tomorrow’s top entrepreneurs. In the words of Bill Owens: “In this world, in which ‘everything is changing’, I believe the spirit of entrepreneurship, open-minded capitalism and glowing global relations will be of the utmost value. I think that this Society believes in that spirit, and that it will do much to enhance these most promising students’ futures. I’m proud to be a small part of that!”
“I have been speaking to business and entrepreneur programs at colleges and universities for many years,” said Mednick. “In my interaction with these future business leaders their thirst for knowledge and information from those who have been on the front lines has been insatiable. In putting together the opportunity to bring a breadth of business leaders together with these bright minds is not only a great idea but one that will help create a vibrant community of business leaders for years to come.”
“We’re proud to support an organization that has the potential to inspire and cultivate the next generation of business owners, innovators and entrepreneurs,” said Naveen Jain, CEO and founder of Intelius. “The students being recognized at this event demonstrate inspiring out-of-the-box thinking and bring new methodologies to the table. In today’s economy we can’t rely on what’s already been done, the only way to move forward is through innovation.”
Intelius and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum are the title sponsors for the Summit.
Please follow this link to see the article on Reuters’ website.