Advisors

Advisors are representatives of IEEE programs and outside of IEEE programs. They are volunteers of IEEE programs, societies, OUs, their network and project partners bringing their astronomic experience in technology, standards, legal and intellectual property experts, human centric designs, community outreach and business background.

These representatives are experienced entrepreneurs, industry and academic experts, accelerator leaders, investors, social and affect specialists. The diverse group of advisors with complementary expertise will provide a well-rounded and enriching experience for mentees (tech entrepreneur fellows) in the IEEE FN Entrepreneurs’ Mentorship   program.

Advisors for IEEE FN Entrepreneurs’ Mentorship Program are allocated at two levels – Global and Regional. The role of advisors is divided in two categories – a) General and b) Specific

General Role of Advisors

In the ‘IEEE FN Entrepreneurs’ Mentorship Program’, advisors play a specialized role in providing traditional mentorship and technological expertise. Advisors will provide the following support to the mentorship program:

1. Technological insights & guidance: Advisors will bring their deep expertise in the specific technology domain relevant to the innovator’s business idea/project/ initiative. Advisors will ensure the alignment of mentors to the mentees (tech entrepreneur) as per their technological innovation and sector.
2. Mission Alignment: Advisors will ensure that the technological innovations developed by the innovators align with a clear social or human impact mission.
3. Ethical Considerations: Guide mentors and mentees in navigating ethical considerations associated with their innovations. They help identify potential ethical dilemmas, ensure privacy and data protection, and uphold ethical standards in technology development.
4. Guidance on sustainability planning: Assist mentees in envisioning sustainability plans that outline how the innovation/project will continue to deliver social and human impact over the long term. It will involve financial sustainability, scalable strategies and partnerships.
5. Crisis preparedness: Anticipate potential challenges and crisis that they may arise during the course of development and/or implementing their solutions. They Provide guidance in creating contingency plans to address these challenges.
6. Human centric design: Guide mentees to have a human-centric design approach, ensuring that technological solutions are created in collaboration with the people they are intended to benefit.
7. Long-term vision: Encourage and guide mentees to think beyond short-term goals and envision the long-term societal transformation their innovations align their efforts with a broader vision for positive change.
8. Market reach: Advisors will assist mentees in evaluating the market potential of their technological innovations. Advisors will assist mentees in understanding the global market, its potential to replicate and/or scaling of the technological innovation/product in another global market in terms of target customers, competitive landscape and international market demand for the innovation/product.
9. Policy and regulation: Advisors will provide insights into relevant policies, regulations and legal framework that impact the deployment of the technological innovation/product for social good. They help to understand different regulatory challenges applied nationally and internationally.

Specific role of Advisors

The Global Advisory Committee will include members focusing on a more international perspective such as legal framework, market and reach, policies, regulation and international standards required for scaling up internationally.  Global advisers will give the program team strategic direction for enhancing the mentorship program on a global scale.

The Regional Advisory Committee will include members from the region itself and focus on the regional needs such as technical guidance, legal framework, local market, community understanding and others.

Global advisors

Mea Thompson, Unconnected.org

Mallory Knodel, Social Web Foundation

Regional advisors

Dr Krishnashree Achuthan, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham 

Dilip Krishnaswamy, Centre for Development Telematics

Dr. Snehal Shetty, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham 

Sanjram Premjit Khanganba, 
IIT Indore