Lab Gigi Wang to speak in Sri Lanka

Infotechs IDEAS (www.infotechs-ideas.com) has stepped in to host a workshop by Internet Pioneer and Chair Emeritus of the MIT/Stanford Venture Lab , Gigi Wang; who sits on the boards of the MIT/Stanford Venture Lab and the Wireless Communications Alliance which are leading high tech forums in the Silicon Valley promoting entrepreneurship, along with technology and business innovation. The workshop/seminar will be conducted on August 8, in Colombo.

“She will be speaking on “Lessons from the Successes of the Silicon Valley – what Sri Lankan Technology leaders, managers, entrepreneurs, educators, investors, bankers and policy makers can learn and do” She will also lead a serious and thought provoking discussion on how entrepreneurial companies recognize, enhance and harness the creative talents of the human spirit,” Susantha Pinto, Chairman Infotechs Group of Companies said.

He added that her main goals in visiting Sri Lanka are to assist Sri Lankan entrepreneurs and businesses understand the success drivers for innovation and entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley, while learning about the different models for nurturing and incubating entrepreneurs.

“She will also develop and refine model(s) to replicate the innovation and entrepreneurial success of Silicon Valley, adapted for the Sri Lankan business culture,” he said, adding that she will also address the role played by the two leading global academic centers, MIT and Stanford in the Silicon Valley in creating the environment that produced Google, Apple, Facebook and others. She will also discuss the role of Digital Media in the 21st century, new revenue sources for advertising companies, mobile technology applications and how to secure venture capital. Furthermore, she will have one to one meetings with business leaders and entrepreneurs who would like to invest in the IT sector and take their companies global, Mr. Pinto said.

Before starting up MG-Team, Gigi was the SVP of Marketing and Alliances for July Systems, a global start-up providing mobile retailing and marketing solutions to customers including AT&T, Electronic Arts, RealNetworks, MTV, India Times, and ePlus (Germany). Prior to July, she was CEO & Co-founder of AsiaQuest, a company providing market entry services for companies entering Asia. Her team developed relationships with Asian operators and other key players for its clients.

She also started up the International Carrier Marketing group and lead VOIP Product Marketing for Ascend Communications (acquired by Alcatel-Lucent).

As an Internet pioneer in the 90’s, she launched the TRUSTe Internet privacy program in 1996 and also started up Pacific Internet in Singapore (IPO on NASDAQ in 1999).