The Kanara Entrepreneurs (KE) Bangalore Chapter successfully conducted the second edition of its full-day Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP 2.0) on Sunday, 9th March, 2025. This programme aimed at equipping members and guests with essential business skills relevant to today’s dynamic market. This year, the focus was on Artificial Intelligence (AI)—a technology that is reshaping industries worldwide.

The event began at 9:30am with a warm welcome from Mr. Claudius Pereira, President of KE Bangalore, followed by Mr. George Timothy, Lead Member, who led the gathering in the traditional KE prayer, invoking blessings for a fruitful session.

Mr Peter Anil Rego, MD – Brilliant Printers Pvt, Ltd., was the keynote speaker. He gave insights of entrepreneurship and business from his vast experience and mentioned that “Change” is the only constant when it comes to the business environment with different technologies disrupting the business. He also touched upon the fact that fundamentals are very important for business success even with the advent of AI.

Insights on HR & Financial Management

The first session featured Ms. Jyoti Menezes, Founder of Thrive Consulting, who shared her 17 years of HR expertise to highlight best practices in hiring, retention, and employee engagement—outlining key do’s and don’ts for business owners.

Next, Ms. Jasmine Pinto, KE Lead Member, conducted a session on Cash Flow and Working Capital Management, emphasizing why cash flow is the lifeblood of any business, even beyond revenue and margins.

Deep Dive into AI

Post the tea break, the spotlight shifted to AI, beginning with an inspiring session by Mr. Ranganath Sadasiva, Chief Technology Officer at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. He provided a comprehensive overview of AI’s evolution and its transformative impact on businesses.

Following this, Mr. A. L. Jagannath, Director of Marketing and Partnerships at ThoughtWorks, led a session on AI in Sales and Marketing, offering valuable insights on how AI-driven tools and strategies are revolutionizing the way businesses approach customer engagement and sales growth.

Live AI Demonstrations

After a networking lunch, the focus turned to practical AI applications.

●       Mr. Pankaj Kumar, Founder of Qurve.AI, demonstrated how his Audio-Visual AI agent is enhancing sales efficiency across industries.

●       Ms. SriRaksha and Mr. Sateesh Hegde from NetAnalytiks showcased PramithiHR, an AI-powered recruitment solution that automates resume screening and initial interview rounds, significantly streamlining the hiring process.

Mr Dion DSa , an active member of KE compered the entire session beautifully with excellent time management. Roshan Sequeira, Director – Events, Mr Sunil Attavar, Associate Director – Mentoring and Ms Leena Lobo, Director – Membership ensured smooth proceedings especially the tasks involved in event management and registration desk. Pramod DSouza, Director – Mentoring, concluded the session at around 3:30pm with a mentimeter survey for participants feedback.

With an engaging mix of expert insights, networking opportunities, and live AI demonstrations, EDP 2.0 was a resounding success, leaving participants with valuable takeaways to apply in their entrepreneurial journeys.