IIM Bangalore Hosts Third Edition of VENIX Business Festival

The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) hosted the third edition of VENIX, its three-day international business and entrepreneurship festival, from Friday, August 7 to Sunday, August 9 at its campus in Bengaluru. Organised under the theme ‘Nexus of Possibilities’, the annual festival was created through the merger of IIMB’s Vista and Eximius events. The festival brought together students, entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders, innovators, and policymakers for discussions centered on entrepreneurship, technology, careers, and responsible business.

The event opened with a recap of VENIX 2025 and a classical music performance by a Post Graduate Programme student. Speaking at the inauguration, IIMB Director-in-charge Prof Dinesh Kumar stated that ideas discussed during the festival should extend beyond the campus to contribute to nation-building. Chief Guest Dr John Ebnezar, a Padma Shri awardee and orthopaedic surgeon, encouraged students to develop intellectual, emotional, and physical well-being alongside professional skills. Additionally, Prasad Gantasai, Senior Vice President and CHRO of Technology Services at Wipro, discussed how artificial intelligence is reshaping modern workplaces and urged students to reflect on what makes them replaceable.

The second day featured panel discussions, keynotes, and fireside conversations focused on career development, leadership, and ethics. CK Venkataraman, former Managing Director of Titan and author of The Tanishq Story, emphasized the importance of remaining emotionally invested in one's work and building personal interests outside of a career while pointing out that professional success relies on team performance. Kenneth Castelino, Co-Head at Goldman Sachs, detailed his transition from physics research to investment banking. A panel on Conscious Capitalism brought together investors, academics, and entrepreneurs to examine purpose, fairness, and the relationship between corporate profit and social value, while author and IIMB alumnus Sandeep Das delivered a keynote on negotiation, workplace pressure, health, and long-term professional growth.

The final day focused on entrepreneurship and the challenges of establishing businesses in India. Kiran Shah, Founder of Go Zero, recounted leaving his family's ice-cream business, Apsara—which had operated since 1971—to launch Go Zero, noting that his new venture expanded to five times the size of Apsara within four years with a 35-member team. Kanika Gupta Shori, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Square Yards, discussed starting her firm in Hong Kong while raising a six-month-old child to leading an organization of 9,500 employees across 40 cities, reflecting on the professional challenges she encountered as a female founder and mother.