This fireside chat brought together Rostow Ravanan—co-founder of Mindtree and Alpha Hive—alongside moderator and co-founder of Skwill , Anisha Gopal, as part of the Women in Tech Scale Hub by NSRCEL- IIM Bangalore. The conversation explored the realities of global scaling, fundraising, and leadership through the lens of an entrepreneur who helped build one of India’s earliest venture-backed tech success stories.
Rostow reflected on his journey from Mindtree’s inception to its global expansion, sharing the personal motivations, purpose-driven values, and team-led conviction that shaped the company. He also spoke about the rising representation of women in engineering and why the topic remains deeply important to him.
The discussion unpacked practical strategies for international growth—why some businesses must go global, how early entry should be customer-led, what to expect from different regional markets, and the true cost and preparation required to scale beyond borders. Rostow contrasted market behaviours across the U.S., Middle East, and India, and emphasised the importance of sharpening strategy before execution.
On fundraising, he offered a candid view of today’s volatile investment climate and what truly matters to investors: the strength of the idea, the scalability of the model, and the capability and resilience of the team. He underscored the value of volume in pitching, the rise of supportive ecosystems, and how modern founders can use incubators as safe testing grounds for investor conversations.
Rostow’s guidance for founders—especially women founders—centred on confidence, choosing the right investors, pushing beyond comfort zones, and trusting a blend of data and instinct when deciding whether to persist or pivot. Above all, he encouraged entrepreneurs to listen to the market, build with conviction, and embrace the journey with grit.
The session closed with a blend of humour, honesty, and timeless wisdom, capturing the spirit of an entrepreneurial path shaped by purpose, perseverance, and ambition.
