Guest Info
Bala Kamallakharan is an investor and founder of Startup Iceland, a grassroots initiative aiming to develop a sustainable startup ecosystem in Iceland. He is also a co-founder of Dattaca Labs and Iceland Venture Studio.
Bala has held executive positions in Guide to Iceland and TravelShift and served on the board of CLARA, an Icelandic community analytics company acquired by Jive Software. He has made early-stage investments in companies like Buuteeq and GreenQloud, which were later acquired.
Before his entrepreneurial ventures, Bala was part of Glitnir Bank’s executive team, focusing on strategic growth through mergers and acquisitions. He also worked at Capgemini (formerly Ernst & Young Management Consulting) on strategy projects for Fortune 500 companies. Bala holds management, economics, and information systems & decision science degrees. He is a member of the Reykjavik Rotary International Club.
About the Show
Join us in this enlightening episode of Brown Business as we explore the remarkable transformation of Iceland, a country once associated with snow and cold, into a vibrant start-up ecosystem and a champion of global well-being. Our guest, seed investor and start-up champion Bala Kamallakharan, unveils the true essence of Icelandicness and sheds light on his journey through this picturesque land.
Discover how Iceland, despite its cold exterior, is making massive strides in combating the climate crisis and redefining economic wellness. It’s a place of scenic beauty and a hub for state-of-the-art technology and green tech initiatives. Bala shares his inspiring story of how he found opportunities in the technological void and built a thriving empire in Iceland, despite the challenges of language barriers.
Iceland’s internationalisation and focus on renewable energy have created a dynamic environment for innovation and growth. Embracing the Nordic and Scandinavian cultures and valuing global citizenship over nationality, Bala’s journey is a testament to resilience and determination. From facing unemployment and financial crises to building a successful start-up, his story is a source of inspiration and motivation.
Join us to hear this fascinating tale of seizing opportunities, overcoming challenges, and making meaningful changes for a better world.
Produced by Global Indian Series for the Global Indian Network.
Script by Rajan Nazran
original idea: Rajan Nazran
Introduction music: (Music credit: https://freesound.org/people/Drakensson)
Related Shows
