Summit urges students to see themselves as ‘the engine of the economy’

Matrimony.com Founder and CEO Murugavel Janakiraman urged students to see themselves as “the engine of the economy”.

He inaugurated the Thiagarajar Entrepreneur Network (TEN) Summit 2025 – Triveni Expo at Thiagarajar College of Engineering (TCE), Madurai, on Friday.

The two‑day summit, being held from December 19 to 20, is themed around strengthening the alumni–student–startup ecosystem to nurture future entrepreneurs.

Designed as a leadership and networking platform, it brings several CEOs and founders to campus and hosts around 60–70 alumni‑run stalls, from fabrics and food ventures to AI and deep‑tech companies, giving students exposure to real‑world enterprise and opportunities for internships, projects and mentoring.

Mr. Janakiraman outlined his “5 Es” framework – execute, expand, enhance, extract and exceed as a roadmap for young founders. He urged students to stay alert to opportunities, segment and upgrade their ideas, allocate time to what matters most and treat every outcome as experience, noting that unintended consequences can sometimes create better opportunities than intended ones.

Chairman and Correspondent K. Hari Thiagarajan, in his presidential address, said the expo would help young entrepreneurs in today’s AI and IT-driven world and focus on creating jobs. He pointed to foreign funds, alternative investment routes and large Government of India spending on research and development as chances to build a stronger startup ecosystem at TCE.

Principal L. Ashok Kumar highlighted that at least 19 live exhibitions and working demos in the expo offer hands-on access to innovative creations and potential internship, placement opportunities and consulting avenues.

The session concluded with a vote of thanks by C.T. Narayanan, Founder of Sri Sastha Constructions, as students engaged with exhibitors offering internships, placements, consulting and sponsored projects across domains.