Frequently Asked Questions

TiE stands for The Indus Entrepreneurs, reflecting the South Asian background of the individuals who chartered the organization in 1992. Over time, TiE has come to represent Talent, ideas and Enterprise or The Innovative Ecosystems, through its activities and influences, lending a number of meanings to its acronym.

The concept of TiE was born at the end of 1992 at a lunch meeting of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and professionals. The idea originated with the objective of sharing and giving back to society. Initially, this small group of individuals launched monthly activities, which, in turn, attracted more members. By 1994, TiE had become a formal organization with a larger group of members and participants. TiE remains a unique, volunteer-driven organization, with a single-minded focus on its objective.

TiE’s mission is to foster and advance entrepreneurship across the globe. Its principle objective is to provide a platform on which people with an entrepreneurial spirit and those interested in economic value creation can come together to share ideas. TiE endeavors to cultivate and nurture the ecosystems of entrepreneurship and free-market economics everywhere, viewing this to be the single most powerful instrument of prosperity.

TiE’s philosophical base is a compatible blend of economic value creation through entrepreneurship and the ancient South Asian tradition of the Guru/ Shishya or Teacher/Disciple relationship. This enables very productive networking and mentoring relationships among and between experienced and budding entrepreneurs and professionals through the two-way exchange of experience and knowledge. TiE’s Philosophical Framework is to:

• Create an open, inclusive, and transparent organization
• Provide positive leadership role models
• Emphasize value-creation through informed entrepreneurship
• Maintain high ethical standards
• Display rigorous, intellectually honest behavior
• Pursue a modern, scientific, and forward looking approach
• Remain socially responsible
• Do not tolerate pettiness, divisiveness, or corruption
• Strive to remain an idea- and value-driven organization

No! TiE is not a venture/investments organization. However, TiE members, through their network relationships, often invest in companies with TiE affiliations. TiE also does not endorse any investments, even though companies are presented at TiE events. TiE has facilitated venture investment by providing a platform for entrepreneurs and VC funders to come together.

In addition to our impressive world wide membership numbers in the thousands, we have a number of achievements to our credit. The TiE brand is synonymous with entrepreneurship and high quality standards globally. By facilitating ideas to germinate into actual businesses, TiE has created wealth and helped boost the global economy. Since 1992, individuals associated with TiE have created businesses with a market value of over $200 billion in Silicon Valley alone, the organization’s birth place. With TiE’s continued growth, we are confident that this figure will continue to increase. Membership and attendance at TiE events continues to grow at over 20% annually, even during difficult economic conditions.

The TiE movement has created a strong foothold in many parts of the world. With its global outlook, TiE has established chapters in the US , Canada , India , the UK , Pakistan , Singapore , Dubai , Australia , Malaysia , and Mauritius . In all these countries, TiE has brought together entrepreneurs, business people, government policy makers, professional service providers, academics, and the media, with the objective of enhancing the entrepreneurial climate of the respective areas. TiE has also been instrumental in making positive changes in governmental economic policies in numerous global emerging markets. Specifically, TiE is credited to have influenced liberalization of key sectors including Telecom and Venture Capital investments in India .

TiE aspires to continue the expansion of its chapters and membership worldwide, while maintaining a clear focus on its objectives and philosophies. TiE will therefore continue to encourage and support the efforts and spirit of entrepreneurship everywhere. TiE aims to continue its pivotal role in the formulation of sound ecosystems for regional and national economic growth through private enterprise. TiE has access to a large pool of intellectual capital and would like to leverage this to influence public policy, especially in the Indus regions, where most of our founders came from. In the new global economy, the Indus region is emerging as a significant place of economic activity, making compelling business sense to leverage opportunities arising there. TiE, due to its strong ethnic base, is in a position to capitalize on these opportunities. The objective is to create wealth by creating an environment for establishing global businesses. Our future vision is to expand the number of chapters to regions where entrepreneurial activities thrive and to own the Entrepreneurship space.

TiE welcomes everyone who shares its objectives and philosophies to join its membership and activities at a chapter nearest to them. Individuals may become a member by sign-up and payment of annual dues to their home chapter.

Charter Membership is by invitation only, and subject to a due process prescribed in the TiE bylaws. Charter Members pay significantly higher annual dues than members do, and help underwrite TiE operations. The annual membership dues are $1,000 annually. No additional initiation fee is required.

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We have various aspects to volunteering at TiE. As a volunteer, you can help out with the various SiGs and programs in the planning and execution of the events. During the weekly events volunteers are required to help with registration and for technical help. In addition, volunteers get a free entry to these events where they can network and listen to many stellar speakers