From Pakistan to Silicon Valley

Sponsored by the U.S. Embassy, the California- based business magnate, philanthropist and trainer, Dr Akram Chowdry, flew to Mauritius last week. His visit was in furtherance of a training workshop on Windows Phone Applications and Business Plan Writing held from the 25th to the 28th September, organized by the National Computer Board and the U.S. Embassy in the context of the US Global Entrepreneurship Program (GEP). The GEP seeks to contribute actively to the advancement of entrepreneurship in emerging markets and developing countries.

“Entrepreneurship originally hits off in the USA bringing about success on several fronts: job creation, generation of wealth, advancement of education amongst others. It is precisely to share the knowledge and expertise thus acquired that the U.S. administration has instituted the GEP. Through this program, it seeks to transfer knowledge to developing counties such as Mauritius on how to start a business and how to market the services and/or products. Hopefully this will add to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and generate jobs”, explains Dr Chowdry.

Having been designated as member of the Advisory Board of University of California Berkeley, Dr Chowdry has been recently selected by the U.S. Department of Commerce as lead member for the funding of start-ups and SMEs in Pakistan. Over the past few years, he has also been a General Partner of High-Tech Venture Capital Fund located in the Silicon Valley.

‘‘Education was a luxury. In fact, my siblings never went beyond high school”

Dr Chowdry started his prolific career as a Professor of business at San Jose State University in California after obtaining his Ph.D. from University of California at Berkeley. However, after a few years, he quit teaching altogether. “At some point, teaching stopped appealing to me as the challenges the profession initially represented had worn out as I progressed in this line. I wanted to take up new challenges and ventured into entrepreneurship”, confides the businessman. Pooling funds from borrowings amounting to a total sum of $25,000 against his house, he launched a computer manufacturing company (Prime Circuit Technology) in Silicon Valley. The year was 1983. “Back then, I was the first and only Pakistani who was simultaneously founder and CEO of an enterprise of this caliber in the world famous Silicon Valley. Those were my baby steps into the realm of business. Prime Circuit Technology provided me a platform to understand the in-roads and intricacies of management, marketing, finance, inter alia”, adds Dr Chowdry.

Later, he acquired Mylex Computer Corporation, a publicly traded company. He remained the CEO and Chairman of Mylex for almost ten years. In 1998, Mylex was acquired by IBM for over $500 million, with its revenues over $250 million-figures which rationalizes the potent contribution of Dr Chowdry in revamping a distressed company.

“One of my greatest achievements is precisely linked to Mylex. In 1991, US NEWS & World Report conducted a survey of thousands of small public companies in USA, and out of 7,430 public companies in USA, Mylex was ranked first in overall performance and stock appreciation”, relates Dr Chowdry.

‘‘Solar farms will be set in place and the electricity that they will be generating will be availed to homes and small business as well as to farmers”

Perpetually in quest of new challenges and defiantly dealing with the risks, Dr Chowdry thereafter became a General Partner of High-Tech Venture Capital Fund located in the Silicon Valley. Till date, he occupies this position. In addition, he is a Board member of half a dozen high technology companies in Silicon Valley and has been involved in mentoring start-ups in Silicon Valley.

His past teaching background, his success on both sides of the funding equation and his oratory skills have propelled him to the rank of a well-sought speaker, whose opinions are sought on local and international level by public as well as private sector entities.

“In the past, I also volunteered to teach entrepreneurship and venture capital at LUMS and at NUST, Pakistan, TISBI in Kazan, Russia, KIMEP in Almaty, Malaysia Telekom and Kuwait Finance house in Bahrain”, underscores Dr Chowdry. It is worth noting that he has also made presentations at OIC conferences in Malaysia and Pakistan.

Happily married and father of two, Dr Chowdry has a strong sense of belonging to his motherland, Pakistan. “I was born in a small village without electricity. Education was a luxury. In fact, my siblings never went beyond high school”, shares the businessman.

Highly inspired by pacifists of the caliber of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, he seeks to contribute to the advancement of the land. His next project involves the injection of solar technology, a green, renewable and non-polluting form of generating electricity in Pakistan. “Solar farms will be set in place and the electricity that they will be generating will be availed to homes and small business as well as to farmers”, points out the visionary.

He likes

• Turkish, Chinese and Indian cuisine
• Gardening
• Helping others
• Sharing his knowledge

He dislikes

• Being looked down upon
• Racism