Tech CEO on Views of Women
By Resmi Jaimon

Pratheeksha AK, CEO of Kochi based Amidray technologies, has been instrumental in launching a social platform Views of Women (VoW), and plays a major role in promoting & consolidating Kerala’s first business network for women entrepreneurs. After completing her MBA in 2010, she started Amidray Technology. TG catches up with the 20 something businesswoman making waves in Kerala.

Techgoss (TG): Tell us about your educational background and your nature of work as well as curricular activities.
Pratheeksha AK: After passing out with an MBA in 2010, I started Amidray Technologies in the year 2011 with my friends. The company got incubated at Technopark (TBI), Innovation Lab, Thiruvananthapuram. The company started growing and we shifted from the incubation centre in a span of six months and are now an established software solutions provider based in Kochi. We have clients from various parts of the world and we are still growing. I am responsible for building up the company by taking it to new horizons and the outside world through its different products. I am also involved in the marketing activities of the company, its products and services and identifying new markets. Apart from being the CEO of Amidray Technologies, I am also interested in social activities. Thus, I started Views of Women, an NGO to support women entrepreneurs. 

TG: What exactly is Views of Women? What made you make a start in Views of Women?
Pratheeksha AK: I always love to work with people and socialize with them. ‘Views of Women’ was initially a concept wherein I wanted to do something for women and ultimately the society. Later I realized that being a woman entrepreneur and being in Kerala, I had not many people to guide and support in business. I participated in events conducted in other parts of India, where I found there are large group of women doing various kinds of businesses and they have a network. Inspired from this, I decided to give ‘views of women’ the shape of an organization that support women entrepreneurs and maintain a networking group where they can share their queries and issues related to business and grow together. ‘Views of Women’ was started a website which highlights various issues related to women, addresses social status of women and also discusses the achievements and challenges of various successful women entrepreneurs. Now, ‘Views of Women’ is a full-fledged organization and conducted an event called ‘Open Coffee for Women’ along with a company called Bridge India, in Kochi recently. The networking event for enterprising women, aspiring women entrepreneurs and students was a huge success. Mrs. Parveen Hafeez, MD, Sunrise Hospital, Kochi, the chief guest at the event shared her story and answered queries of other women. Women from various backgrounds participated and shared their experiences of being entrepreneurs.

TG: Share with us your future plans for Views of Women.
Pratheeksha AK: ‘Views of Women’ would of course work more towards providing support to women entrepreneurs in different way possible. Open Coffee for Women was the first step towards this goal. The ultimate aim of Views of Women is to encourage women entrepreneurs and empower them to convert this society into a safe, progressive and prosperous one.

TG: What made you initiate Open Coffee for Women, the first of its kind in Kerala for women entrepreneurs?
Pratheeksha AK: Being an entrepreneur I had made mistakes in business, which could have been avoided if there was a guidance of some kind. But I found that there were very less groups that actually incorporated women in Kerala. I found it important to bring together enterprising women in Kerala under one platform and create a networking among them, which would help new comers to learn more and avoid all the mistakes that others made. Open Coffee for Women is thus the first step towards this initiative and, I am happy that the event was a real success and I am encouraged to do more.

TG: Where from do you get the best support – family, friends or anyone else, for ‘Views of Women’ and all your extra activities?
Pratheeksha AK: The best support I get is from my family. I think if your parents are supportive then it is easy to reach your goal. My family has supported me in every way possible and they made me independent enough to carry out such activities in life. I insist that parents should recognize what their children want and allow them to take the path that they are passionate about. The support I get from my partners is also very noteworthy.

TG: What keeps you moving ahead and taking Views of Women to higher level?
Pratheeksha AK: ‘Views of Women’ required just the initial push from my side. Now people have accepted it and more and more women are actively taking part in its activities and discussions. The encouragement that women get after visiting the website or by taking part in the activities of VoW and making them think differently is in itself an encouragement for me to do more. The support of all women and men involved in VoW help me keep moving. Thanks to all of them.

TG: Do you think the online collaboration for activities such as that of Views of Women can exist without the help of offline meets like Open Coffee for Women? Why?
Pratheeksha AK: I think in this era offline activities are not a pre-requisite to make organizations like VoW successful. Today people are available in the social media more than otherwise. VoW itself has accounts in Facebook, twitter etc. Women come to these pages and interact among each other. They share their concerns, issues and achievements. The group is highly active and people now have a great platform to interact. But, the offline activities help them meet face to face and interact directly, which are essential ones in a while to keep up the rapport between them and also to popularize VoW, as majority of the older generation do not interact through social media.

TG: Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
Pratheeksha AK: Well, talking about my company, in five years, I see my Amidray Technologies as a successful corporate entity that has branches in major countries and that which empowers the employees, clients and the country. In the case of VoW, there will be more women in the business arena and Vow can boast of being the stepping stone in creating an environment favorable for enterprising women especially in Kerala. VoW in future will be able to support women entrepreneurs in terms of money, technology, counseling, guidance etc.