Unicorn Founders Take Center Stage at USICOC TechConnex 2025

The May 22 conference marks the 10th anniversary of the US-India Chamber of Commerce's flagship tech event, now featuring a new name and high-profile speakers from healthcare "double" unicorn ShiftKey and AI unicorn Kore.ai. Investor and CIO panels include leaders from the Mark Cuban Companies, AT&T Ventures, Amazon Business, and Fortune 10 Cencora.

The tech event formerly known as the USICOC Annual Tech Conference has rebranded as “TechConnex,” but its tradition of attracting industry leaders remains unchanged.

The May 22 gathering in Plano will feature keynotes from executives behind two unicorn companies—ShiftKey and Kore.ai—continuing a tradition that has previously brought leaders from Vari, Teladoc, Wayfair, and NextDoor to the stage.

Leaders from these high-growth companies will address attendees at the half-day event running from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hilton Dallas/Plano Granite Park. According to organizers, the conference typically draws around 400 attendees and is often sold out.

“For the past 10 years, the USICOC’s Annual Tech Conference has been a must-attend event for entrepreneurs, innovators, and tech leaders,” organizers said. “Now, as we step into our next decade, we’re excited to introduce our new name: TechConnex—where technology and connections converge.”

Matt Creason, co-founder of Dallas-based ShiftKey, will deliver one of the conference’s keynote addresses. His company operates as a $2 billion healthcare tech platform that connects healthcare facilities with nursing professionals. Organizers note that “Matt continues to leverage his experiences and expertise to empower the next generation of innovators and share his firsthand insights.”

The day’s second keynote speaker, Raj Koneru, brings his experience as founder and CEO of Kore.ai, which achieved unicorn status in its most recent funding round. Kore.ai focuses on “conversational and generative artificial intelligence that serves over 500 partners and 400 Fortune 2000 companies worldwide.”

With more than 25 years of experience, the USICOC notes that “Raj’s main goal is to transform how businesses connect.” Before launching Kore.ai, Koneru founded several successful ventures, including Kony (acquired by Temenos), ITouchPoint, Seranova, and Intelligroup—two of which went public on Nasdaq.

Panel speakers

TechConnex Tech Investor Panel speakers. [Photos: TechConnex]

The conference will also feature a Tech Investor Panel with three industry leaders: Mathew Verghese, EVP of the Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE Group) & Head of TXSE Digital; Ansley Carlisle, an investor at Mark Cuban Companies; and Vikram Taneja, head of AT&T Ventures.

Verghese brings deep expertise in corporate finance and investment banking to shape market strategy and opportunities at the Texas Stock Exchange. Carlisle specializes in deal sourcing, portfolio growth, and business development across industries at the high-profile Mark Cuban Companies.

Completing the panel, Taneja manages a diverse portfolio of over 50 investments spanning venture capital, investment banking, and cutting-edge connectivity solutions at AT&T Ventures.

CIO panel

A CIO panel will follow the investor discussion, featuring Manish Jain, Global Head of Information Security at Amazon Business, and Ajay Gupta, SVP & Chief Information Security Officer at Cencora.

Jain leads information security strategy for the world’s largest online B2B retail store and brings over 25 years of experience protecting global businesses. Prior to Amazon, he transformed security programs across banking, manufacturing, utilities, and technology sectors, and holds multiple certifications including CISSP, CISA, and CISM.

Gupta oversees cybersecurity at Fortune 10 global life sciences organization Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen). His two decades of experience includes building security functions at Humana, where he established a proactive Cyber Fusion Center, and serving as Global CISO for Pizza Hut, where he managed information security across more than 100 countries.

“The conference is geared to educating and inspiring the next generation of technology entrepreneurs,” said Vik Thapar, board member of the US-India Chamber of Commerce and Managing Director at Cypress Growth Capital, LLC.

Thapar says that both the Chamber itself and the Indian community in North Texas are experiencing significant growth. “We expect expanded events over the next few years,” he added.

For more information about the event or to sign up, go here.


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