The American Progressive Telugu Association (APTA) Katalyst 2025 conference held at HITEX, Madhapur in Hyderabad celebrated the achievements of entrepreneurs, women in cinema, and startups. Over 1,000 Indian-origin entrepreneurs from various countries participated, focusing on different sectors from January 3-5, 2025. The conference featured the Katalyst Business Pitch Competition, with over 100 startups shortlisted. Key speakers included Andhra Pradesh's Chief Minister, Telangana Chief Minister, and actor Chiranjeevi.
A session on "Women in Cinema" featuring Niharika Konidela and Sunitha Tati discussed gender disparities in the film industry, emphasizing strong storytelling and the underrepresentation of women. Panelists called for more significant roles as seen in classics like Gundamma Katha.
The Business Pitch Contest featured five startups - Samruddhi Eco Agrifabrix, SureChain, Indegos Geospatial Technologies, Archimedes Green Energy, and EPIC International -presenting their ideas to a large audience and venture capitalists.
The APTA Katalyst 2025 conference saw a number of panel discussions on scaling up from USD 1 million to USD 100 million revenue strategies for success that highlighted the importance of teamwork, continuous talent acquisition, and empowering employees. The panel also discussed India's potential to manufacture Wi-Fi chips and IoT gateways, emphasizing the role of semiconductors in global tech.
