Ankur Jain

Lisa WolI
Upper Iowa University
BA 580
Dr. John L. Craddock
June 20, 2011







The process oI embarking on a new business venture can be very intimidating. The best
business ideas can Iail iI a person does not have the appropriate resources or guidance to see the
project through. One organization aims to provide support Ior young entrepreneurs so that young
potential business owners can see their dreams become reality.
Ankur Jain, the son oI Anu Jain and Naveen Jain, Iounder and CEO oI Intelius (Inc.com,
2011), Iounded Kairos Society in late 2008. While studying at the Wharton School oI the
University oI Pennsylvania, Jain was determined to Iound a non-Ior-proIit organization that was
run by students and would tap into the power that undergraduate students had to develop
businesses that would have an impact at a global scale (Bloomberg.com, 2011). When Jain
graduated Irom Wharton School in 2011, he was already honored by Inc. Magazine as one oI the
'30 Under 30 and 'Best Connected 21-Year-Old in the World (Inc. com, 2011) Kairos, which
is Greek Ior 'the right moment has been developed and organized by Jain to serve as a network
Ior college undergraduate or would-be entrepreneurs. With the generous support oI established
members oI the business community, these entrepreneurs have bended together with one purpose
in mind, to solve the greatest challenges oI the world (Karios Society, 2011).
The members oI Kairos serve as mentors to college students that have a desire to make
the world a better place. As Jain stated, 'The desire to do well and change the world is prevalent
among our generation. It has a lot to do with how connected we are. Our generation seems to
look at the problems as opportunities (Bloomberg, 2011). These students are guided by the
belieI that they can be successIul in business while solving problems that plague diIIerent
societies.

Problems such as drinking water that has been contaminated by metal pollutants. Hemant
Sahal, a senior at Vellore Institute oI Technology in India hopes to work with the Kairos Society
to develop a business that will mass-produce a small, sponge like material that can puriIy water
Ior impoverished areas oI his country. He believes his invention could be a cheap method oI
cleaning the water and thereby reducing the number oI skin pigment disorders that aIIect several
oI India`s poorer areas (Bloombrg.com, 2011).
None oI these ideas would be possible without the support and guidance oI the Kairos
Society. With unemployment levels Ior 18 to 24 year olds being at record levels, many students
are realizing that, unlike their parents` generation, there will not be job waiting Ior them once
that are out oI college. More and more students are taking their Iutures into their own hands and
thanks to Ankur Jain, these Iuture entrepreneurs are on the way to becoming successIul business
owners as well as making the world a better place.









ReIerences
Bloomberg.com. (2011, February 23). Kairos society helps student entrepreneurs test best ideas
for startups. Retrieved Irom http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-23/kairos-society-
helps-student-entrepreneurs-test-best-ideas-Ior-startups.html
Inc.com. (2011, November 11). Ankur fain, founder of kairos society. Retrieved Irom
http://www.inc.com/30under30/2011/proIile-ankur-jain-Iounder-kairos-society.html
KairosSociety.org. (2011, November 12). Ankur fain bio. Retrieved Irom
http://www.kairossociety.org/ankur-jain/