A grand Business and Trade Expo, jointly organized by the Voice of Tenkasi Foundation and the Tenkasi District Micro and Small Enterprises Association (TEMSEA), was successfully held at Isakki Mahal, Tenkasi, on July 19 and 20, 2025. The two-day event attracted over 10,000 visitors, including local entrepreneurs, startup founders, students, and the general public.
The expo featured more than 150 stalls from a wide range of sectors including banking, household products, industrial equipment, agricultural tools, drone technology, beauty and wellness, and food products.
The event was inaugurated on the morning of July 19, with Mr. C. Anbazhagan, President of TEMSEA, and Mr. Ananthan Ayyasamy, Founder of Voice of Tenkasi Foundation, presiding over the opening ceremony.
In his inaugural speech, Mr. Ananthan Ayyasamy emphasized that the root cause of many societal issues is unemployment. “Only through the promotion of entrepreneurship can we generate employment opportunities. This expo has been organized to inspire and guide emerging entrepreneurs. Voice of Tenkasi is committed to continuing such efforts to promote job creation,” he said.
The event was graced by dignitaries including MLA Mr. Isakki Subbiah, TEMSEA Patron Mr. M.R. Azhaguraja, Advisor Mr. S. Raman, Vice Presidents Mr. S.T. Murugesan and Mr. A. Venkatesh Raja, Voice of Tenkasi CEO Ms. K. Karunya Gunavathi, and division leaders Dr. S. Sangili Vikramkumar and Mr. R. Lakshmanan.
Mr. C.K. Kumaravel, Co-founder of Naturals Salon, attended as the Guest of Honour and spoke on the importance of branding in business. Mr. R. Arjunamoorthy, Founder of Yelty Softcom Pvt Ltd, also delivered an expert address. Padma Shri awardee and Zoho Corporation's Chief scientist Mr. Sridhar Vembu was the Chief Guest and delivered the keynote address. “Start immediately—don’t delay execution. It might take time, but if you persevere with focus and intensity, success will follow,” he said.
On the second day (Sunday, July 20), a Pitch Contest was held featuring young entrepreneurs presenting their ideas to a panel of investors. This was followed by interactive panel discussions and workshops. A special closed-door session was conducted with 40 startups brought in through Startup TN, in which Mr. Sridhar Vembu shared personal experiences and provided direct guidance. He also answered business-related questions from the young startup founders.
Mr. Ananthan Ayyasamy later moderated a discussion on the topic "How to Scale Up Startups in Rural and Urban Areas," which provided valuable insights to micro and small enterprise owners.
Throughout the two-day event, a business networking platform facilitated one-on-one interactions between budding entrepreneurs, students, and successful business leaders. The expo served as a platform for business consultations, investment advice, startup guidance, rural enterprise promotion, and market expansion strategies.