Vikas Sood

Director, Nexus

Vikas Sood is an accomplished industry professional, entrepreneur, and mentor with over 30 years of experience in business and innovation. He currently serves as the Experiential Learning Coordinator and Director of Nexus, the startup hub of the U.S. Embassy in India. In this role, Vikas leads entrepreneurial initiatives and experiential learning programs at the American Center in New Delhi, empowering startups with the resources and guidance needed to thrive.

Throughout his career, Vikas has mentored numerous startups, helping them navigate challenges and scale successfully. His deep expertise spans across business strategy, innovation, and market growth. Vikas holds an engineering degree in electronics and an MBA in marketing from the SP Jain Institute of Management & Research in Mumbai.

Glenn E. Robinson

Academic Director

Glenn E. Robinson is the Academic Director of the Nexus StartUp Hub program at UConn. With over four decades of senior management experience, he has delivered innovative leadership solutions to businesses worldwide, helping them transform and succeed in dynamic and challenging environments.

Glenn serves as a consultant to the National Science Foundation (NSF) in Washington, DC, and is a charter staff member of NSF's Convergence Accelerator. He has also held Board of Director positions with various incubators, startups, and non-profits.

Over the course of his career, Glenn has conducted hundreds of workshops around the globe, training tens of thousands of innovators on how to create high-impact ventures and assess the market potential of grassroots innovation. He also designed a curriculum to train incubator managers in developing “deep tech” and social entrepreneurs, delivering sessions across Central Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

Tolga Turker

Director of Global Entrepreneurial Programs

Tolga Turker, PhD, is the Director of Global Entrepreneurial Programs at UConn Global Affairs, where he oversees the Global Training and Development Institute's global operations and portfolio.

His work focuses on regional security structures, government regulations, and the role they play in fostering entrepreneurship. Tolga has conducted extensive research on regulatory frameworks, innovation policy, and the ways in which government can support entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Passionate about building partnerships between universities, businesses, and policymakers, Tolga promotes the development of sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems. He collaborates with incubators and accelerators to help startups navigate political and regulatory challenges, equipping entrepreneurs with the strategic knowledge they need to thrive in competitive markets.

Laura Labato

Assistant Director, GTDI

Laura Labato is the Assistant Director of the Global Training and Development Institute (GTDI) at UConn Global Affairs. She specializes in designing and coordinating exchange programs that immerse participants in diverse entrepreneurial environments and cultures.

By connecting students with startup incubators, accelerators, and global mentors, Laura helps aspiring entrepreneurs gain hands-on experience and a global perspective on innovation and business development.

Her work bridges the gap between academic learning and real-world entrepreneurial ecosystems, empowering students to build international networks and develop the skills needed to thrive in today’s interconnected marketplace.

Divya Rajput

Nexus In-Country Director

Divya Rajput, PhD serves as the In-Country Director for the University of Connecticut at the Nexus Startup Hub @ the American Center, New Delhi, spearheading initiatives to foster entrepreneurial excellence. With an illustrious career spanning 24 years, including 17 years dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs, Divya has been instrumental in shaping the startup ecosystem.

In collaboration with The University of Texas at Austin, she has successfully rolled out Nexus 1.0 flagship programs such as the South Asia Connect (SAC), and Incubator Managers Training (IMT) under the aegis of the U.S. Department of State.

A former officer of the Government of India, Divya's leadership roles have included serving as the Business Innovation Head at the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), Ministry of Corporate Affairs; Advisor to the Technology Development Board; and lately as the CEO of JSS Science and Technology Entrepreneurs Park (STEP), Noida to nurture the startup ecosystem in the country.

As an Angel Investor, Divya passionately supports Deep Tech and AI startups, driven by her vision of leveraging technology to create a better and more sustainable world.

Rahul Manroa

Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Rahul Manroa is a seasoned business leader with over 19 years of corporate experience at leading global firms including Accenture and Wipro. His expertise spans account management, commercial contracting, risk and compliance, deal advisory, dispute resolution, and mergers & acquisitions across multiple industries.

Rahul has played a key role in mitigating organizational risks, enhancing operational efficiency, and securing multi-million-dollar deals. He is known for building organizational capacity and driving strategic optimization initiatives.

With deep experience partnering with leadership and C-suite executives, Rahul advises on a wide range of contractual, commercial, compliance, operational, financial, employment, and strategic business matters.