The Selection and Advisory Committee is the guiding light that helps SproutBox identify, target, and grow the next generation of entrepreneurs. Each quarter, the committee assists the SproutBox founders with the selection of a new Sprout. The committee meets to review applications and hear pitches from entrepreneurs from all over the world. Once a Sprout is selected, committee members help mentor entrepreneurs by sharing their knowledge and experience over lunches, coffees, chats, and calls. The close relationship our Selection and Advisory Committee members have with each entrepreneur will be a critical component in the success of our companies.

Our committee is already loaded with successful entrepreneurs. Now we’re adding some more tech firepower. We’re proud to announce these new additions to our team!

Neal Patel – Google, Inc
Business Development and Strategy

Neal works in business development and strategy at Google, Inc., where he focuses on initiatives and partnerships that further Google’s mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Prior to joining Google, Neal worked as a strategy consultant and also spent over five years structuring and negotiating M&A and corporate finance transactions. In his spare time, Neal advises various start-ups and investors in the tech sector, and is also a co-founder of Bacche, Inc., an upscale children’s apparel company whose clothing celebrates the world and its cultural diversity. Neal holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University and a J.D. from the University of Virginia.

Anand Iyer – Microsoft, Inc
Technology Evangelist

Anand joined Microsoft in January 2005 as an Evangelist, Microsoft’s ambassador to the Silicon Valley. During his tenure there, he has been in the midst of several launches, such as Visual Studio, SQL Server, Vista, Office and many others. Anand is actively involved in the startup community in the Silicon Valley and liaises with Microsoft corporate development teams and startup companies. Before joining Microsoft, Anand worked for Cisco Systems’ New Business Ventures team, pioneering XML-based manageability solutions. Anand has close ties to the state of Indiana – he graduated from Purdue University in 2001 with a degree in Computer Engineering.