The Telangana Government has appointed Kavikrut as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of T-Hub, the state’s renowned tech startup incubator. A former startup entrepreneur and ex-chief growth officer at OYO, Kavikrut will officially assume office on March 10, 2025, for a three-year term.
His Appointment as T-Hub CEO
According to a government order dated March 7, 2025, the selection process involved an interview sub-committee formed by the T-Hub Board. Out of nine applicants, Kavikrut was recommended for the role. The government, after careful evaluation, confirmed his appointment, with detailed terms and conditions to be issued separately.
Kavikrut succeeds Mahankali Srinivas Rao, who resigned as T-Hub’s CEO in October 2024 after serving for three years. Following his resignation, Chief Innovation Officer Sujit Jagirdar was appointed as the interim CEO until the selection of a permanent successor.
Kavikrut’s Background and Career
Kavikrut is a Harvard Business School MBA graduate with an MSc in Finance from BITS Pilani. He began his career as a startup founder in the healthcare sector and later worked with industry giants like Amazon and Piramal Group. His experience spans across growth strategy, business development, and leadership in the startup ecosystem.
During his tenure at OYO, one of India’s largest hospitality startups, he played a key role in business expansion and revenue growth. His experience in scaling startups and driving innovation makes him a strategic choice to lead T-Hub’s expansion and ecosystem development.
What is T-Hub?
T-Hub is the world’s largest innovation hub and a leading enabler of the startup ecosystem. The incubator actively engages with over 2,000 startups and has facilitated funding of $1.94 billion so far. It plays a crucial role in nurturing early-stage startups, providing them with mentorship, funding opportunities, and networking platforms to scale their businesses.
With Kavikrut at the helm, T-Hub is expected to further accelerate startup growth, strengthen Telangana’s innovation landscape, and attract global investments into the Indian startup ecosystem.
