From flagship initiatives like the Dubai Fintech Summit to tech-focused gatherings in emerging sectors like AI and cybersecurity, Trescon has moved beyond traditional event hosting to build lasting industry momentum. In this insightful interview, Bharadwaj outlines how Nepalese entrepreneurs, financial institutions, and startups can leverage international platforms to access global capital, connect with top investors, and showcase local talent on a world stage.

He also touches on the transformative role of artificial intelligence in reshaping event experiences and discusses Trescon’s vision for its next decade focusing on sustainability, capacity building, and high-impact partnerships aligned with national priorities.

Mr. Naveen Bharadwaj, Group CEO of Trescon Group. Naveen, welcome to the show.

Naveen Bharadwaj: Thank you very much! It’s a pleasure to be here.

Nepal and India share a uniquely open border as neighboring nations. It truly feels like we are one family.

Naveen Bharadwaj: 100%. We are family.

That is one of the wonderful things about the connection between Nepal and India. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today amidst your busy schedule.

Naveen Bharadwaj: Likewise! Thank you for your time as well.

Naveen, I’d like to go back to the beginning. How did Trescon start, how was it envisioned, and how did you build this global presence?

Naveen Bharadwaj: Interestingly, I didn’t build it from scratch. I was fortunate enough to inherit leadership at a key point and continue building upon it. Trescon was founded in 2016 in India by a group of visionary partners, including our Chairman, Mohammed Saleem, Vice Chairman Mithun Shetty, and Managing Directors Swarnavan Roy and Madhukar Dudda. Together, they laid the foundation for Trescon.

We are celebrating our 10th anniversary, a decade of connecting businesses with opportunities and creating economic impact across the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and beyond.

When I joined at the start of 2023, Trescon had already grown from a startup running the World Startup Expo to launching flagships like the World AI Show and World Blockchain Summit. These have become some of the world’s longest-running event series in AI, blockchain, and digital assets, spanning over 30 countries.

Recently, we’ve focused heavily on conceptualizing and delivering large-scale government events aligned with national mandates in the UAE, India, Indonesia, and upcoming discussions in Kenya, Mauritius, and Saudi Arabia. This is all thanks to the collective effort of hundreds of past and present employees. Our goal isn’t to host events for the sake of hosting them, but to add tangible value to national economies, industries, and communities.

You often mention that these events aren’t just one-off gatherings, but rather drivers of “momentum.” How do you define that momentum?

Naveen Bharadwaj: We focus on topics of the future, not yesterday: emerging technologies, climate change and carbon emissions, skill development, capacity building, and next-generation policing.

Governments and industry partners entrust us because our vision aligns with theirs, whether it’s supporting UAE’s D33 agenda, Saudi’s Vision 2030, or Indonesia’s Golden Vision 2045. Our platforms serve as enablers where ideas are exchanged, investments are committed, and policy inputs are gathered.

When startups get funded, enterprises discover new solutions, and policymakers connect with tech leaders, it creates a positive snowball effect. That collective force pushing forward is what I mean by momentum.

Nepal is actively looking for global connectivity, business influence, and ways to support its local tech entrepreneurs. How can Nepalese innovators benefit from partnering with Trescon?

Naveen Bharadwaj: First, congratulations are in order for Nepal’s dynamic, forward-looking leadership, entrusting leadership to young visionaries sends a strong, positive signal to the global community.

There are two main ways Nepal can leverage platforms like ours:

Global Delegations: While some entrepreneurs travel abroad easily, many don’t have the luxury. The Nepalese government and industry bodies can organize structured delegations to global flagship events. Like the Dubai Fintech Summit or World Police Summit. This gives local banks, fintech startups, and investors direct access to delegates from over 120 nationalities, opening doors to global funding, partnerships, and market expansion.

Bringing Platforms to Nepal: Nepal can establish its own landmark national initiatives, such as a Nepal Finance Week, Nepal AI Festival, or dedicated energy and tourism summits aligned with national priorities.

We’ve had wonderful Nepalese team members at Trescon over the years. Through leaders like you, we can help bridge local ecosystems with global networks, host dedicated Nepalese pavilions at our events, and eventually help train and scale international-standard business platforms right here in Nepal.

Speaking of the Dubai Fintech Summit, many Nepalese startups are eager to participate. What specific opportunities await them there?

Naveen Bharadwaj: The Dubai Fintech Summit (DFS), organized by DIFC and managed by Trescon under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, brings together over 10,000 attendees to drive financial innovation.

For startups, we run the Fintech World Cup, a global startup competition. Regional winners receive fully funded startup pods at DFS meaning their exhibition costs are covered and get to pitch in front of top global VCs, private equity firms, and family offices.

We could even host a regional qualifier specifically in Nepal to spotlight local talent! Beyond competitions, startups can participate via subsidized country pavilions or join as delegates to network and gain global market intelligence.

With AI automating so many sectors, do you think AI will ever replace live events, or will the importance of in-person events actually grow?

Naveen Bharadwaj: AI will complement the events industry, not replace it. Human connection is irreplaceable, post-COVID, people realized more than ever the value of meeting face-to-face, shaking hands, and building real trust.

AI enhances the event experience behind the scenes: smart matchmaking for networking, personalized content recommendations, automated event management, and instant AI photo recognition for attendees. AI serves as a powerful assistant that makes us faster and more efficient, but the core of events will always remain deeply human.

As we wrap up, where do you see Trescon in its next decade?

Naveen Bharadwaj: Our first decade was about proving our capabilities and building a solid foundation. The next decade is about innovation, using AI and human ingenuity to run faster, smarter, and deliver deeper economic impact.

We will continue steering away from generic events and focus on national priority sectors: emerging tech, energy, sustainability, space, skill development, and security. We want our platforms to directly shape policy, catalyze industry growth, and deliver measurable outcomes for nations worldwide.

Naveen, thank you so much for your time and for sharing such inspiring insights on collaboration. It’s been an absolute pleasure.

Naveen Bharadwaj: Thank you very much! The pleasure was all mine.