About

Karthik Padmanabhan is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in the hi-tech industry. He is currently the Developer Relations Lead at Google India & MENA, where he is responsible for promoting the adoption of Google technologies such as Cloud, Artificial Intelligence, and Android among the developer and startup ecosystems. Karthik is also an accomplished entrepreneur, product manager, marketer, and business developer. Karthik is a sought-after speaker and mentor, and he actively participates in various technology and sustainable living events. He is passionate about promoting sustainable living practices and has been practicing it himself since 2016. Karthik and his wife founded Yash Farm Stay, a low carbon footprint farmhouse built using earth architecture and powered by solar energy. They also run residential workshops on sustainable living and natural farming. Karthik has spent over 1,000 hours mentoring early-stage startups through Google for Startup Accelerators, IBM Smart Camp, and other industry partners. He co-founded ThinkVarsity IT Career School in 2007 to solve the employability challenges faced by the IT services industry. Karthik has also been involved in growing and enabling the startup ecosystem through various community-led efforts in India through IBM and Google. Karthik completed his Bachelor's in Engineering in Electronics and Communication from Malnad College of Engineering, Hassan, India, in 1989. He has worked for companies such as Wipro, Microsoft, IBM, and now Google. In his current role, Karthik leads a team that enables and empowers the developer and startup ecosystems through programs such as Google for Startups Accelerator, Google Developer Groups, Women Tech Makers, and more. Karthik is proficient in Android, AI, and product management. He has held various leadership positions throughout his career, including Executive - Cloud Ecosystem & Developers, Asia Pacific Region, and Country Manager - IBM Collaboration Solutions, IBM Software, India / SA, among others. Karthik's mission at Google is to enable, empower, and excite developers and startups in India, MENA, West & Central Asia around Google technologies while keeping gender and regional diversity at the center of everything they do.