The Telangana government on Friday announced the appointment of former OYO Chief Growth Officer Kavikrut as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of T-Hub, one of the world’s leading startup incubators. Kavikrut will assume office on March 10, 2025, taking over from Sujit Jagirdar, who had been serving as interim CEO following the conclusion of Mahankali Srinivas Rao’s term in early October 2024.
The government stated that Kavikrut’s appointment marks a significant new phase for T-Hub, reinforcing its mission to support and nurture startups that deliver world-class products and services. With over 2,000 startups already supported, T-Hub aims to further accelerate entrepreneurial growth under his leadership.
Kavikrut brings extensive experience in business expansion and startup growth, having played a key role in OYO’s expansion across 100+ cities in India and leading its international foray into Japan in partnership with Yahoo! Japan and SoftBank Japan in 2018. He has also worked with companies such as Amazon and Piramal Group, in addition to founding a healthcare startup earlier in his career.
Expressing his excitement about the new role, Kavikrut said, “I am excited by the potential of Hyderabad, the city I hail from, as it steadily grows into a hub for startups building products and services from India for the world.” He also acknowledged Telangana’s commitment to entrepreneurship, stating, “I am inspired by Telangana’s commitment to startups and honoured to have the opportunity to build upon the pioneering work that T-Hub has been doing for the past decade.”
Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary for Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (ITE&C) and Industries & Commerce departments of the Telangana government, welcomed the appointment, saying, “Kavikrut’s passion for startups, global experience, and hands-on operational skills make him the ideal leader for T-Hub. His leadership will play a crucial role in making India a powerhouse of entrepreneurship.”
BVR Mohan Reddy, Founder Chairman of Cyient and Founding Director at T-Hub, also praised Kavikrut’s leadership, stating, “Kavikrut’s appointment as CEO marks a significant milestone for T-Hub. His entrepreneurial mindset and proven track record of leading high-performance teams will be instrumental in shaping India’s next generation of startups. I am confident that T-Hub will continue to create a thriving ecosystem for entrepreneurs.”
The Telangana government emphasized that Kavikrut’s deep expertise in scaling businesses and launching new ventures will be instrumental in strengthening T-Hub’s role as a leading enabler of startup growth and market expansion. His leadership is expected to further position Telangana as a key player in the global startup ecosystem.