Meet Synthara co-founder Manu V Nair and discover how the Venture Leader Technology enables edge intelligence

19.10.2021 10:05, Isabelle Mitchell

Synthara makes edge devices—devices that provide entry or exit points to enterprises’ or service providers’ core networks—smarter. The semiconductor AI company works on a new breed of edge-AI chips that are hand-crafted for smart sensor applications such as hearing aids, wearables, biomedical monitoring, and AR/VR. Get to know Synthara co-founder and CEO Manu V Nair, learn more about his expectations for the Venture Leaders Technology experience, and discover the books and (morning) routines that inspire his entrepreneurial path. 

Earlier this year, 10 technology startups—covering a range of topics such as computer vision, cloud solutions, cybersecurity, logistics, and sustainability—joined the Swiss National Startup Team. To advance their global growth, the Venture Leaders Technology 2021 will travel to Silicon Valley to showcase Switzerland’s innovative power and network with investors and industry leaders. To ensure you know which startups transform the technology industry, we will introduce you to the startups selected by the expert jury. We asked each entrepreneur to complete a short profile and choose at least six questions from a questionnaire about their personal and professional life. 

Name: Manu V Nair
Location: Zurich
Nationality: Indian
Graduated from: Institute of Neuroinformatics, ETHZ-UZH
Your job title: CEO of Synthara
Number of employees: 11
First touchpoint with Venturelab: Venture Kick in 2019

“Synthara develops server-class processing for the edge.”
 
How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?
I was working on chip design before I started my PhD. I thought designing chips for AI workloads would be an interesting opportunity.
 
What do you expect from the Venture Leaders roadshow, and how will it help you achieve your vision?
Get introduced to the startup culture in Silicon Valley. I would also be interested in fundraising for our upcoming round.
 . 
What would be the title of your biography?
Title: I kept at it. My greatest successes have always come after several years of work. It took patience and time, but the payoff was always extremely satisfying.

What is your favorite book? 
I am a big fan of fantasy fiction, and I like almost all books by Brandon Sanderson. I also really enjoyed reading the books set in the Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb. Indian mythology is fun too. The books Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari and Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel also were quite interesting.

What advice would you give your teenage self?
Perseverance really pays off. Also, being calm improves everything you do by 10x. 

How did you come up with the name of your startup?
After six months of debate between the founders, we decided to generate random words that sounded good. Synthara was immediately accepted by all the founders when we saw the name.
 
What is your favorite productivity hack? 
I like to do the most important thing first thing in the morning before I start thinking of anything else. In fact, I start thinking about it when I get up. The first two hours of my day are typically the most productive.
 
Where and when are you most productive?
In the mornings before 7 a.m.
 
What are your three favorite apps? 
Camera—I like taking pictures. 
Photos—I like looking at pictures. 
Lightroom—I like editing pictures.

What do you do when you are creatively stuck? 
I change the topic I am working on.


For more information and updates on Synthara and the Venture Leaders Technology, follow the Venture Leaders Technology 2021 team with #VLeadersTech on social media or subscribe to our newsletter. 
 
The Venture Leaders Technology 2021 program is organized by Venturelab and supported by dpd Switzerland, EPF Lausanne, ETH Zurich, Intel, Kellerhals Carrard, Rothschild & Co, and the Canton of Vaud.