Don't be surprised to find a sealed envelope with a velvet bag and a gold-plated medallion under the door - it might just be an invitation to join the Kairos Society.
Founded at Penn, the Kairos Society is a worldwide invitation-only entrepreneurial society. It consists of "the most innovative students at major universities," said Wharton freshman Ankur Jain, founder and chairman of the Kairos Society.
The idea for the society struck Jain in December of last year, he said, when both he and his friends wanted to bring together students with different academic interests but who were all excited about entrepreneurship.
The group was launched on March 24 when hand-picked Penn students began to receive invitations to join the society. Approximately 160 of 250 first-round invitations have been extended to students, who will be allowed to invite others. The group declined to comment on if or when a second round of invitations would be given out.
"It's not a secret society, but it is an exclusive society," Jain said. "We hope to maintain quality and prestige."
The society will continue to approach students who seem "inspired," "ambitious," "passionate" and "have a vision," said Wharton freshman and board member Erik Buischi.
With a motto of inspiration, experience and innovation, the Kairos Society aims to foster the entrepreneurial spirit among students by connecting them with one another, forging relationships with emerging start-up companies around the world, said Wharton freshman and Kairos head of global expansion Peng-fei Chen, who also runs Unitrade, a multi-million dollar, off-road, tire-trading company.
The society's advisory board is composed of eminent entrepreneurs and industry leaders such as William Owens, managing director of AEA Investors in Hong Kong - an investment firm - and Rajat Gupta, former managing director worldwide for McKinsey & Company.
Any member of Kairos who wishes to start his or her own business or get a job in a new firm can expect to receive both capital and human resources from the various start-ups the company is associated with, as well as a network of motivated entrepreneurial students around the world, Jain said.
"I would also like to see different business opportunities in different parts of the country," College senior Rafael Burde said.
Kairos soon plans to expand its network throughout the country to attract top students at other universities, including Duke University, Babson College, Emory University, University of Southern California, Columbia University and Furman University, Jain said.
After its national launch, the Kairos Society plans to expand internationally. Chapters will be created in China, Brazil, and the United Kingdom in 2008 and in continental Europe, India, Korea and Russia by 2009.
