Vopium (News - Alert) Founder Tanveer Sharif has added a pretty noteworthy accomplishment to his resume as Sharif has been selected to participate in the U.S. State Department’s New Beginnings program, a program that was introduced by President Obama at his Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship.
Sharif is one of 31 “high-growth, high-potential entrepreneurs” chosen from around the world to take part in the program.
“I am extremely honored to be participating in the New Beginnings program,” Sharif said in a statement. “It is a terrific opportunity to learn and grow as a person, as well as gain invaluable business insight and practical strategies to share with my company, Vopium.”
“I look forward to visiting the U.S. from coast to coast, whilst being inspired and motivated daily by my fellow delegates and the business leaders we meet on our journey,” he added.
In 2006, Sharif founded Vopium, a company that makes cheap international calls possible. Vopium is an award-winning app you can download to 900-plus mobile phones including the latest smartphones. Vopium will continue to grow as Sharif participates in the New Beginning program, according to company officials.
The program is part of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program. It was designed to bring 31 international visitors from 31 countries with the goal of creating broader and deeper relationships between the U.S. and international Muslim communities. In so doing, the U.S. Department of State hopes that participants will develop stronger public-private partnerships that increase economic opportunity, and provide greater science and technology, educational, and cultural interaction.
The 31 delegates were selected by U.S. embassies for being identified as high-growth, high-potential entrepreneurs who are committed to growing their businesses and creating new employment opportunities in their communities. The chosen delegates demonstrated high levels of interest in creativity and innovation, according to a release.
Sharif’s contribution to these meetings will be particularly important as Vopium is a provider of high-quality, simple to use, low-cost telecommunications services that link various people and communities around the globe, according to Vopium officials.
For 70 years, almost 200,000 distinguished individuals have participated in IVLPs, including more than 320 current and former chiefs of state and heads of government, and thousands of leaders from the public and private sectors.
Those that are participating in the New Beginnings program will enjoy peer-to-peer sharing, mentoring, and long-term relationship building with leading American entrepreneurs, business executives, government officials, and civil society leaders.
The program runs from Sept. 25 through Oct. 15. Participants will visit four U.S. cities: New York, San Francisco, Washington and Phoenix meeting with their American counterparts.
Carrie Schmelkin is a Web Editor for TMCnet. Previously, she worked as Assistant Editor at the New Canaan Advertiser, a 102-year-old weekly newspaper, covering news and enhancing the publication's social media initiatives. Carrie holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and a bachelor's degree in English from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by Tammy Wolf