Jul. 13–An area organization hopes to alleviate unemployment by bringing together people who believe in entrepreneurship.

Since October 1999, the Indus Entrepreneurs group of Dallas-Fort Worth has created opportunities for business leaders, capital investors, academic researchers and entrepreneurs to interact.

“One of the purposes of TiE is to help entrepreneurs gain the knowledge and networking they need to establish businesses, both small and medium-size,” said Richard Grady, the group’s executive director.

At least a handful of businesses have been born out of such meetings, he added. Mr. Grady said he hopes more opportunities will develop.

Five venture capital firms are represented on TiE-DFW’s charter membership: Genesis Campus, Sevin Rosen Funds, Pacesetter Capital, Austin Ventures and Aether Partners.

Dallas-Fort Worth group has around 200 active members and 2,000 people on its mailing list. Most work in the technology sector.

“As TiE is successful in establishing new small businesses, then we are positively affecting a business segment that employs roughly 36 percent of the employed population,” said Mr. Grady, quoting national statistics. “And, as we succeed in helping medium-size businesses as well, then we are helping grow employment in a business segment that contains over 55 percent of the employed population.”

The Indus Entrepreneurs signifies the ethnic South Asian or Indus roots of the founders of this national organization. But over the years, membership diversification has led the group to use the same acronym to stand for its motto of talent, ideas and enterprise.

Founded in Silicon Valley, the organization has rapidly grown to more than 40 chapters in nine countries.

“The original founders saw that people from India had a difficult time understanding how to make contacts to network. The group has certainly become more diversified in the past several years, but that is how it started,” Mr. Grady said.

Members network with professionals and other entrepreneurs in various stages of realizing their dreams. These informal networks provide guidance, support and friendship from others with similar quests, he added.

TiE’s monthly events feature symposiums, seminars, socials and career development activities.

On July 29, the group will hold a seminar on tools, methodologies and challenges in managing innovations, along with a portfolio of products in various stages of their life cycles.

Membership costs $200. For more information see www.tie-dfw.org.

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(c) 2003, The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.