Indi-Go Celebrates Grand Opening

Indi-Go has been recognized by both the City of Lexington and UK for its hard work and merit. Recently, Lexington Mayor Teresa Isaac invited Indi-Go to join her on both her radio and television shows, and UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. has supported Indi-Go since its inception a year ago.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 15, 2005) -- Indian food, American style? Why not, said a group of University of Kentucky student entrepreneurs and other team members who make up Indi-Go Inc.

On March 1, Indi-Go celebrated its grand opening in the Commons Market, part of the Kirwan-Blanding residence hall complex on UK’s south campus.

Indi-Go Inc. began as the brainchild of four Indian graduate students who revealed their plans at the 2003 Idea Fair, sponsored annually by the UK E-Club (Entrepreneurs Club). The Gatton College of Business and Economics had just welcomed a new dean, D. Sudharshan, who sought to expand the visibility of the UK MBA program via business plan competitions and other national showcases. He and Dean Harvey, director of UK’s Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship, decided that Indi-Go would be the team to forge the way.

Joining Sreeram Mangalampalli, Ramakanth Mudumba, Santosh Cheekatmalla, and Mudita Arora were Matthew Ullum and Beth Livingston, MBA students in accounting and marketing, respectively. Together, Team Indi-Go entered the 2004 Southwest Business Plan Competition and came away with a $500 prize. This early success spawned the continued refinement of the Indi-Go concept.

Late last spring, Mark Sievers joined the team. A UK graduate and former restaurant industry executive, Sievers added experience and legitimacy to the fledgling company. From there, Indi-Go began the long and arduous concept-testing process with the help of the Center for Entrepreneurship and UK Dining Services.

The concept-testing process culminated in a comprehensive menu test at the Commons Market. Continuing through the spring, UK Dining Services will serve Indi-Go recipes every Tuesday and Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. Indi-Go Inc. will then collect survey data from customers that will be used to further prepare the Indi-Go concept for funding and expansion.

“Indi-Go’s success is contingent upon the continued support of the University of Kentucky and the Lexington investment community, as well as the honest feedback of those who support the concept-testing at the Commons this spring,” said Sievers. ”We at Indi-Go are confident that soon our idea will no longer be just that.”

Indi-Go Inc. credits the Lexington Venture Club, the UK E-Club, the Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship, UK Dining Services, and the UK MBA program, as well as the many advisers who helped them, for getting the restaurant to its grand opening.