Igor is the founder and CEO of Pryon, an artificial intelligence (AI) company delivering an enterprise knowledge management platform. Pryon’s natural language processing (NLP) engine ingests and transforms data into experiences that solve critical business challenges. Previously at IBM, Igor grew impatient with the gap between the invention and commercialization of AI, and departed to establish cloud computing pioneer Yap. Five years later, Amazon acquired the company for its AI expertise and machine learning (ML) technology, now embedded in billions of Alexa-powered devices. Igor was subsequently awarded Eisenhower and Truman National Security fellowships to leverage entrepreneurial ecosystems in addressing geopolitical concerns. Igor passionately supports STEM career and educational opportunities. As such, he was a TechStars’ Alexa Accelerator mentor, a Blackstone NC Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR), and founded a chapter of Global Shapers, a program of the World Economic Forum (WEF). Igor holds a BS degree in Computer Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University, where he was named an Outstanding Engineering Alumnus, and an MBA from The University of North Carolina.