In an exciting way to inaugurate the brand new Kincaid Auditorium in the University of Kentucky's new Gatton College of Business and Economics building, the owner of the NBA's Sacramento Kings and software entrepreneur Vivek Ranadivé recently addressed more than 250 students Sept. 14.

Ranadivé founded Teknekron Software Systems and TIBCO Software, Inc. His TIB (The Information Bus) data system was deployed as the first platform for Wall Street trading technology. His software reinvented the way Wall Street and other global marketplaces operate, and is used by numerous Fortune 500 companies, including Ebay, FedEx, Amazon and many more. He is also a New York Times best-selling author of three books, and is one of the subjects of Malcolm Gladwell’s book, "David and Goliath."  

Born in India, Ranadivé was accepted to MIT, and arrived in Boston as a teenager with $50 in his pocket. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from MIT and an MBA from Harvard, where he was a Baker Scholar.

Ranadivé’s talk focused on what he called “Civilization 3.0” – the new data-driven, service-based economy typified by companies like amazon.com, Uber and AirBnB, who are finding new, technology-driven ways to serve consumers.

“The next 15 years are going to be very exciting,” Ranadivé said. “It’s a great time to be alive.” He encouraged students to demand the best from their education, and for universities to look to technology to adapt and grow to best serve current and future students.

As owner of the Kings, Ranadivé has invested in several former University of Kentucky players, including DeMarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo, and Willie Cauley-Stein. He was joined at the Gatton College by Kings General Manager and NBA all-Star Vlade Divac.