Homegrown Success: The Journey of Kumaran Nadesan and 369 Global

With a vision to "inform, educate and activate global citizens to make a worldwide impact," 369 Global is a group of companies with business interests in skills training and workforce development, media and communications, and global market facilitation. Kumaran's personal experiences and global perspective have profoundly shaped the company’s mission and success.

Raised across South Asia and the Middle East before settling in Canada at 16, Kumaran reflects on what it means to be a global citizen. "Growing up in different places and being educated in different systems always gave me a global perspective."

Kumaran spent nearly 15 years working with the Government of Ontario, where he held various roles, from junior analyst to senior advisor to deputy ministers. "Sitting in offices and advising on policy, I always wondered about the actual downstream impact of those policies in society," Kumaran recalls. This desire to create tangible change with his own hands propelled him into the private sector during the pandemic. 

Kumaran and his business partner, Muraly Srinarayanathas, drew on their different migration experiences to create 369 Global, addressing labour market gaps through skills training. "At the core of 369 Global is Computek, one of the region’s leading regulated career colleges focused on skilling up newcomers and immigrants to ensure they can contribute effectively to our economy.”

Operating a small-or-medium business in Toronto posed its own set of unique challenges. “We have experienced triple-digit growth in the last few years, and yet, walking into a bank today, we often have to tell our story all over again,” Kumaran confides. “The numbers are not enough – and that can be frustrating especially when we have the vision and plan for our growth.”

Additionally, the privately-operated career college sector still faces some reputational challenges due to negative perceptions and regulatory issues. "For us, the challenge is not the business side, but changing the narrative to showcase the pivotal role that career colleges can play in the talent economy.” Despite these hurdles, 369 Global remains committed to delivering high-quality, impactful training solutions.

369 Global's vision extends beyond Canadian borders, with training centers soon to be established in Africa and the Indo-Pacific Region. "We want to ensure that skills training is relevant and impactful in any market we enter," Kumaran explains. This global approach is deeply rooted in Toronto's unique advantages. "We have the opportunity in Toronto, especially because of its large diaspora communities and large pockets of immigrants, to test out ideas that can address some of the issues that face the world. Toronto offers us a way to test innovative global ideas in our own backyard, and then take it back into the world."

The company's strategy involves tailoring education to evolving industry demands while embracing technological advancements. "We have to talk to employers and reverse engineer what that industry is looking for even more actively," Kumaran notes. "Virtual learning and alternative service delivery modes have become essential, especially post-COVID-19. We're constantly exploring ways to use technology to enhance our training solutions."

369 Global's innovative spirit extends beyond education. "Another new venture from 369 Global is 3, a luxury media platform that's about to launch in the fall,” He reveals. “Through this new media play, we want to understand, celebrate, and debate the complexity of global cultures by showcasing stories, commentaries, and perspectives that shape our interconnected world - and Canada's relevance in it." This media initiative underscores the company's commitment to bridging cultures and fostering global understanding, complementing its core mission of skills development and training.

His vision for 369 Global blends entrepreneurial drive with personal commitment. "We want to activate global citizens to solve global issues through education and information," he explains.

Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey in Toronto, Kumaran shares, "I get to have an idea in the morning, develop a potential solution in the afternoon, and test it out by the evening. Within 24 hours, I'll know if this is a good idea or not. That kind of autonomy and freedom, I wouldn't sacrifice for the world." The dynamic and diverse environment of Toronto has been crucial in allowing him to rapidly bring ideas to life, test them in a real-world setting, and stay ahead of industry trends.

Kumaran offers practical advice to aspiring entrepreneurs: "Starting and growing a business is never a straight path. There will be setbacks, but those challenges are opportunities to learn and grow. It is essential that entrepreneurs stay focused on their work ethic and not sacrifice revenue for hype."

Through 369 Global, Kumaran demonstrates how local insights can fuel global change. His team's innovative approaches and community engagement are reshaping the future for newcomers and society at large, transforming personal drive into widespread global impact.