Entrepreneur wants to offer a head start to startups

On June 1, David Ponraj left a highly promising career at Nielsen — at just 35, he had already become vice president of innovation — to launch his own business, Startup Space.

During his time at Nielsen, Ponraj, a Dunedin resident, had worked in a variety of roles, ranging from sales and operations to quality management. But says he most enjoyed his experience with the company’s internal business incubator, where he mentored up-and-coming tech entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, in his free time, he ran his own textile import-export venture.