About WAIG Foundation
34 global leaders with 30+ years of industry experience
Our Mission & Vision
Discover The Core Principle That Guides Us
Our Mission
WAIG is dedicated to advancing responsible, inclusive, and transparent AI governance worldwide. Our mission is to ensure that AI benefits all of humanity through open tools, education, and global standards.
Our Vision
The World AI Governance (WAIG) initiative envisions a globally interoperable, ethically sound, human-centric AI governance ecosystem. It aims to:
- Promote AI safety, accountability, and trust across borders.
- Bridge fragmented regulatory landscapes by creating interoperable policy scaffolding.
- Enable Governance-as-a-Tool (GaaT) and Governance Validation Toolkits (GVTs) to support developers, auditors, and regulators.
- Facilitate international cooperation through AI Trust Circles, capacity building, and playbooks.
Our Strategic Pillars
Interoperability First
Align with ISO/IEC 42001, EU AI Act, NIST RMF, OECD, and national frameworks (IndiaAI, UKAI)
Tooling the Trust
Support and develop AI and Governance platforms, with the help of VC, investors and mentorship
Accountability Culture
Drive public-private partnerships and workforce readiness via WAIG Training Labs.
Continuous Risk-Awareness Loop
Establish explainability, continuous monitoring, and adversarial resilience as default system design goals.
Inclusive Global AI Governance
Include Global South, marginalized communities, and small-scale AI adopters in policy shaping.
Our Team
Dr. Umang Mehta
Founder & Director
Tech enthusiast and AI governance advocate committed to shaping ethical frameworks for emerging technologies. A seasoned expert in cybersecurity, GRC, and digital forensics, driven by a mission to make digital ecosystems secure, resilient, and accessible to all.
Rohit Soni
Co-Founder & CEO
Lead a global initiative dedicated to building responsible, transparent, and inclusive AI governance frameworks across all sectors. WAIG serves as a vital platform, bringing together policymakers, technologists, regulators, and industry leaders to collaboratively create AI standards that balance innovation with ethical use and public trust.
Dr. Gundala Nagaraju (Raju)
President (Chairperson)
Entrepreneur, Startup Mentor, AI Governance Leader, President - WAIG Foundation, CEO/COO/CIO, IT Business & Technology Leader, Adjunct Professor, Lead Auditor: ISO 42001, President - TAA IIT Kharagpur Hyderabad
Prashant Gondaliya
Director – Global Alliance (WAIG)
International influencer and wireless network technology enthusiast. Cybersecurity and AI governance & compliance advocate to influence enterprises, ISPs and Telecom industries across the globe. Chair for AI working group at WBBA, Technology consultant at GSMA APJC 5G Community, IoT M2M Council (Europe) and Member of CoSN America. Associated with MeitY(Govt Of India) initiatives as an Ambassador – Cybersecurity for ISEA project across India.
Sandeep Bansal
Board Member / Alliance Director
Innovative digital strategist with expertise in digital governance and cross-sector collaboration for inclusive tech solutions. Proven success in AI adoption, ERP/CRM/HCM implementations, cybersecurity, and IT infrastructure across diverse industries.
Abdulla Pathan
Abdulla Pathan - Advisory Board Member – Education & Responsible AI
Award-winning global technology and education executive with leadership across EdTech and BFSI over three decade. As Advisory Board Member – Education & Responsible AI at the WAIG Foundation, Abdulla Pathan advances responsible AI, data governance, and ethical innovation frameworks that shape the future of learning and enterprise. Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice in AI, ML, and EdTech, he brings deep expertise in governance-driven digital transformation and industry collaboration.
Meghana Pote
Director - Women's Empowerment
Tech enthusiast and AI governance advocate committed to shaping ethical frameworks for emerging technologies. A seasoned expert in cybersecurity, GRC, and digital forensics, driven by a mission to make digital ecosystems secure, resilient, and accessible to all.
Why WAIG?
Real people delivering real result
WAIG is a global non-profit pioneering responsible AI governance. We unite visionaries, researchers, and leaders to shape the future of ethical AI for all.
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Championing ethical, transparent, and inclusive AI worldwide
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Building bridges between academia, industry, and government
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Open-source tools and global standards for AI governance
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Community-driven research and impact
June 6th, 2025
Foundation Established
The World AI Governance (WAIG) Foundation was formally established with the mission to shape responsible, ethical, and globally harmonized AI governance.
June 7th, 2025
Core Team Formation
The founding members and core leadership team came together, defining the foundation’s roadmap and governance charter.
June 15th, 2025
Mentor Community Built
WAIG launched its Mentor Community, bringing together global AI experts, cybersecurity leaders, governance practitioners, and policy influencers to guide future initiatives.
June 21st, 2025
First Project with TUV
Received the first mentorship and governance project from TUV, marking the beginning of WAIG’s professional advisory and impact-driven engagements.
June, 2025
Expanding to Academia
WAIG associated with universities and colleges, launching mentorship and training programs to empower the next generation of AI and cybersecurity professionals.
Week 1 (July 1–7, 2025)
Kicked off with the first consultancy project from TUV.
Expanded mentorship outreach by engaging with universities and colleges.
Strengthened the mentor community with additional global experts.
Week 2 (July 8–14, 2025)
Successfully delivered the second consultancy project.
Conducted two mentorship events with academic institutions and industry leaders.
Launched collaborative talks with AI for ALL Global.
Week 3 (July 15–21, 2025)
Completed the third consultancy project, establishing a strong early track record.
Organized two more mentorship sessions, empowering professionals and students.
Formally partnered with AI for ALL Global to expand governance initiatives worldwide.
Week 4 (July 22–31, 2025)
Initiated strategic engagement with global leaders in AI ethics, compliance, and governance.
Reached advanced stages of MoU discussions with 7 global leadership firms.
Positioned WAIG as a recognized authority in AI governance, bridging industry, academia, and policy.