Bengaluru, Aug 11 (PTI) Pitching Bengaluru as India’s tech capital, making significant strides in emerging technologies like Quantum Science and Artificial Intelligence, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
on Monday invited industry leaders to the 28th Bengaluru Tech Summit, scheduled from November 18 to 20.
“We are the best place for entrepreneurs to start and grow big,” he said during a breakfast meeting organised by the Department of Electronics, IT & BT, Karnataka government, attended by nearly 100 industry leaders.
Highlighting Bengaluru’s position in artificial intelligence, Siddaramaiah said, “In AI, Bengaluru ranks fifth among the world’s top AI cities. It hosts nearly 50 per cent of India’s AI talent, making it the second-largest AI talent hub globally.” The chief minister assured that Karnataka’s new IT policy would prioritise infrastructure development for AI. “From the Mysuru kings to the first IT policy in 1997 and the Global Capability Centre Policy in 2024, Karnataka has always planned ahead,” he added.
On Quantum Technology, Siddaramaiah noted, “Karnataka launched India’s first state-level Quantum Technology Roadmap. We aim to make Karnataka Asia’s top Quantum Innovation Hub by 2035, targeting a USD 20 billion quantum economy.” He announced plans for Quantum Hardware Parks, Innovation Zones, and a global Quantum Conclave in Bengaluru.
Karnataka is India’s largest software-exporting state, contributing 44 per cent of the nation’s software exports, the CM said.
“The IT and ITeS sector accounts for 26 per cent of our state’s economy. We host over 875 Global Capability Centres (GCCs), which is 30 per cent of India’s total. Our goal is to add 500 more GCCs by 2029, creating 3,50,000 jobs and USD 50 billion in economic output. We are also building tech clusters beyond Bengaluru to ensure growth across the state,” he added.
The chief minister also took pride in Karnataka being home to over 18,300 startups and more than 45 unicorns, promising to take this further.
“We are building QWIN City, an integrated ecosystem for wellness, innovation, and new-age industries. This will attract global scientists, entrepreneurs, and investors, offering dedicated R&D clusters and wellness infrastructure to make it a destination to live, work, and innovate,” he said.
Siddaramaiah also spoke about the upcoming Health City, a world-class healthcare and life sciences hub. “It will bring together medical research, biotech innovation, med-tech manufacturing, and super-speciality hospitals to serve both India and the world,” he added.
The chief minister emphasised Karnataka’s vision to become a global hub for solving major challenges. “Whether it is curing diseases, developing sustainable energy solutions, or building the computers of the future, we will provide the talent, infrastructure, and policy support to make it happen. I invite industry leaders, innovators, and visionaries to come work with us,” he said.
At a press conference later, State Minister for Electronics, Information Technology & Biotechnology and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Priyank Kharge, said the summit is expected to draw over 1,00,000 attendees, including more than 20,000 startup founders.
The event will feature over 100 knowledge sessions and more than 5,000 curated meetings.
The theme this year is “Futurise,” a call to imagine, innovate, and implement technologies that will shape the coming decades, driving transformation across diverse sectors of the tech ecosystem, Kharge said.
He also highlighted a special focus on startups through the Startup Springboard programme, which connects high-potential ventures with investors, mentors, and global networks. PTI JR SSK ADB
