Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge during a meeting with CEOs of the industries ahead of the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2024 in Bengaluru on Friday.
| Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

Forward-looking policies have helped Karnataka clock a GSDP growth rate of 14.2% in fiscal 2024 even as the State, being the fourth largest industrial player, contributes around 8.2% to the country’s GDP, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah here on Friday (July 12).

Interacting with an audience of 200 CEOs in Bengaluru over a breakfast meeting, the Chief Minister said the State government recognised the pivotal role that the technology industry has been playing in the socio-economic development of the State.

‘’We are committed to fostering an environment that nurtures innovation, encourages investment and supports sustainable growth. It is due to the forward-looking policies that Karnataka has clocked a GSDP growth rate of 14.2% in FY23,’‘ the Chief Minister said.

He insisted that the State’s sector-specific policies were designed to empower start-ups, SMEs, and large corporations alike, ensuring that Bengaluru remained a haven for entrepreneurs and businesses. Karnataka was the first State to come up with sector-specific policies in start-up, IT, AVGC, Biotechnology and Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM), he stated.

The upcoming Global Capability Centre (GCC) policy of the State would focus on easing regulations and incentivising large companies to set up operations within Karnataka but Beyond Bengaluru areas, he said.

Tech summit

Giving a peek into the State’s annual tech exposition, Bengaluru Tech Summit, he said this 26-year-old event provided an impactful platform to bring together the best minds in technology and innovation.

The State government was committed to investing in deep and emerging technologies to ensure that Bengaluru and Karnataka continued to remain at the cutting edge, said Mr. Siddaramaiah.

‘’Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Internet of Things, Blockchain and Quantum Computing are the building blocks of the next phase of our digital evolution,’‘ he said, thanking all industry stakeholders

No industry will leave city: DKS

Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the government was committed to developing Bengaluru to prevent industries from leaving the city.

Also addressing tech CEOs he said, “The world is looking at Bengaluru. Our government is fully committed to Bengaluru’s growth, we have to stop industries and employees from leaving Bengaluru to other States.”

Priyank Kharge (right), Karnataka Minister for Information Technology & Biotechnology and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, on November 25, 2023 addresses the media on the Bengaluru Tech Summit. Photo: Special Arrangement

One of the highlights of this year’s edition of Karnataka’s annual tech exposition, Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS), scheduled to begin on November 29, will be the Chandrayaan-3 ISRO-Industry Pavilion, symbolising India’s significant presence in space exploration.

The pavilion will not only showcase ISRO’s achievements but will also emphasise the crucial contributions of SMEs, start-ups, and private industries in ensuring the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. For the first time, a 1:1 scale model of Chandrayaan-3 lander will be on display. Also, in a specially erected geodesic dome, using AR/VR technology, an immersive experience will created to learn about lunar missions, space science, and technology behind Chandrayaan, said Priyank Kharge, Minister for Information Technology & Biotechnology and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj in a media briefing on Saturday.

The four-day tech extravaganza, between November 29 and December 1, under the theme ‘Breaking Boundaries’, will attract tech leaders, start-ups, investors, and research scholars, and government representatives from over 30 countries.

The expo will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar; Minister for Large & Medium Industries M.B. Patil; Minister of Science & Technology, Minor Irrigation N.S. Boseraju, and Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma.

The inaugural session will feature Bagdat Mussin, Minister of Digital Development, Innovations, and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan; Mark Papermaster, EVP & CTO of AMD, and recorded messages from Sari Multala, Minister of Science and Culture of Finland and Volker Wissing, Minister of Digital Affairs and Transport of Germany.

Captains of the local industry, Rishad Premji, Executive Chairman of Wipro Limited; Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson, Vision Group on Biotechnology; Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chairman, Vision Group on IT; B.V. Naidu, Chairman, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, and Arvind Kumar, Director General of Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) will be present.

Some of the key dignitaries and speakers include R.A. Mashelkar, former Director-General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR); Nobel Laureate and American biologist H. Robert Horvitz, among others.

The GIA track in the conference will have around 17 engaging sessions curated by the partner nations and regions, including Australia, Finland, the Netherlands, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Israel, Poland, Austria, Germany and NRW, Japan, Switzerland, Lithuania and EU.

Senator Franziska Giffey, Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises, Berlin; Stephan Keller, Mayor of Düsseldorf, Germany; Victor Fedeli, Minister of Economy, Job Creation and Trade, Ontario, Canada will be speaking in the GIA sessions.

BTS probably is the only event in the country that has been brought together by all leading cross-sectoral industry apex bodies such as NASSCOM, IESA, ABAI, ABLE, TiE, USIBC etc.

Steps taken to hold it green

This edition has taken a significant stride by committing to achieve net zero carbon emissions in the upcoming years. This goal involves integrating eco-conscious practices in procurement to minimise waste generation and establishing a sustainability advisory for various stakeholders, the organisers explained.

The focus on key pillars such as carbon, water, energy, waste, food, and experience underscores BTS’s commitment to sustainability—a pioneering initiative and the first of its kind event in India, they claimed.