Pramesh S Jain
At IVCA Circles 2026,Minister outlines vision for BTS as a global platform for innovation and investment;
Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) has evolved beyond an annual technology event into an important global platform for innovation,investment and international partnerships,positioning Bengaluru as a gateway for global companies and investors looking to engage with India, said Shri Priyank Kharge,
Minister for Home Affairs,Information Technology, Biotechnology and E-Governance,Government of Karnataka.
Speaking at a fireside chat titled‘Karnataka’s Next Investment Chapter:
Aligning Policy,Capital and Innovation’ at IVCA Circles – Bangalore Edition 2026,the Minister outlined Karnataka’s vision for strengthening its global technology leadership, deepening engagement with the investment community and creating opportunities for startups to access capital and international markets.
The conversation was moderated by Mr.Imran Jafar,Managing Partner,Gaja Capital.
“Bengaluru Tech Summit is increasingly becoming a platform where global conversations translate into partnerships,investments and tangible opportunities.
Our ambition is to make Bengaluru a gateway for the world to engage with India’s technology ecosystem, while also taking Karnataka’s innovations and solutions to global markets.
We want to build an ecosystem where government, industry and investors work together to help ideas move from innovation to commercial success,”said Priyank Kharge.
Highlighting the role of the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA), the Minister said Karnataka is strengthening international collaborations by connecting startups with global markets,universities,
He noted that BTS also provides an important platform for global technology ecosystems to engage with Karnataka and explore opportunities for collaboration and investment.
The Minister also highlighted Karnataka’s ambition to position itself as a preferred destination for DeepTech innovation,with stronger research,incubation,funding and industry partnerships.
Emphasising the need to create markets for innovation, he spoke about the Government First initiative,which provides pilot support of up to ₹25 lakh for startups developing solutions to real-world government challenges.
Successful solutions can potentially be scaled across government departments.He also highlighted the Karnataka Innovation Authority and regulatory sandboxes as mechanisms to enable experimentation with emerging technologies and help policymaking keep pace with innovation.
The Minister further noted that Karnataka has added approximately 100 Global Capability Centres over the past year,taking its overall GCC ecosystem to nearly 1,100 centres,reflecting the State’s continued engagement with industry and its focus on creating a conducive environment for technology investments.
The interaction reaffirmed Karnataka’s focus on aligning policy, capital,industry and global partnerships to drive the next phase of technology-led growth.
The 29th edition of Bengaluru Tech Summit,scheduled from November 17 to 19,2026,will bring together global technology leaders,investors, startups,policymakers and research institutions to further strengthen these engagements.
