Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday inaugurated the 28th edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) 2025. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah welcomed dignitaries, industry leaders, and innovators to the three-day event, themed "Futurise: To shape the unknown, scale the unimaginable and shift the world forward."
"It is my profound privilege to welcome you all to the 28th edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit, Karnataka's flagship global celebration of innovation, technology, and future-thinking. On behalf of the people of Karnataka and our Government, I extend warm greetings to every delegate who has travelled from across India and the world to join us here in Bengaluru. This is an extraordinary gathering of visionaries, creators, and changemakers who are here to build a future that is smarter, inclusive, and transformative," said Siddaramaiah.
The Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025 is more than an event; it is a global stage for ideas, investment, innovation and transformation. Hosted at the expansive Bangalore International Exhibition Centre from November 18-20, this edition ushers in a bold new chapter.
The Karnataka Chief Minister said that for decades, Bengaluru has been celebrated as the Silicon Valley of India. It stands as something much larger, a global epicentre of innovation, talent, research, and technological leadership.
"Karnataka's rise as a technology powerhouse is no accident; it is the result of visionary policies, deep institutional strength, and an ecosystem that nurtures creativity and excellence at every stage. Karnataka is powered by one of the world's strongest knowledge ecosystems. We are home to 85 universities, 243 engineering colleges and nearly 1,800 ITIs. The state's workforce demonstrates a low unemployment rate of 4.3%, highlighting productivity and employability," he added.
Siddaramaiah called on every innovator, researcher, founder, investor, student, and leader gathered to join them in shaping this future.
"Our city hosts premier institutions such as IISc, IIM-B, IIIT-B, NCBS, JNCASR, NIMHANS, DRDO labs, ISRO centres, and several world-class private universities creating an unparalleled intellectual ecosystem. Bengaluru has become synonymous with entrepreneurial energy. Karnataka is home to over 16,000 startups and the state accounts for nearly 47% of India's total startup funding. Bengaluru is also a major hub for semiconductors, aerospace, defence, biotech, electronics manufacturing, animation & gaming, and deep-tech. When global innovation finds a home in Bengaluru and Karnataka, it scales for the world," said the Chief Minister.
Karnataka is India's largest hub for R&D and product development. We contribute 42% of India's IT exports, valued at over ₹3.2 lakh crore, growing at a rapid 27% year-on-year. The state hosts more than 550 Global Capability Centres (GCCs), which is nearly one-third of India's total. Over 400 of the Fortune 500 companies have operations in Bengaluru.
"As we stand ahead of the next digital revolution, driven by AI, quantum, biotech, space, and green tech, Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025 is Karnataka's invitation to the world to co-create a future that is bold, humane, and transformative," added the CM.
For nearly three decades, the Bengaluru Tech Summit has been a beacon for the world, a place where ideas take flight, where technologies converge, where partnerships are forged, and where the world looks to understand where the future is headed.
Siddaramaiah also unveiled three key policies: Karnataka Information Technology Policy 2025-2030, SpaceTech Policy 2025-2030, and Startup Policy 2025-2030. These initiatives aim to position Karnataka as a global deep tech hub, driving innovation and growth.
"Karnataka has always led India in policy innovation, too. We launched India's first IT policy in 1997 and continue this leadership with new policies. At this summit, we are also taking a historic step with the launch of three transformative policies: the Karnataka Information Technology Policy 2025-2030, the SpaceTech Policy 2025-2030, and the Startup Policy 2025-2030. With this data-driven, emerging technology-ready Karnataka Information Technology Policy 2025-2030, we aim to transform the state into a global destination for innovation and deep tech. With the SpaceTech Policy 2025-2030, we strive to position Karnataka as India's leading space technology hub, capturing 50% of the national market and 5% of the global market by 2034. The new Startup Policy is being launched, aiming to create 25,000 startups over the next five years through strategic interventions in funding, market access, infrastructure, talent development, and social inclusion. This forward-looking governance enhances Karnataka's competitiveness in a rapidly evolving global tech landscape," said Siddaramaiah.
The policies aim to triple software exports to ₹3.2 lakh crore, capture 50% of India's space tech market and 5% globally by 2034, and create 25,000 new startups within five years.
Simply put, Karnataka offers everything businesses require, from research and markets to infrastructure and talent.
Innovation thrives where quality of life thrives. Karnataka is not simply participating in the global tech revolution. It is leading it.
"Our commitment also extends to building future-ready infrastructure for deep science and advanced engineering. We have established Centres of Excellence in AI, cybersecurity, data science, animation and robotics. Let us work together to ensure that Artificial Intelligence becomes a force for inclusion, that Quantum Technologies unlock new frontiers of science, that Biotechnology and SpaceTech push the boundaries of human progress, and that DeepTech solutions address the biggest challenges of our time," said Siddaramaiah.
This year's theme: "Futurise: To shape the unknown, scale the unimaginable and shift the world forward", captures the essence of our collective mission.
Under this theme, Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025 brings together nine defining tracks that represent the frontier of global innovation. Across these tracks, more than 600 global speakers, 1,200+ exhibitors, 60+ country delegations, and thousands of innovators will define what the next decade of technology will look like, not just for Karnataka or India, but for the entire world.
Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025 is also a stage of transformation. It links academia to industry. It links startups to investors. It links frontier researchers to policymakers. It links global markets to Karnataka's deep reservoir of intellectual and entrepreneurial talent.
"With 'Futurise,' we reaffirm our belief that technology must drive social good, economic justice, sustainable development, inclusion, and prosperity for all," said Siddaramaiah.
Investors repeatedly choose Karnataka for its stability and predictability. It remains one of India's top states for FDI inflows, global partnerships, and multinational investments.
The ecosystem combines world-class engineering, transparent policies, a strong IP culture, and vibrant global communities.
"Our business environment is supported by top-tier legal, financial and technical expertise, along with strong global connectivity. Above all, Bengaluru's temperate climate, multicultural character, and open civic culture attract people from across the world. Karnataka is the first state in India to launch a dedicated roadmap for quantum technologies," said the CM.
Companies that come to Karnataka understand that they are not merely investing in a location; they are partnering with a state that values technology, respects talent, and stands firmly for long-term progress.
"A defining feature of our approach is inclusivity. Through the "Beyond Bengaluru" initiative, we are consciously decentralising our technology economy by developing Tier-2 cities as the following generation innovation clusters. This is not merely an economic strategy; it is a commitment to equitable growth. Every district in Karnataka must have access to the opportunities of the digital age. Every young person, whether in a metro or a small town, should have the chance to build a career in high-value technology and research. At the heart of our governance model is a commitment to transparency, predictability and stability. Karnataka continues to be India's most trusted destination for investors because our policies are clear, our approvals are streamlined, and our regulatory environment is built on trust," said the Karnataka CM.
He said that Karnataka's message to the world is sincere and straightforward, adding, "Government of Karnataka is here to support you. Whether you are a global company seeking to establish an R&D centre, a startup building your first prototype, an academician conducting frontier research, or an investor searching for transformative ideas, Karnataka is your home. We will provide the infrastructure, the skills, the policy environment, the talent pipeline, and above all, the confidence that your ambition will find every possible support here."
He praised the people of Karnataka, saying, "Your energy, creativity, and aspirations are the cornerstone of our technological journey. This summit, and the future it represents, belongs to you."
Siddaramaiah called on participants to use the next three days to connect, co-create, and commit themselves to a shared mission to Futurise Karnataka and build a tomorrow that is more advanced, more inclusive, and more humane. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
