Shri Siddaramaiah, Hon’ble Chief Minister of karnataka inaugurates Bengaluru Tech Summit 2024: “Technology Unbound” – uniting global innovation, creating impact for the world
The 27th Edition of Bengaluru Tech Summit 2024, organised by the Department of Electronics, IT, Bt, Government of Karnataka and Software Technology Parks of India, Bengaluru, inaugurated by Shri Siddaramaiah, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka and in the august presence of Shri D.K. Shivakumar, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka at Bangalore Palace. This year’s theme, ‘Unbound,’ will celebrate technology’s ability to transcend traditional boundaries, creating pathways for global partnerships and cutting-edge advancements across industries.
The inaugural ceremony was graced by Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for Information Technology & Biotechnology and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Govt. of Karnataka; Dr. Anna Christmann, Member of Parliament and Commissioner for Start-ups and the Digital Economy, The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), Germany; Ms. Alexandra Dublanche, Vice President in charge, Recovery, Economic Development, Attractiveness and Innovation for Paris Region, France and Dr. Ekroop Caur, IAS, Secretary to Government, Department of Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T, Govt. of Karnataka.
An important highlight of the ceremony was the recognition given by the Department of Electronics, IT & Bt, Government of Karnataka to Mr. Sriharsha Majety, CEO & Co-Founder of Swiggy, for his remarkable achievements in building one of Karnataka’s earliest and most inspiring startups. Sriharsha Majety expressed his gratitude for the honor, acknowledging Karnataka’s vibrant innovation ecosystem for inspiring and empowering entrepreneurs to dream big and create impactful solutions.
Texas Instruments India was honored for its remarkable entry into its 40th year of presence in Bengaluru and India. Mr. Santhosh Kumar, Managing Director, Texas Instruments India accepted the recognition, expressing gratitude for Bengaluru’s dynamic ecosystem that has supported the company’s success. Over the last four decades, Texas Instruments and Bengaluru’s tech ecosystem have grown hand in hand, shaping India’s semiconductor and technology landscape.
The Exhibition at BTS 2024 was inaugurated spectacularly, with Shri Siddaramaiah, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka leading the ribbon-cutting ceremony, alongside the BTS Flying Man, who soared through the venue in a futuristic jet suit designed by Gravity Industries. This thrilling display symbolised the spirit of innovation to be showcased at the event and set the tone for a three-day unbound possibility.
During the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2024 inauguration Shri Siddaramaiah, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka, said, “Bengaluru Tech Summit 2024 showcases Karnataka’s leadership in innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth. The launch of India’s first Policy Centre for GCCs and the Nipuna Karnataka program, aimed at skilling 100,000 individuals in cutting-edge technologies, reflects our commitment to empowering local talent and fostering global competitiveness. The Centre of Excellence in AI, in collaboration with IIT Alumni Center Bangalore, positions Karnataka as a hub for advanced R&D and startup innovation.
With $17.5 billion in potential investments and participation from over 50 countries, BTS 2024 emphasises global collaboration through MoUs with Switzerland, Finland, and Sharjah. Karnataka continues to lead in shaping a future of transformative growth and remains a beacon of innovation and opportunity for the world.”
Shri D.K. Shivakumar, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, said, “It is a privilege to witness the 27th edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit, an event that stands as a testament to Karnataka’s unparalleled leadership in innovation and technology. As we embrace the theme ‘Unbound,’ we celebrate not only the transformative power of technology but also its ability to transcend boundaries, uniting nations, industries, and people to forge a brighter, more inclusive future. This summit encapsulates our collective vision to position Karnataka as a global epicenter of innovation, where talent meets opportunity, and ideas turn into impactful solutions.
As we launch groundbreaking initiatives like Nipuna Karnataka, unveil strategic global partnerships, and welcome international delegations, we reaffirm our commitment to fostering an ecosystem that empowers entrepreneurs, nurtures startups, and drives transformative change. Karnataka’s dynamic innovation landscape, enriched by collaborations across diverse sectors, reflects our enduring belief that technology is not just a tool but a force for societal progress and global impact. Let us move forward together, unbound by limitations and inspired by endless possibilities.”
Several key announcements were made during the Inaugural Ceremony.
- The launch of the Nipuna Karnataka Logo marked the beginning of a transformative skills initiative. Nipuna Karnataka aims to enhance the skills of local talent to improve their global competitiveness in emerging technologies. The objective is to equip Karnataka’s workforce with advanced skills that align with the requirements of high-demand sectors, thus fostering economic growth and increasing employment opportunities both within and outside the state. It will aim to that the local talent is skilled locally and that they work globally.
- As part of the Nipuna initiative, five strategic MoUs were exchanged with global tech giants—Microsoft, Intel, Accenture, IBM, and the BFSI Consortium—aiming to bolster collaboration and drive innovation. These MoUs aim to train 1,00,000 trainees in the next year with a placement of 70% of the trained professionals.
- Microsoft: With Microsoft, GoK aims to train 10,000+ trainees per year in emerging technology with a focus on Deep Tech
- Intel: GoK is collaborating with Intel intending to train 20,000+ trainees per year in AI under various programs like AI for ALL, AI for Youth, and Unnati.
- Accenture: Accenture in collaboration with GoK is training 10,000 trainees on emerging technology like cyber security and quantum computing.
- IBM: IBM has committed to training 50,000 people on AI and Cloud services with a special focus on hands-on training to get practical experience.
- BFSI Consortium: BFSI is training 10,000 trainees in the banking and financial sector and ensuring that they get placement in various reputed companies working in the Fintech Sector.
- The Bengaluru Data Report was also launched during this occasion.
- Adding to the momentum, the government announced the establishment of a Centre of Excellence on AI in Bengaluru to foster cutting-edge research and development. The Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI) is envisioned as India’s premier accelerator for AI startups, spearheaded by the IIT Alumni Center Bangalore (IITACB) in partnership with the Government of Karnataka. This initiative is designed to support the next generation of AI-driven innovations by providing startups with access to capital, high-quality mentorship, industry partnerships, and state-of-the-art technical resources
- Another significant announcement was for the Startup Springboard program- a platform at BTS 2024, designed to empower Karnataka’s startups through three pillars; Investor Connect (linking startups with key investors and industry leaders); Mentor Connect (enabling invaluable guidance through mentor-mentee interactions) and Innoverse (providing infrastructure, plug-and-play facilities, and training to support prototype development and innovation for emerging entrepreneurs).
Adding to the grandeur, the Inaugural Ceremony was graced by key figures including, Shri Rizwan Arshad, Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly; Shri BV Naidu, Chairman, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM); Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka; Shri Arvind Kumar, Director General, Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) Shri Darshan HV, IAS, Director- Dept. of Electronics, Information Technology and Biotechnology, Managing Director, KITS, Govt. of Karnataka; Dr. Sanjay Tyagi, Director, STPI- Bengaluru.
Following the Inaugural Ceremony, the spotlight shifted to a highly engaging Plenary Panel Discussion titled ‘FutureScape: Redefining What’s Next.’ This thought-provoking session brought together some of Karnataka’s most visionary leaders including Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson, Vision Group on Biotechnology, Govt. of Karnataka, and Executive Chairperson of Biocon Ltd; Shri Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chairperson, Vision Group on IT & Electronics, Govt. of Karnataka, and Co-founder of Infosys and Shri Prashanth Prakash, Chairperson, Vision Group on Startups, Govt. of Karnataka, and Founding partner of Accel Partners India. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Lingraju Sawkar, President, Kyndryl India.
BTS 2024 will feature a multi-stage conference across six tracks: IT, Deeptech & Trends, Biotech & Healthtech, Startup Ecosystem, Global Innovation Alliance, India-USA Tech Conclave, and the newly introduced Electro-Semicon track. International participation from more than 50 countries and high-level delegations featuring government officials, industry leaders, and innovators, from over 15 countries, including Australia, UK, France, Austria, EU, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Israel, and the U.S., will enrich the summit with diverse perspectives and collaborative opportunities.
The trends stage will feature a galaxy of star speakers including Industry Captains, Policymakers, Diplomats, Startup Founders, Celebrated Authors and Artists, including, Amandeep Singh Gill, Under-Secretary-General, Tech Envoy, UN; Rishad Premji, Executive Chairman, Wipro Limited; Dr. S. Somanath, Chairman, ISRO; Anne Neuberger, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber & Emerging Technologies, The White House; David Ewing Duncan, Contributor, Vanity Fair, Wired; CEO, Arc Fusion, USA among others; Harish Bhatt, Brand Custodian, Tata Sons Ltd.; Peyush Bansal, Co-Founder, Lenskart; Ashish Hemrajani, CEO, BookMyShow; Pragya Mishra, Public Policy & Partnerships Lead for India, OpenAI; Sameer Mehta, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, boat; Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, British High Commission; Marc Lamy, Consul General of France, Consulate of France; Ipsita Dasgupta, Managing Director, HP India Market; Priya Mohan, Investor, General Catalyst; Swapnil Jain, Co-Founder & CTO, Ather Energy; Prof. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, DBT, Govt. of India; Bhaskar Ghosh, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Accenture; Nithin Kamath, CEO & Founder, Zerodha & Rainmatter; Rahul Chari, Co-founder & CTO, Phonepe; Aravind Sanka, Founder & CEO, Rapido; Nikita Prasad, Co-Founder & Creative Head, GIVA; Dr. Kavitha Iyer Rodrigues, CEO, Zumutor Biologics; Ricky Kej, Grammy-award Indian-American musical composer and environmentalist, and many more.
Attendees will have access to a range of activities that include B2B meetings, exhibition tours, and structured networking sessions, now accessible through the Bengaluru Tech Summit event app, which also provides real-time updates and scheduling options. With over 700 exhibitors, the exhibition will showcase themed pavilions covering Biotech, Healthtech, Electro-Semicon, Spacetech, Telecom, Greentech, and several other areas, offering a unique opportunity for cross-industry insights.
A keynote session by Mr. Rajesh Nambiar, President, Nasscom on “Unbounded Resilience: Thriving in a World of Constant Change” will delve into leveraging resilience to adapt, innovate, and thrive amidst the challenges of a rapidly evolving and unpredictable world. A panel discussion, ‘AI for India 2030’, presented by Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for Information Technology & Biotechnology and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Govt. of Karnataka, and moderated by Mr. Purushottam Kaushik, Head of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network (INDIA), World Economic Forum, featured panelists including Mohit Kapoor, Group Chief Technology Officer, Mahindra Group, Smita Deorah, Co-founder & Co-CEO, Lead School, Daisy Chittilapilly, President, Cisco India & SAARC, Cisco and Balakrishna D.R., Head of AI, Infosys. The inaugural day of BTS also witnessed an exclusive fireside chat with Mr. Rishad Premji, Executive Chairman, Wipro with T M Veeraraghav, Executive Editor, NDTV on ‘Building Legacy Through Purpose’, exploring how aligning business strategies with a deeper sense of purpose becomes beneficial in enduring value and inspires sustainable growth.
The Circuit Stage, newly introduced in this edition, will focus on Electronic and Semicon, hosting interesting knowledge-sharing sessions on semiconductor manufacturing, India’s role and leadership in semiconductor and electronics scenario, harnessing chip design talent, etc. The Life Stage focusing on Biotech and Healthtech will kick off with the keynote session by Dr. Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India on Biomanufacturing E3 – Towards a Viksit Bharat. The track will feature distinguished speakers including Prof. Sanjeev Jain, Emeritus Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Laboratory, NIMHANS. Dr. Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director, BIRAC, Govt. of India, Dr. Sindura Ganapathi, Visiting PSA Fellow, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), Govt. of India to discuss topics like unlocking the Bioeconomy Potential, sustainable food production, Bio-employment and skilling, Biotech innovations, the future of therapeutics and next-gen cancer immunotherapy.
BTS 2024 will act as the ultimate platform for startups to meet investors and scale their businesses. Having participants including 23 ideation stage startups, 142 early traction stage startups, 75 concept validation stage startups, and 82 growth stage startups, the summit will host a three-day Venture Connect Program. Drawing over 50 leading global investors, including family offices, angel investors, and venture capital firms from across the globe, the summit will bring a combined potential investment fund of more than 17.5 billion USD.
The Founder’s Stage will feature a 3-day dedicated track, bringing together influential speakers to inspire and empower the next generation of entrepreneurs. The Founders Stage will focus on the Startup ecosystem, bringing industry leaders including Ishan Mittal, Managing Director, Peak XV, Nithin Kamath, Founder & CEO, Zerodha & Rainmatter, Aravind Sanka, Founder & CEO, Rapido, Rahul Chari, Co-Founder & CTO, Phonepe among many others. The Startup Conclave promises thought-provoking insights, with notable voices such as Nuseir Yassin, the renowned digital storyteller and founder of Nas Daily, taking center stage.
The Startup Pavilion will host startups showcasing cutting-edge products and tech solutions across sectors, including Healthtech, Agritech, Manufacturing, Edutech, and more. BTS 2024 promises to be a pivotal platform for startups, with 2500+ startup attendees from India and beyond.
Adding to the excitement, the Product Launch Arena will serve as a launchpad for over 50 startups spanning 30+ sectors, showcasing cutting-edge innovations and groundbreaking solutions.
The Global Collaborations track will showcase sessions curated by the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) partner countries on World Stage 1. Australia, as the official Country Partner for BTS 2024, will bring a dedicated session on ‘Digitalization through Australian Tech – Partnering for Prosperity’. Accompanying this will be a high-level delegation of 16 companies, including key representatives such as the Tech Council, Director of Digital, Viscient FundWA, and esteemed officials including the High Commissioner, Consul General, and Trade Commissioner. Some of the other GIA partner countries include Switzerland (Innovation); UAE (Scaling Beyond Borders); Austria (Technology & Innovation); Singapore (Med-Tech); Germany (Clean Mobility); Netherlands(Water Management); Belgium(Life Sciences); Japan (Co-creating Solutions for the Digital World); UK (AI Unbound) and many more.
The India-US Tech Conclave, hosted on World Stage 2, will spotlight U.S.-India tech collaborations through sessions curated by USIBC, covering AI’s impact across agriculture, logistics, space, and education, and AMCHAM, focusing on cybersecurity and transformations in GCCs and GVCs. GITEX, a Community Partner for BTS, will further enrich the dialogue with insights on the digital economy.
The summit will also host high-level Strategic Roundtable Meetings which will be attended by invited International Government representatives, Corporates, Startups, and Policymakers. The Roundtable on AI/ GovTech will invite startups that will showcase their innovative solutions that can reshape governance, address key challenges, and accelerate the State’s growth in the digital era. A Roundtable on Industry-Academia-R&D connect is also being planned with renowned US universities like Johns Hopkins, Rice, and Stanford Life Sciences. They will explore collaboration with Karnataka universities. MoUs with big companies will be signed under Nipuna Karnataka to skill the local workforce.
The BTS 2024 exhibition will showcase specialized pavilions, including the Corporate & Industry Pavilion, International Pavilion, STPI Pavilion, Startup Zone, and more, featuring a record-breaking lineup of over 700 exhibitors. Special sectorial pavilions will highlight breakthroughs in Deeptech, Biotech, Healthtech, Spacetech, Mobility, Greentech, Fintech, and more. Some of the prominent exhibitors include Kyndryl, Biocon, Applied Materials, Intel, Lam Research, NXP Semiconductor, Groww, Uber, Teceze, LSEG, Novo Nordisk, Norwich Clinical, ARTPark from the corporate sectors; DRDO, CSIR, C-DAC, BIRAC, IIIT-Bangalore, Raman Research Institute, IISc Bangalore, etc., from R&D; and Universities including Gitam, Amity, Manipal, Alliance, SRM, VTU, RV, JSS Science & Technology and Christ. Some of the leading exhibitors from the BFSI sectors include SBI and Canara Bank. The BTS 2024 exhibition will feature 14 International Pavilions, showcasing groundbreaking technologies from global exhibitors representing diverse nations, including Australia, Russia, Germany, Denmark, South Korea, the USA, Japan, Bavaria, Israel, and more.
The BTS Innovation Dome at BTS 2024, will feature special programs, workshops, product launches, and so on. The summit will honor excellence with prestigious awards including the STPI IT Export Awards, Smart Bio Awards, and Ecosystem Enabler Awards. Additionally, the 25th edition of the TCS Rural IT Quiz and the BioQuiz finale will also be held during the event. Another initiative encouraging young researchers and students- the Bio Posters- Walkway of Discovery, will provide a platform for research students and graduates to showcase their innovative concepts and ideas, fostering recognition of young talent.
BTS 2024 will continue its commitment to sustainability under the Green BTS initiative, by implementing eco-friendly practices, pursuing carbon neutrality, and rigorous environmental monitoring. As part of this initiative, a dedicated bus shuttle service will operate during the event days, connecting Cubbon Park and Mantri Square metro stations to and from Bangalore Palace, offering attendees a sustainable and convenient travel option.
BTS 2024 is poised to deliver unbound opportunities for knowledge, business, and collaboration. The summit promises over 85 sessions, 460+ speakers, 500+ startups & exhibitors, a total of 700+ exhibitors, 15,000+ business attendees, and 50,000+ visitors—setting the stage for an unparalleled exploration of innovation and collaboration.
