Karnataka will introduce a policy within the next 100 days to encourage technology companies to expand beyond Bengaluru by offering incentives including low-cost office infrastructure, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said on Friday, as the state looks to ease pressure on the capital while broadening its technology footprint.
Addressing industry executives at a CEO breakfast meeting in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said the policy would offer world-class office infrastructure in cities across Karnataka at affordable rates, with office space available for as little as 50 cents per square foot.
The move is part of the state's strategy to develop cities such as Mysuru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Mangaluru and Belagavi into major technology and investment hubs, reducing the concentration of growth in Bengaluru.
"Bengaluru is our crown, but Karnataka is our heart," Shivakumar said, adding that economic growth should be more evenly distributed across the state.
The chief minister also announced plans to establish an artificial intelligence university in partnership with the private sector after discussions with Alphabet's Google, saying the government wants industry to play a leading role in developing the institution.
The proposed AI University will focus on learning, research and innovation, while introducing artificial intelligence education to rural students from Class 6 onwards, he said.
CM Launchs New Platform To Back DeepTech Ecosystem
In another initiative aimed at strengthening the state's innovation ecosystem, the government launched Innoverse, a unified DeepTech platform designed to connect startups, researchers, academia, investors, industry and policymakers to accelerate the commercialisation of frontier technologies.
The platform will initially focus on aerospace and defence, electronics system design and manufacturing, space technology, biotechnology and applied artificial intelligence. The government also opened the platform's first startup call and unveiled plans for the Museum of Innovation, Science and Technology (MIST). Separately, it recognised 33 startups selected under the ELEVATE NxT 2026 grant programme.
Shivakumar said Karnataka has already introduced new IT, space technology and startup policies centred on DeepTech, digital infrastructure, research and industry-academia collaboration, and has also launched a quantum technology roadmap.
He also announced the Sustainable Data Centre Policy 2026-31 and the Bengaluru Robotics and Innovation Zone to support environmentally sustainable digital infrastructure and advanced technology development.
Karnataka remains India's largest technology hub, with software exports crossing Rs 4.36 lakh crore and expected to exceed Rs 5.5 lakh crore this year, Shivakumar said. He added that the state's global capability centres have evolved from back-office operations into centres for innovation, product development and high-value work.
The chief minister acknowledged Bengaluru's infrastructure and mobility challenges, saying the government was working to address them while continuing to partner with industry to sustain Karnataka's leadership in technology investment. |
