With the 2025 state budget slated to be announced in March, Kharge has sought the ecosystem’s help to come up with a framework next month.
“The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission and NASSCOM should collaborate and establish a deep-tech innovation cluster in Bengaluru,” the minister said, adding that they should find the right institutional partners and think tanks to formulate a framework by the Bengaluru Tech Summit.
“It is my job to ensure that when the Chief Minister announces the budget in March 2025, the cluster will be on top of the list,” Kharge said at NASSCOM’s Future Forge 2024 event held on Wednesday.
He also highlighted Karnataka’s thriving deep-tech ecosystem, with over 250 startups that attracted more than USD 1.5 billion in investment during 2023, creating close to 10,000 jobs.
“Transitioning from being a pensioner’s paradise, we want to become the most disruptive innovation capital, breaking boundaries not just for India, but for the world,” Kharge expressed. “We have developed plug-and-play facilities that focus on the deep-tech sector, which will shorten learning gaps. However, regulations remain a stumbling block, and we are working closely with the industry to address this.”
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Aiming to address the gaps in core deep-tech areas in the country, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, robotics and automation, quantum computing, and biotechnology, the IT-BT minister emphasized that the acceleration India needs in deep tech will take place from Karnataka. “The state is ready to take the leap of faith with you,” he added.
Startups, IP Problem
The IT-BT minister also expressed concerns about India’s ranking on the Global Innovation Index, where it stands at the 39th position despite being among the top ecosystems for startups globally.
“..I don’t have a readymade answer for Intellectual Property (IP). I think it’s one of the biggest challenges facing the startup space in the country. Securing and defending IPs is crucial, especially for deep-tech startups,” he said.
Kharge added that IP is a very complex issue in India and requested NASSCOM to develop a comprehensive flow chart that outlines how to streamline IP processes, ensuring ease of doing business for deep-tech startups.
“I am in the top eight startup ecosystems in the world and among the top 5 AI cities, but in IP, we are 39th, which is not acceptable. I would love to hear from industry leaders and entrepreneurs on how we can solve this crux of the puzzle.”
