Karnataka launches 'Beyond Bengaluru' initiative to build innovation, technology ecosystem in other cities

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Government on Thursday announced the ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative focused towards building innovation and a technology ecosystem in other cities.

Enabled by the new IT policy 2020 2025, Beyond Bengaluru is aimed at enhancing growth in the IT /ITeS, Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO), Electronic System Design Manufacturing (ESDM), and Telecom sector industries located in Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubbali-Dharwad and Shivamogga, an official statement said.

With COVID 19 as the trigger to promote work from home or the concept of work from anywhere, the Government is looking to effectively leverage and access the talent and skill available across the State, with focus on cities ”Beyond” Bengaluru.

Cities ”Beyond” Bengaluru are foreseeing greater investment opportunities and employment potential, with thrust in education and infrastructure, the statement said.

The government has brought to the forefront the new IT Policy 2020-25, focused towards enabling a distributed IT/ITeS model that facilitates growth through industrial development and employment generation in cities ”Beyond” Bengaluru, it was stated.

The policy also aims to evolve a distributed IT and BPM model with distributed processing capabilities including adequate telecom, electricity and other infrastructure to support the human resource development and growth of the innovation ecosystems in these new economic regions.

”Beyond Bengaluru” initiative would contribute to the Governments current efforts to move the technology and innovation related activity to other cities, where it has already taken a number of steps and rolled out several initiatives aimed at enhancing the ecosystem.

The Government initiated New Age Innovation Network (NAIN) as a network of incubation centres in 30 engineering colleges in cities ”Beyond” Bengaluru.

Till date, 470 projects have been funded; 181 prototypes built, and 13 patents filed.

The Government has established Common Instrumentation Facilities (CIFs) and Technology Business Incubators in academic institutions in Karnataka to catapult innovation and R&D in cities such as Mysuru, Belagavi, Mangaluru and Shivamogga.

To promote the biotechnology sector, incubation and R&D infrastructure, centres have been set up in Dharwad, Bagalkot and Mysuru.

ESDM clusters have been identified and are being promoted to encourage industry to set up operations in Mysuru, Hubballi, Chikkaballapura and Chitradurga, among others.

The Government has also set up ”VLSI Incubation Centre” and Brownfield Cluster at Hubballi.

The Government is looking to further strengthen and enhance the ecosystems of cities – Mysuru, Hubballi- Dharwad, Mangaluru and Shivamogga, through the ”Beyond Bengaluru” initiative.

A Taskforce has also been established comprising industry, academia and other stakeholders to prepare a ”White Paper” to enable the ”Beyond Bengaluru” mandate.

The White Paper would cover potential action points for promoting cities beyond Bengaluru, by proposing incentives and initiatives that may be undertaken for technology ecosystem development there.

Speaking on the announcement, Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, and Minister for IT, BT and S&T, said, ”Beyond Bengaluru” is part of the Government”s efforts to boost IT penetration across the State, supported by strategic policy interventions and holistic economic development.

“The cities of Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubbali -Dharwad and Shivamogga are foreseeing great investment opportunities and employment potential.

We aim to build a sustainable model to encourage the growth of and development in cities Beyond Bengaluru”, he said