Government of Karnataka on a mission to focus on ecosystem development in cities Beyond Bengaluru

Bengaluru: The Government of Karnataka announced the Beyond Bengaluru initiative as part of Bengaluru Tech Summit 2020. The program is focused towards building innovation and a technology ecosystem beyond the city of Bengaluru.
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 at the upcoming cities of Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubbali – Dharwad and Shivamogga.
With COVID 19 as the trigger to promote work from home or the concept of ‘work from anywhere’, Government of Karnataka 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. In view of further strengthening and developing the State’s IT sector, the government has brought to the forefront the new IT Policy 2020-25. The policy is focused towards enabling a distributed IT/ITeS model that facilitates growth through industrial development and employment generation in cities Beyond Bengaluru.
The new IT Policy also aims is 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 will contribute to Government of Karnataka’s existing efforts to move the technology and innovation related activity to the cities Beyond Bengaluru. Government of Karnataka has already taken a number of steps and rolled out several initiatives aimed at enhancing the ecosystem in these cities.
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 funded; 181 prototypes built, and 13 patents filed.
Government of Karnataka 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 setup in the cities of Dharwad, Bagalkot and Mysuru.
ESDM clusters have been identified and are being promoted to encourage industry to set up operations in the cities of Mysuru, Hubballi, Chikkaballapura, Chitradurga and others. The Government has also set up VLSI Incubation Centre and Brownfield Cluster at Hubballi.

Government of Karnataka 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 of industry, academia and other stakeholders to prepare 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 in cities Beyond Bengaluru.
Speaking on the announcement, Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, and Minister for IT, BT and S&T said, “Beyond Bengaluru is a unique initiative by the Government of Karnataka in its 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.”.
Speaking on the announcement, Dr. E.V. Ramana Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, Government of Karnataka said, “Government of Karnataka has a clear vision on building the innovation and technology ecosystem in cities Beyond Bengaluru. For enhanced ecosystem growth, it is important that we look at infrastructure development, market access, ecosystem engagement and talent development of these cities. Furthermore, it is increasingly important, that we, as Government of Karnataka implement necessary steps to support and promote innovation, growth and development in these cities.”