The Bengaluru Tech Summit 2024, hosted at Bangalore Palace over three days, concluded on a high note, showcasing breakthroughs in technology, innovation, and global partnerships. With the theme “Unbound,” the summit brought together global leaders, industry pioneers, and technology enthusiasts. Key speakers included Rishad Premji (Wipro), Dr S. Somanath (ISRO), Nithin Kamath (Zerodha), Sriharsha Majety (Swiggy), Peyush Bansal (Lenskart), Anne Neuberger (White House), and Nuseir Yassin (Nas Daily), among others.
Drawing participants from 51 countries, the summit featured 84 sessions, 686 exhibitors, and 4,775 business interactions, with over 36,000 attendees and 50,000+ expo footfalls. Countries such as Australia, Germany, South Korea, the USA, and Israel actively participated, along with universities like Manipal and institutions such as Infosys and Biocon. Sector-specific pavilions focused on Deeptech, Biotech, Healthtech, Spacetech, and Fintech.
The Bengaluru Tech Summit 2024 showcased Karnataka’s leadership in technology and innovation through a series of impactful announcements and initiatives. A highlight of Day 1 was the unveiling of the Nipuna Karnataka logo, marking the state’s commitment to upskilling local talent for global competitiveness in emerging technologies.
The government signed six critical MoUs with global tech leaders under the Nipuna Karnataka Skilling Program, aiming to train 1 lakh individuals in advanced IT domains. Partnerships with companies like Microsoft, Intel, Accenture, and IBM promise to upskill tens of thousands annually in DeepTech, AI, Cyber Technologies, and Cloud Computing.
A landmark Letter of Intent with Nvidia to establish an AI Data Centre further underscored Karnataka’s commitment to fostering cutting-edge innovation. The MoU with the BFSI Consortium also set a strong precedent for skilling and placement in the Fintech sector, reinforcing Karnataka’s technological prowess.
The Startup Springboard initiative demonstrated Karnataka’s dedication to entrepreneurship, focusing on addressing challenges in funding, mentorship, and infrastructure. Over 185 startups pitched their ideas to 68 investors, while experienced mentors guided more than 120 early-stage ventures.
Meanwhile, the Biotech track featured collaborations with global institutions such as Stanford Bio and Health Tech Hub Copenhagen, advancing digital health and biotechnology innovation. The Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) brought together 20 partner nations, including high-level delegations from Sweden, the EU, and the UK. This culminated in key MoUs with Finland, Switzerland, and France, fostering cross-border collaborations and access to global markets.
Karnataka further cemented its leadership in artificial intelligence by announcing a new Centre of Excellence in AI with the IIT Alumni Centre Bangalore, offering startups incubation, training, and market access opportunities. On Day 1, an insightful fireside chat between Wipro’s Rishad Premji and NDTV’s TM Veeraraghav delved into the importance of reskilling, the government’s role in AI adoption, and cultivating a learning mindset. Premji emphasized empathy, critical thinking, and sustainability in corporate culture, offering valuable advice for startups to focus on long-term organizational growth over fleeting valuations.
Day 2 of the Bengaluru Tech Summit saw Karnataka launch 50 groundbreaking products across IT, Med-Tech, Clean-Tech, AI, and other sectors, showcasing innovations from government-supported startups, including those led by women entrepreneurs. The India-U.S. Tech Conclave highlighted transformative AI applications in agriculture and logistics, strengthening collaboration between the U.S. and India.
A key milestone was the launch of the Draft Karnataka Space Technology Policy 2024-29, aimed at leveraging the state’s NewSpace ecosystem, attracting investment, and creating high-skilled jobs in the growing space sector. Discussions at the Karnataka GCC Roundtable explored the sector’s expansion into Tier 2 and 3 cities, highlighting Karnataka’s appeal as a global hub for innovation.
The Bengaluru Tech Summit also hosted events like the unveiling of the 9th Edition of the TiE Global Summit 2024 and the STPI IT Export Awards, celebrating excellence in IT exports by companies such as Infosys, Amazon, and Bosch. A new Hypergrowth Karnataka program in collaboration with Startup Genome aims to propel scaleups in Enterprise SaaS and Fintech to global success through strategic support and international networks. The summit also announced the 2025 Startup Awards to recognize exceptional innovation, scalability, and socio-economic impact across India’s startup ecosystem.
Interactive sessions and competitions added vibrancy to the summit. The “Women in Leadership” panel addressed systemic challenges and advocated for fostering inclusive workplaces, while the BTS Innovation Dome hosted engaging workshops, product launches, and the 17th BioQuiz finale. Other highlights included the TCS Rural IT Quiz, celebrating young tech talent from small towns with substantial educational scholarships. These initiatives collectively reflected Karnataka’s vision to nurture innovation, empower entrepreneurs, and cement its position as a global technology hub.
The valedictory session celebrated innovation with awards recognizing startups, IT exports, and sustainability efforts. The summit underscored Bengaluru’s leadership in technology and set the stage for future advancements, with the 28th edition promising to raise the bar even higher.
