Karnataka plans to expand Global Innovation Alliance beyond 30 countries to boost startups’ global access

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• Karnataka to expand Global Innovation Alliance beyond 30 partner countries
• GIA has backed 2,000+ startups and 60+ global partnerships since launch
• Future focus includes DeepTech, AI, climate tech, and digital infrastructure

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Karnataka is planning to expand its Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) beyond the existing 30 partner countries to help startups access international markets and deepen global technology partnerships.

GIA, state government’s flagship international outreach programme under Department of Electronics, IT and Biotechnology, focuses on strengthening global collaboration in innovation, research and development (R&D), and entrepreneurship. Since its launch, the initiative has supported over 2,000 startups and facilitated more than 60 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and international partnerships, officials said.

Also, read: LEAP, Karnataka’s Rs 1,000 crore startup push to take growth beyond Bengaluru: Priyank Kharge

Information Technology and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge told Moneycontrol that GIA has been designed as Karnataka’s strategic platform for innovation diplomacy. “GIA is linking our startups, research institutions and industry with global innovation hubs. By connecting over 2,000 startups with more than 30 countries, we are creating structured pathways for market access, research collaboration and technology partnerships,” he said. The objective, he added, is to position Karnataka as India’s global gateway for innovation.

According to officials, the initiative is structured around three core pillars - government-to-government (G2G) engagement, global expansion for startups, and institution-to-institution (I2I) innovation exchange - enabling policy collaboration, startup market access and joint research under a unified framework.

Under the G2G pillar, Karnataka has signed MoUs and letters of intent with countries and global innovation hubs including Switzerland, Finland, Berlin, Israel, Chile, Sharjah, New Jersey, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Italy. Going ahead, Karnataka plans to expand GIA’s footprint further across Europe, East Asia and North America, with a sharper focus on DeepTech, AI, climate tech, life sciences and digital infrastructure, officials said.

Also, read: Karnataka unveils Rs 600-crore-plus plan for DeepTech; explores co-investment model with VCs

Startup globalisation remains a key focus under GIA. “Through GIA Market Access Programme (MAP), Karnataka startups have participated in structured outbound missions to the UAE, Singapore, Belgium, Australia, Germany and Japan. Upcoming programmes are planned in Switzerland, South Korea and France. More than 50 startups across DeepTech, FinTech, HealthTech, CleanTech, Biotech and TravelTech sectors have participated in these cohorts, gaining exposure to international investors, corporates and regulatory ecosystems,” an official said.

On the research front, the I2I pillar connects Karnataka’s universities and centres of excellence with global academic institutions such as Imperial College London, the University of Glasgow, Rice University, Johns Hopkins University, La Trobe University, and Swissnex with the University of Basel. State-backed institutions including the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (CCAMP), Science Gallery Bengaluru and Bengaluru Bioinnovation Centre (BBC) are engaged in joint research and startup acceleration programmes.

GIA has also helped establish global innovation corridors with Germany, Finland, Switzerland, the US and Australia, focusing on artificial intelligence, fintech, life sciences, biotechnology, green technologies and Industry 4.0.