Karnataka to unveil preferential public procurement policy to support startups

Big Tech Show organised by the state government in Mysuru,

The Karnataka government is likely to unveil a preferential public procurement policy aimed at bolstering support for startups.

Speaking at the 'Big Tech Show' organised by the state government in Mysuru, Karnataka's IT-BT minister Priyank Kharge, said: "Alongside our sector-specific ease of doing business initiatives, we are now working on developing a preferential public procurement policy. This policy will ensure government support for startups with unique intellectual property registered through our startup cell and actively involved in 'Beyond Bengaluru' initiatives. The government of Karnataka can become the first customer under this policy, facilitating the procurement of products and services with unique intellectual property."

The 'Big Tech Show 2023' was organised by the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) at the Infosys campus in Mysuru. Mysuru is being positioned as the new global hub for the cybersecurity and semiconductor industry, including Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM).

Further Kharge said, "Karnataka is home to one-third of India's tech talent. We are currently nurturing 25,000 startups in the ecosystem, with 15,000 startups receiving support from the Karnataka government".

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He said, "For the first time in the country, we have established a Skill Advisory Council for emerging technologies to provide the skills that our nation needs.  "We have dedicated Centers of Excellence in IoT, cybersecurity, data science, AI, semiconductor fab, aerospace, robotics, and animation. By the end of this financial year, we will have additional centers of excellence in fintech, manufacturing, wireless products, gaming, health science, med tech, fintech, and biotech accelerator, all to be led by industry experts. These centers will nurture inventions and innovations"

He said they are working on forming a Global Innovation Alliance, partnering with nearly 50 countries by next year. "This initiative will enable our startups to network with companies abroad, fostering market access and collaboration with other ecosystems. With the Global Innovation Alliance, our goal is not only the exchange of ideas but also the creation of specific economic corridors for startups, such as the cybersecurity corridor and the marine biotech corridor, as well as global capability centers, to benefit various ecosystems."

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BV Naidu, chairman of KDEM, said, "Mysuru has established itself as a city that strikes a harmonious balance between technology and electronics. Notably, over 10 distinguished firms have expressed interest in being part of this transformation. Mysuru's share of 2000 crore in defence offset further underscores its growing significance."