Over 50 countries to participate in Bengaluru Tech Summit from Nov 29 to Dec 1: Karnataka minister

Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) partners' meeting, a precursor event to BTS.

Karnataka IT-BT minister Priyank Kharge on August 28 said more than 50 countries will participate in the 26th edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) which is scheduled from November 29 to December 1.

"The 26th edition of the BTS is set to surpass all expectations with an unparalleled scale and an unprecedented level of global participation," said Kharge during his address at the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) partners' meeting, a precursor event to BTS.

"The state has established a skill advisory committee catering to emerging technologies such as cybersecurity, agri innovation, data science, AI, aerospace, semiconductor fabless, machine intelligence, robotics, animation, etc.," said Kharge.

The minister emphasised that Karnataka is primed for collaboration, seeking partnerships in automotive technology, gaming acceleration, circular economy labs, and other domains within its ecosystem.

Kharge said Karnataka leads the nation in software exports, contributing to 40% of the country's total software exports. Additionally, Bengaluru stands as the world's fourth-largest technology cluster, boasting a highly skilled workforce.

The event had representatives from over 16 countries, including consul generals and deputy consul generals from Australia, France, Israel, Japan, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Countries such as Italy, Peru, and Spain also participated in the event for the first time.

"Switzerland consistently ranks among the world's most innovative nations. In the previous edition of BTS, we proudly showcased 10 cutting-edge startups from Switzerland, a testament to our commitment to innovation. Switzerland's interest extends to deep tech and technologies associated with sustainability and beyond," said Patrick Muller, deputy Consul General of Switzerland in Bengaluru.

"According to our reports, Japanese investments in the Indian IT and startup ecosystem have grown by 4 times between 2016 and 2021. The total investment in the past 20 years touched 9.2 Billion US dollars," said Hokuto Kaya, deputy Consul General of Japan.

"For us, Bengaluru is the tech & startup innovation hub of India, and that is why we are present here. Not only are we at the consulate, but also many Dutch companies call Bengaluru home," said Ewout de Wit, Consul General of the Netherlands.

"We were discussing talent, which is of great interest to us. Our companies require talent to not only grow but also expand their presence here in Bengaluru. In Bengaluru, my colleagues mentioned that there are already over 200 German companies with research and development centers and production facilities," said Achim Burkart, Consul General of Germany.

"We wish to increase the interconnections between the companies of India and France in the digital economy," said Thierry Berthelot, Consul General of France.

"The GIA has grown from a modest number of 10 partners in 2018 to 34 partners in 2023. This year BTS will be bigger and more impactful," said Ekroop Caur, Karnataka IT secretary.

The 3rd edition of the India-USA Tech conclave at BTS will also highlight advancements in emerging technologies in IT and HealthTech, focusing on the exciting ties between AI in America and India. The summit will have sessions on IT & electronics, deep tech, start-ups & biotech, an international exhibition, etc. The previous edition had representatives from 30 countries.