Karnataka signs MoUs with Coinbase India, Refroid to push cybersecurity, AI

Karnataka IT-BT minister Priyank Kharge

The Karnataka government, on December 3, signed two MoUs with Coinbase India to build on-chain and cybersecurity capabilities and with Refroid Technologies to establish the country’s first Made-in-India liquid cooling portfolio for AI and hyperscale workloads.

Announcing the agreements at the 8th ASSOCHAM Smart Datacenters & Cloud Infrastructure Conclave, state IT and biotechnology minister Priyank Kharge said the partnerships are intended to unlock new economic opportunities, and build technical capability.

Under the MoU with Coinbase India, the state will collaborate on two tracks.

The first focuses on strengthening the blockchain ecosystem by supporting developer education, early-stage startup incubation, and public awareness programs. Coinbase will cultivate developers on Base, its Ethereum Layer 2 network, while the government will provide access to colleges, polytechnics, K-Tech innovation hubs, subsidized infrastructure, and Startup Cell visibility.

Key outcomes for the first year include upskilling more than 10,000 developers, facilitating over 25 new on-chain startups, and launching a state-wide blockchain awareness campaign.

The second track focuses on improving cybersecurity readiness across educational institutions and startups.

Coinbase will offer expert-led certifications and masterclasses, while the state will leverage KDEM, KEONICS, law enforcement agencies and universities to roll out training.

Plans include training more than 1,000 individuals in cybersecurity fundamentals and equipping over 100 startups with cyber-readiness toolkits.

Liquid cooling for AI data centers

The government’s MoU with Refroid Technologies will make Karnataka home to India’s first comprehensive Made-in-India liquid cooling solutions designed for AI, hyperscale, telco, edge, and enterprise environments.

The portfolio includes coolant distribution units ranging from 200 kW to 2 MW, immersion cooling systems developed using indigenous dielectric coolant with BPCL, and hybrid loadbanks for integrated system testing in liquid-cooled data centers.

“These initiatives will help catapult the State into a new realm of deeptech economy and development and make our goal of Karnataka a model state for innovation in technology,” said Manjula N, secretary of the IT and biotechnology department.

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