Bengaluru: The Karnataka Government has announced a Rs. 1,000-crore plan to build innovation clusters across Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad and Belagavi, aiming to expand the State’s tech -led growth beyond Bengaluru.

The announcement was made at CII Innoverge 2025, held in Bengaluru, under the theme “Make in India, Developed India & Digital India.”

In his keynote address, Minister for Electronics, IT & BT Priyank Kharge said that Karnataka accounts for 40 percent of India’s R&D talent and 30 percent of all global capability centres.

“Karnataka has evolved into one of the most disruptive innovation hubs in the world. We are not just an investment destination but the global knowledge and skill capital,” he said.

Kharge said the State will launch a Rs. 100-crore fund at the upcoming Bengaluru Tech Summit to identify India’s top 50 AI companies and showcase 20,000 startups under ‘Future Makers’ track.

Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner for Industrial Development and Director, Department of Industries & Commerce, Kamal Bali, President and MD, Volvo Group India and Kris Gopalakrishnan, Co-founder, Infosys, also spoke.

The summit, attended by over 300 industry leaders, focused on leveraging AI, R&D and partnerships to position India as a global innovation hub by 2047.