Karnataka announces Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026, launches Innoverse Foundation for DeepTech startups

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday announced the 29th edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) 2026 will be held from November 17 to 19 under the theme “AI & Beyond.”

The annual technology summit is expected to bring together over 1,800 exhibitors, 25,000 delegates, 1,000 startups and more than 60,000 business visitors from over 75 countries and 30 States and Union Territories. The event will feature conferences, exhibitions, startup programmes, investor connect initiatives and global partnerships across sectors, including AI, DeepTech, electronics and semiconductors, biotechnology, fintech, spacetech, AVGC, digital infrastructure and electric mobility.

Embedded world India to debut at BTS 2026

A key addition this year will be the inaugural edition of embedded world India, organised in association with NuernbergMesse India, with a dedicated conference and exhibition focused on electronics and semiconductors. The government said the initiative aims to strengthen collaboration between global technology companies and India’s growing semiconductor ecosystem.

Karnataka unveils IT and DeepTech roadmap

The announcement was made during the state’s annual CEO Breakfast Meet, attended by more than 200 technology industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers. During the event, the government also released the Karnataka IT & DeepTech Landscape Progress Report 2025-26, outlining the state’s achievements and the sector’s roadmap.

Dr Manjula N., IAS, Secretary, Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, presented the Karnataka IT & DeepTech Landscape Progress Report 2025–26, highlighting the state’s achievements, key policy interventions and the vision for BTS 2026.

Industry leaders share vision for technology growth

The programme featured sectoral perspectives from S. Gopalakrishnan (Kris), Chairperson, Vision Group on IT, who shared his vision for strengthening Karnataka’s leadership in IT and DeepTech, and Dr Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson, Vision Group on Biotechnology, who highlighted the state’s expanding opportunities in biotechnology, innovation and life sciences.

Leading industry bodies such as NASSCOM, IESA, TiE Bangalore, ABLE, IVCA and ABAI brought together CEOs, founders, and innovators from IT & DeepTech, Biotech & HealthTech, Electronics & Semiconductors, Defence & Space Tech, FinTech, and AVGC who shared their perspectives on the opportunities, recommendations, challenges and priorities for Karnataka’s next phase of technology-led growth in an Open House discussion.

Innoverse Foundation launched to support deep-tech startups

The government also launched the Innoverse Foundation, an initiative to mentor revenue-generating deep-tech startups and help them scale globally. Alongside this, it opened applications for the foundation’s DeepTech Enabler Program.

The event also recognised 33 winners of the Elevate NxT 2026 programme. Selected from 983 applications received nationwide, the startups will receive grants ranging from ₹85 lakh to ₹1 crore for research and product development. Of the winners, 24 are based in Bengaluru, four are from other parts of Karnataka, and five are from Delhi, Maharashtra and Telangana. Twelve of the selected startups are women-led.

Karnataka aims to strengthen AI and deep-tech leadership

Addressing the gathering, Priyank Kharge, Minister for Electronics, IT & Biotechnology, said, “Karnataka has always been at the forefront of India’s technology and innovation journey, and BTS 2026 reflects our vision to lead the next era of growth under the theme ‘AI and Beyond’. Through initiatives such as the InnoVerse Foundation, Elevate Next, the proposed AI University, the Museum of Innovation, Startup and Technology, and a regulatory sandbox to accelerate innovation, we are building a future-ready ecosystem that empowers startups, strengthens research, develops world-class talent, and enables deep-tech innovation at scale. With leading global technology platforms joining BTS this year, we are creating opportunities for collaboration, investment and innovation, further reinforcing Karnataka’s position as India’s technology capital and a leading global hub for AI and deep-tech.”

BTS 2026 to feature AI, fintech and global collaboration tracks

The three-day summit will include conference tracks on AI and DeepTech, fintech, health and biotech, spacetech, global collaboration, and the India-US Tech Conclave, as well as the Future Makers programme, which will connect high-potential startups with investors, mentors, and global markets. The government said that BTS 2026 aims to strengthen further Karnataka’s position as India’s leading technology and innovation hub.

Published on July 24, 2026