•Hubli Dharwad Belagavi Cluster gets a boost for enhanced development with significant contributions from HNIs for Cluster Seed Fund
•The 3rd Edition of Hubli Dharwad Belagavi Acceleration 2023 organized by KDEM- a grand success
•Groundbreaking Innovations Unveiled
Government intends to formulate policy of Preferential Public Procurement Policy, ensuring support for local startups said Mr. Priyank Kharge while addressing the gathering at the Techceleration 2023 in Belagavi today.
The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) hosted the 3rd edition of Techceleration, a flagship event spotlighting Karnataka’s thriving IT, ESDM, and S&T sectors in the Hubballi-Dharwad-Belagavi (HDB) cluster. The event aimed to bring together innovators, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts to explore the latest trends, exchange ideas, and contribute to the vibrant tech ecosystem in Karnataka.
The HBD Cluster has achieved remarkable progress, with the emergence of 16 new companies and the expansion of four existing ones. Furthermore, 40 additional companies have expressed their commitment to establishing cluster industries, showcasing a robust growth trajectory. A new manufacturing unit has been inaugurated, generating employment opportunities for 3,000 individuals. The entrepreneurial landscape has also flourished with the launch of 150 startups, backed by a substantial capital investment of Rs. 25 Crore. The collective initiatives underscore the dynamic and thriving business ecosystem within the HBD Cluster.
Speaking at the event, IT BT Minister, Priyank Kharge said “Along with our sector-specific Ease of Doing Business initiatives, we are trying to develop a Preferential Public Procurement Policy that ensures government support for startups with unique intellectual property registered with our startup cell and if invested and engaged in ‘Beyond Bengaluru’initiative of Government of Karnataka, then GOKcan be the first customer. A govt policy that ensures that your products, services with Unique IP can be procured by the government.”
“We understand the journey of entrepreneurs, and the Government of Karnataka is here to listen, learn, and adapt to meet the needs of our dynamic startup community.” he explained.
“In this regard, the deadline for submission of application will be extended till January 5, 2024. Through this policy, our government is committed to support startups” he reiterated.
“We understand that in America, there’s a requirement for one million chip designers in next 5 years, and we think in India, Karnataka has the potential to address this challenge. Our Human resource is highly agile”.
“Furthermore, we are focusing on creating a conducive environment for businesses ‘Beyond Bengaluru Initiatives,’ offering more subsidies, policies, and investments. It is a very important initiative that the government is doing through KDEM” he explained.
“Beyond Bengaluru, envisions a new era of growth, propelling IT & BT dominance into untapped regions. The strategic development in Hubballi-Dharwad-Belagavi Cluster signifies the robust policies of our government for sustainable development and progress. More clusters are poised to emerge as tech epicenters.
The HDB Cluster represents a robust tech ecosystem in Karnataka Beyond Bengaluru , where innovation knows no bounds.”
Ekroop Caur, Additional Chief Secretary, Dept of IT & BT
Felicitation:
The event was not only informative but also marked significant moments, including product launches, the felicitation of industrialists in the HDB cluster, acknowledgement of HNIs investing in the Cluster Seed Fund – Subhash Tyagi of Gold Plus who contributed Rs. 2 crore to the seed fund for the HDB cluster and HBD Cluster Lead Industry Anchor Venkatesh Patil were felicitated by the Minister.
MoUs
MoU Exchange with KDEM – KLE Tech, IMER, GIT
Ms.Ekroop Caur,Additional Chief Secretary,Dept of IT & BT,Dr. S Selvakumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Industries and Commerce, Mr. Darshan H V, IAS, Director, Department of Electronics, IT&BT and MD, KITS, Government of Karnataka, Mr. B V Naidu, Chairman, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, CEO, KDEM, Mr. Venkatesh Patil, Lead Industry Anchor, HDB Cluster & MD, Belguam Oxygen Pvt Ltd., Mr. Santosh Huralikoppi, Lead Industry Anchor, HDB Cluster & Chief Mentor, FUEL, were present.
Sessions held:
The 3rd Edition of HDB Techceleration by KDEM, featured a diverse range of insightful sessions. These included discussions on “Government-Startup Synergy for Citizens Good,” “Innovations Unplugged: Charting the Future of ESDM in Emerging Clusters,” “Winds of Change”, “HDB as the Engineering and Design Hub for the Globe,” and “Capital as a booster for the startup ecosystem in the cluster,” “ HDB Cluster – Milestones to grow” among others.
Mr. Darshan H V, IAS, Director of the Department of IT, BT & ST, and MD of KITS, GoK, provided valuable insights into the “Initiatives of Government to Drive Capital Availability for the Startups across the State.”
Other sessions explored topics such as “Unlocking Opportunities: Navigating the Potential of Global Capability Centers with HDB Cluster” and “Karnataka Skill Connect Portal and other initiatives for GCC’s to grow.” Additionally, there was a focus on “Rapid Talent Transformation: Building 1000 Industry-Ready Professionals in Just 100 Days.”