Karnataka bets on tech clusters

Beyond Bengaluru, the state is positioning tier-2 cities as next-gen tech & R&D hubs

- SUDHIR CHOWDHARY

KARNATAKA IS QUIETLY rewriting the next chapter of India's digital playbook—and it's not happening in Bengaluru. Under the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission's (KDEM) "Beyond Bengaluru" initiative, clusters like Mysuru, Mangaluru and Hubballi-Dharwad-Belagavi (HBD), are emerging as credible hubs for deeptech R&D, full-stack electronics system design and manufacturing (ESDM), and global capability centres (GCCs).

The Mysuru cluster is at the forefront of driving traction; while Karnataka aims to contribute at least $300 billion to India's $1 trillion economy by 2030, the state government is aiming to touch digital revenues of $10 billion from Mysuru alone by 2030 with at least 150,000 new job openings.

"The last 12 months have been significant for the Mysuru cluster with 15 new companies setting up base and generating new employment. It has seen over ₹2,800 crore investments during this period—including a major semiconductor JV, a ₹1,250 crore printed circuit board (PCB) plant, and multiple nano-GCC launches," said BV Naidu, chairman, KDEM.